Battle of Arnhem veteran becomes MBE days before 100th birthday
Geoffrey Roberts, from Peterborough, was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to the commemoration of the Battle of Arnhem and to charity by the Princess Royal at Buckingham Palace on Thursday.
Mr Roberts, who turns 100 on Saturday told the PA news agency: 'I'm surprised actually, I don't know what I got it for, I didn't do anything.
'When I saw the letter I thought someone was kidding me, I didn't have a clue, it was the last thing on my mind. I was very shocked and very overwhelmed.'
Asked how important it is that veterans continue to be recognised, he said: 'It's very important, there's not many of us left, so it's very important especially for the ones who didn't come home.
'The heroes are lying in a cemetery, I was lucky, I turned left when I should have turned right so I'm still here.'
Mr Roberts, who was born in the Chelsea Barracks in London in 1925, signed up in 1942.
On September 17 1944, he flew into the Netherlands as part of Operation Market Garden – depicted in the 1977 Hollywood film A Bridge Too Far – which saw 35,000 British, American and Polish troops parachute or glide behind German lines.
Mr Roberts was captured on September 26, with a German officer giving him some cigarettes and telling him, 'for you, the war is over'.
He was sent to a prisoner of war camp and put to work in a coal mine until the end of the war.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Royal chef shares late Queen's strict meal rules and why she often ate alone
Former royal chef Darren McGrady spent 15 years cooking for the British royal family - serving the likes of Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Diana, Prince William, and Prince Harry some of his finest dishes A former royal chef who cooked for the likes of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip has revealed the strict meal times the household followed for different family members. According to former royal chef Darren McGrady, the daily dining schedule in the late monarch's household was strictly regimented, with each member of the family often eating separately according to their own habits and tastes. "Meal times were fixed," the chef revealed. "The Queen was very strict and disciplined. Contrary to popular belief, she never called for food at odd hours. They had set meals, and if they wanted something in between, there was always fruit or chocolates in their rooms." Breakfast for the late Queen was served at 9am sharp - and surprisingly, it was a modest affair. "The Queen's breakfast was at 9am, served in her room. She'd help herself to cereal from a Tupperware container, especially Special K, even though there were 20 chefs available to cook anything.' Her husband, Prince Philip, had different preferences and often dined separately. 'Prince Philip, on the other hand, enjoyed more adventurous breakfasts like deviled kidneys,' the chef said. Lunch was always at 1pm, while dinner was served promptly at 8:15pm, moved to 8:30pm only if the Queen Mother was present. Though the timing was fixed, the food was often traditional and comforting rather than lavish. 'We didn't do anything over-the-top extravagant. The Queen was very frugal, likely due to her wartime upbringing," the chef explained. "Ingredients like lobster, caviar, and foie gras were reserved for state banquets. On normal days, she was perfectly happy with comfort food, so we cooked meals like cottage pie." Each member of the family, the chef noted, had their own culinary preferences. "Each royal had their favourites. For the Queen, it always came back to indigenous produce - partridge or venison from Sandringham, grouse from Balmoral. "The had a sweet tooth and loved dark chocolate, especially anything over 60 percent cocoa. Any dessert with chocolate on the menu was sure to be chosen.' The then-Prince Charles, now King, stood out for his passion for organic and Mediterranean foods. "Charles was the most adventurous. He brought organic food into the royal kitchens long before it became mainstream," the chef said. "He'd bring his own hampers with home-grown fruits and vegetables, especially at Sandringham... He also enjoyed foraging for wild mushrooms which he would bring to the kitchens for us to use in meals." Despite the modern fascination with dietary requirements, the royal table rarely accommodated special requests. 'During my 11 years with the Queen, we didn't have a single vegetarian, gluten-free, or lactose-intolerant guest,' the chef revealed. 'If you dined with the Queen, you ate what the Queen ate. If you didn't like it, you'd stop for a McDonald's on the way home.' And while garlic wasn't outright banned, it was subtly left out of the late monarch's meals. 'There weren't banned foods, but the Queen didn't like garlic or strong onions, viewing them as antisocial,' the chef said. 'Prince Philip, however, loved garlic and would have it at his dinner parties.' The younger royals had a more relaxed approach. Prince William and Prince Harry were fond of comfort food, and occasionally indulged in fast food. 'Wills and Harry loved cottage pie, pizza, chicken nuggets, french fries, potato wedges, macaroni cheese,' the chef recalled. 'One lunchtime, the Princess came in and said, 'Cancel lunch today. I'm taking them out.' I asked, 'Where are you going?' and she said, 'McDonald's.' I said, 'I can do burgers better than McDonald's,' and she said, 'I know that Darren, but they want the toys in the Happy Meal.'' For royal events such as state banquets, the chefs prepared more extravagant dishes. 'A state visit takes a lot of planning,' the chef explained. 'We'd get likes, dislikes, and dietary restrictions from the Foreign Office, then plan four menus and send them to the Queen - she'd choose one.' The Queen's taste remained consistent even for formal occasions. 'Dessert was often a bombe glacée - an ice cream dish. The Queen loved ice cream or chocolate desserts,' he added.
The Herald Scotland
9 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Harry emphasises importance of ‘compassion' in surprise New York appearance
Harry was an unannounced featured speaker for the event, where he discussed the impact of service and the importance of establishing stronger communities to tackle issues such as disconnection and social isolation. He pointed to the work of his Archewell Foundation in fostering community and combating social isolation, both online and offline. In his address, the Duke of Sussex urged those in attendance to use their platforms to serve the wider community (Aaron Chown/PA) Harry and the Duchess of Sussex founded the non-profit organisation in 2020. He told the crowd: 'As the world gets harder, as people's lives become harder, compassion can shrink. 'The thing that gives me the most hope is the grassroots approach. 'Many of you here today are connected and involved with so many community solutions, because it's what energises all of you, and that service part is really what energises me as well.' In his address, the duke also urged those in attendance to use their platforms to serve the wider community, telling the crowd: 'Whatever you put out there, you get back.' Harry met with the Nexus Australian delegation, made up of people and organisations working to address mental health and social media safety, and a Brazilian delegation of 12 young people striving to tackle inequality through education and volunteerism. The summit runs until Saturday, with other featured speakers ranging from journalists to activists and chief executives.
Scotsman
12 hours ago
- Scotsman
Ministry of Defence accused of 'deceiving' Chinook crash victim families in legal fight update
The RAF Chinook ZD576 crashed in foggy weather on June 2, 1994 on the Mull of Kintyre. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The families of those killed in the 1994 Chinook helicopter crash have said they will press on with seeking a judicial review after the Ministry of Defence (MoD) dismissed their demands for a judge-led public inquiry. RAF Chinook ZD576 was carrying 25 British intelligence personnel from RAF Aldergrove in Northern Ireland to a conference at Fort George near Inverness when it crashed in foggy weather on June 2 1994 on the Mull of Kintyre. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad All 25 passengers – personnel from MI5, the Royal Ulster Constabulary and the British Army – were killed, along with the helicopter's four crew members. The wreckage of the RAF Chinook helicopter, which crashed on the Mull of Kintyre on June 2, 1994 killing all 29 on board. Picture: Chris Bacon/PA Wire The families launched legal action in a 'letter before action' to the UK government sent earlier this month on the 31st anniversary of the crash. They said they will now pursue a judicial review after the MoD responded and rejected their demands for a public inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the crash, and for access to files which have been sealed for 100 years. Nicola Rawcliffe, whose brother Major Christopher Dockerty was killed in the crash aged 33, said: 'I am furious and disgusted with the MoD's decision to summarily dismiss our claim. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The MoD is continuing to deceive our families and disrespect our loved ones' memories by claiming that the many previous inquiries investigated all the facts, but we now know the aircraft was not airworthy. They didn't know half of what we know now. 'The government may have sealed the files for 100 years, but we, the families of those who died, are firmly united, strong and defiant, and we will get to the truth, no matter what it takes.' Following the crash, the Chinook's pilots, Flight Lieutenants Richard Cook and Jonathan Tapper, were accused of gross negligence, but this verdict was overturned by the UK government 17 years later following a campaign by the families. A subsequent review by Lord Philip set out 'numerous concerns' raised by those who worked on the Chinooks, with the MoD's testing centre at Boscombe Down in Wiltshire declaring the Chinook Mk2 helicopters 'unairworthy' prior to the crash. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The MoD said the crash was a 'tragic accident' and while its sympathies remain with the families and friends of the victims, there have been several investigations and inquiries and it believes it is unlikely another would reach any new conclusions. Andy Tobias, who was eight when his father Lieutenant Colonel John Tobias, 41, was killed, said: 'My childhood was stolen from me because someone decided my dad and his colleagues should be put on a helicopter that was not fit for purpose.' The families, who have coalesced into the Chinook Justice Campaign, said failing to order a public inquiry is a breach of the UK Government's human rights obligations. Solicitor Mark Stephens, from law firm Howard Kennedy, said: 'This decision by the MoD to dismiss our claim is an unforgivable betrayal of service people who gave their lives for their country and an undisguised slap in the face for their long-suffering and bereaved families.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'So much for the Government's so-called commitment to duty of candour. 'We will now seek a judicial review into the Ministry of Defence's decision to deny the families truth, transparency and justice.' An MoD spokesperson said: 'The Mull of Kintyre crash was a tragic accident, and our thoughts and sympathies remain with the families, friends and colleagues of all those who died. 'We understand that the lack of certainty about the cause of the crash has added to the distress of the families. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We provided a detailed and considered response to the pre-action protocol letter stating the reasons why we cannot accept the demand for establishing a new public inquiry. 'It's unlikely that a public inquiry would identify any new evidence or reach new conclusions on the basis of existing evidence. 'The accident has already been the subject of six inquiries and investigations, including an independent judge-led review.'
