'I never thought I'd live to the end of D-Day...now I'm 103'

Birthday hero celebrates life 80 years on from Normandy landings

- Giles Sheldrick

JOHN Duke did not expect to make it past the first 24 hours when he landed on Gold Beach in a hail of ferocious gunfire, during the D-Day landings of 1944.

But today, 80 years on from the fighting on the shore, the hero will be celebrating his 103rd birthday.

And while we proudly salute one of the few surviving Normandy lionhearts, modest John plans to mark the occasion simply and allow himself a few of his favourite cold beers.

He was just 23 when he waded ashore as part of the crack Reconnaissance Corps. The job was particularly high-risk as where they led, other troops followed.

But John said they had a job to do and knew what was at stake.

Valuable

Speaking exclusively to the Daily Express he said: "I feel very lucky.

"I was always thinking, 'If I am going to get it, please let it be quick.' I was thinking about it all the time, constantly.