Painting of Jersey Normandy veteran Ernest Thorne unveiled ahead of 80th D-Day anniversary

A portrait of Jersey's last known surviving D-Day veteran has been unveiled at a special ceremony in St Helier.

100-year-old Ernest Thorne was part of the historic Normandy Landings when Allied Forces invaded Nazi-occupied France on 6 June 1944, seen by historians as a major turning point in the Second World War.

Ahead of the 80th anniversary next week, Jersey's Bailiff revealed the specially commissioned oil painting at the Town Hall where it will hang as a permanent tribute to Ernest who was a driver in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.

Ernest says: "As a young Jersey man, I never thought that one day I would have my portrait painted but I'm honoured."

Local artist Jason Butler created the portrait over three weeks and says it was "an absolute honour" to paint Ernest.

He adds: "Not only because of the role he played as one of Jersey's Normandy veterans but also because it was a privilege to meet someone who at 100 years of age still has a zest and enthusiasm for life, we could all learn a great deal from him."

D-Day was the largest seaborne invasion in history and several public events are being held in Jersey to mark the 80th anniversary on Thursday 6 June, including a 12:30pm wreath laying service at the Cenotaph.

An 8:30pm commemorative service will also be held at Noirmont Point with beacons to be lit across the British Isles collectively at 9:15pm.

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