Hundreds pay tribute at funeral of D-Day veteran

Hundreds of people flooded the streets of a Cornish town to pay their respects to the D-Day veteran Harry Billinge.

The funeral of Mr Billinge, who died earlier this month aged 96, was held yesterday.

Mr Billinge was just 18 when he was one of the first British soldiers to land on Gold Beach during the Normandy invasion in 1944.

A sapper, also known as a combat engineer, he was attached to the 44 Royal Engineer Commandos and was one of only four survivors from his unit.

He was honoured by a funeral procession, which passed the war memorial cross outside Holy Trinity Church in his home town of St Austell; a guard of honour, which included standard bearers; and a requiem mass at St Paul’s Church in nearby Charlestown.

Mr Billinge was made an MBE in 2020 after raising more than £50,000 to build a national memorial honouring his fallen comrades – the 22,442 service personnel killed on D-Day and during the Battle of Normandy.

The year before, he told journalists: “I’m no hero, I’m lucky. All the heroes are dead and I’ll never forget them.”

Mr Billinge fundraised for the Poppy Appeal for 65 years and was a well-known figure outside the Travelodge in St Austell, where he would collect for his causes.

During the hour-long service, led by the Rev Canon Malcolm Bowers, a eulogy was read by journalist Nicholas Witchell, founding trustee of the Normandy Memorial Trust.

“Harry Billinge wasn’t a large man physically but he had a huge heart, indomitable spirit and a

captivating personality,” Mr Witchell said.

“He epitomised, I think, many of the best qualities of his remarkable generation. The generation who stepped forward to do its duty when the future of this country was at peril.”

Mr Witchell said Mr Billinge had an unwavering dedication to preserving the memory of his friends.

“For Harry it was never about him, it was always about them,” he added.

After the funeral, bugle call The Last Post was played and a moment of silence was observed.

The veteran is survived by his wife Sheila, daughters Sally and Margot, son Christopher and granddaughters Amy and Claire.

Mr and Mrs Billinge were married for 67 years and were due to celebrate their 68th anniversary in August.

HONOUR: The coffin of Second World War veteran Harry Billinge, one of only four from his unit to survive the conflict, is carried out of the church.

Harry’s medals and a wreath adorned the coffin.

Other veterans attended to pay their respects.