Latest news with #BattleofArnhem
Rhyl Journal
2 days ago
- General
- Rhyl Journal
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.
Leader Live
2 days ago
- General
- Leader Live
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.
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Peterborough WW2 veteran gets MBE days before 100th birthday
A World War Two veteran who was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) said "the heroes are lying in a cemetery, I was lucky".Geoffrey Roberts, 99, from Peterborough, was appointed for his charity work and his services to the commemoration of the Battle of was captured during the battle in September 1944, in which more than 8,000 British soldiers were killed, missing or taken Roberts, who turns 100 on Saturday, received his MBE from the Princess Royal at Buckingham Palace. "I'm surprised actually, I don't know what I got it for, I didn't do anything," he said."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." Mr Roberts was born in the Chelsea Barracks in London in 1925 and signed up in 17 September 1944, he flew into the Netherlands as part of Operation Market Garden - depicted in the 1977 Hollywood film A Bridge Too Far. It saw 35,000 British, American and Polish troops parachute or glide behind German 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. When asked how important it was that veterans continued 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." Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
South Wales Guardian
2 days ago
- General
- South Wales Guardian
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.
Glasgow Times
2 days ago
- General
- Glasgow Times
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.' Geoffrey Roberts celebrates his 100th birthday on Saturday (Aaron Chown/PA) 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. Geoffrey Roberts was made an MBE for services to the commemoration of the Battle of Arnhem and to charity (Aaron Chown/PA) 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.
