MEMORIES flooded back for old soldier Victor Tarry during a veterans’ reunion to celebrate his 90th birthday.

Victor lives in Covena Road, Southbourne, and is among a dwindling number of survivors of the D-Day Landings in June 1944.

At a nostalgic get-together with other veterans at Bournemouth’s Ocean View Hotel, Victor reminisced on his wartime experiences while serving with the 158 Infantry Brigade.

He said: “We landed at Arromanches beach; it was 4am and so dark we couldn’t even see the coastline. But we could hear bombing.

“There were dozens of landing craft and I remember wading through the water before scrambling through the debris. Soldiers injured by machine gun fire fell beside me but I just ran forward. I saw half a dozen soldiers praying for deliverance.

“I probably fought for 10 minutes on the beach before moving forward to our rendezvous point. Once there, I realised we had lost about 90 men and two officers.

“We proceeded to Bayeux; people were coming up to us in swarms, throwing their arms around us and bringing us bottles of wine.

“We collected a couple of prisoners and lots surrendered. We threw their rifles away.

“The French people had rounded up the Nazis and handcuffed them; there was a great bonfire and all the Nazi flags and insignia were being ripped down and burned.

“German officers were made to march around the fire and ridiculed.

“The French people were throwing rubbish at them and women who had co-operated with the Germans were having their heads shaved and were being stripped and tarred. It was a distressing sight.”

Time stood still when Victor returned to the scene of the D-Day Landings last October.

He said: “I stood in silence and looked at the expanse of sand, saluting my comrades who had lost their lives there.”

Choking back tears the Christchurch Probus Club member said: “There aren’t many of us left. It all happened so long ago but my memories are just as vivid today as they were nearly 70 years ago.”