Thank you for saving us!

BRITISH veterans of the Second World War were showered with love in the Netherlands yesterday by a 100,000-strong crowd who turned out to say: “Thank you for saving us.”

- Words by Lucy Thornton Pictures by Tim Merry

Twelve heroes, who had travelled to Wageningen where the Nazis signed their surrender 80 years ago, said they were overwhelmed at the sight of so many people waving and weeping.

They told how lucky the UK was not to be occupied — and insisted they were just “friends helping friends”.

As children ran up to give them flowers, the veterans — who arrived in Jeeps and golf buggies — handed out cards about what they did in the war.

Among them was 100-year-old Dorothea Barron, who yelled “Balderdash!” when asked to stay in her vehicle after being told there was a Canadian Wren in the crowd.

She gave Margo Duncan, who worked in radar in 1968, a giant hug as they swapped stories. Dorothea, who signalled to ships during the war as part of the Women’s Royal Naval Service, told her: “Afterwards it was ‘We don’t need you any more, go back to the kitchen.’ We were told we were taking a man’s job.”