Peter's pride as he returns to beach

NORMANDY warrior Peter Smoothy choked back tears as he stood on the beach where giants fell.

- Giles Sheldrick

The 99-year-old D-Day hero returned to where the gates to hell opened 80 years ago today, saying: "I am so proud that we did it - it could have been so different." Royal Navy braveheart Peter was just 19 and serving on Landing Ship Tank 215 on June 6, 1944, ferrying soldiers and equipment on to Juno Beach under heavy and constant bombardment.

Revisiting the spot where eight decades earlier pandemonium erupted, the wave of emotions that hit him became too much and he bowed his head, taking a moment to compose himself, before saying: "Sadly there are very few of us left.