Four World War II heroes honoured by older person's charity

Nathan Russell

5 July 2024 at 7:00 am·2-min read

The four World War II veterans at Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre. L-R: Idwal Davies, Tony Bird, Neville Bowen, Duncan Hilling <i>(Image: Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre)</i> — The four World War II veterans at Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre. L-R: Idwal Davies, Tony Bird, Neville Bowen, Duncan Hilling *(Image: Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre)*

Four World War II veterans were honoured guests at the "unique gathering" of an older person's charity.

The Age Cymru Dyfed event was hosted by Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre, and coincided with the its exhibition marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day and the invasion of Occupied Europe in 1944.

Royal Navy veteran Tony Bird, a resident of Freshwater East and Pembrokeshire's last surviving veteran of the D-Day landings, recently celebrated his 100th birthday.

Mr Bird served aboard the Flower class corvette HMS Clematis during the war, which was part of a large fleet protecting the invasion.

His fellow veterans included 101-year-old Neville Bowen, a Royal Navy gunner from Ammanford who served in the wartime Atlantic convoys, and 98-year-old Duncan Hilling from Saundersfoot, a Royal Welch Fusilier who was stationed in India and with occupying forces in Japan at the end of the war.

98-year-old Idwal Davies, a Churchill tank crewman with the Royal Armoured Corps and resident of Llanelli, also attended.

The gathering, which brought together representatives of the Royal Navy, the Army, the RAF, the Royal British Legion, and Cymru Dyfed's staff, was also attended by Colonel James Phillips, the veterans commissioner, and Lieutenant Colonel Hayley Edwards, the AFC's regional liaison officer.

Hugh Morgan, veterans coordinator at Age Cymru Dyfed, said: “It was wonderful to witness Tony, Neville, Duncan and Idwal recounting stories from 80 years ago and so obviously enjoying each other’s company and it was also a tremendous privilege for the invited guests to be in the presence of ‘our greatest generation’.”

The Centre's ongoing D-Day exhibition, besides highlighting the service of Mr Bird, also features the tales of servicemen in the area who took part in the Normandy campaign after the D-Day landing.

It will be displayed for the rest of the year, with the Centre open Monday through Friday from 10am to 4pm.

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