Bernard Jordan
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Bernard Jordan | |
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| Born | June 21, 1924 Brighton, England |
| Died | December 30, 2014 (aged 90) |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | World War II |
Bernard Jordan (21 June 1924 – 30 December 2014) was a British World War II veteran known for leaving a nursing home to attend the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy, France, in 2014. His actions gained widespread public attention, leading to his nickname "The Great Escaper."
Early life and military service
Bernard Jordan was born in Brighton, England, on 21 June 1924. During World War II, he served in the Royal Navy posted to the destroyer HMS Intrepid.[1]
He participated in the D-Day invasion on 6 June 1944 controlling the opening of the electrically operated bow doors of his tank landing craft under enemy gunfire.[2]
Attendance at the 70th D-Day Anniversary
In June 2014, at the age of 89, Jordan left The Pines, a nursing home in Hove, East Sussex, under the pretense of his normal trip into town. Without informing staff however he wore his war medals under a raincoat with the plan to attend the D-Day 70th-anniversary commemorations in Normandy.[3]
It was later confirmed that the care home had renewed his passport for him and ensured he had a new blazer for the occasion, but there were no spaces available on an organised trip with the Royal British Legion.[4][5]
Jordan departed for Portsmouth on 5 June 2014, intending to catch a ferry to Caen, France. When he did not return for tea, the nursing home notified the police. Chief Superintendent Nev Kemp then tweeted a now-deleted tweet claiming "...veteran reported missing by care home who said he can't go to Normandy...".[6]
Onboard the ferry, Jordan joined the family of Jon Orrell who arranged accommodations for him and helped him gain access to the main memorial events.[7] He spent the day visiting Le Grand Bunker – Museum of the Atlantic Wall at Sword Beach in Ouistreham, Normandy, to pay his respects to fallen comrades.
Jordan’s actions attracted significant media coverage in the United Kingdom and internationally. Upon his return, he was celebrated as a symbol of the dedication and independence of the wartime generation. Days later, he marked his 90th birthday, receiving 2,500 cards and well-wishes from around the world.[8]
Later life and death
Following his participation in the 2014 D-Day commemoration, Jordan remained a dedicated advocate for veterans' causes. He died on 30 December 2014, aged 90. His wife of over 60 years, Irene, died seven days later at the age of 88.[9]
Legacy
Jordan's story inspired two films The Great Escaper, starring Michael Caine and Glenda Jackson, and The Last Rifleman starring Pierce Brosnan. Upon their deaths, the couple's estate was donated to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).[10]
References
- ↑ "Bernard Jordan: D-Day veteran whose visit to the 70th anniversary". The Independent. 8 January 2015.
- ↑ "A World War II Veteran Escaped from a Nursing Home for the 70th Anniversary of D-Day". Retrieved 27 January 2025.
- ↑ "D-Day: Hove veteran disappears for Normandy trip". BBC News. 6 June 2014.
- ↑ "The Great Escaper: the story behind the headlines". The D-Day Story, Portsmouth.
- ↑ Stilwell, Blake (8 November 2022). "A World War II Veteran Escaped from a Nursing Home for the 70th Anniversary of D-Day". Military.com.
- ↑ Bond, Anthony (6 June 2014). "D-Day veteran missing from nursing home had snuck away to Normandy to mark the 70th anniversary". The Mirror.
- ↑ "BBC Radio 5 Live - 5 Live In Short, The 'Great Escaper' Bernard Jordan was a real gentleman". BBC. 7 January 2015.
- ↑ "Runaway D-Day Hero Gets 2,500 B-Day Cards". Sky News.
- ↑ Association, Press (8 January 2015). "D-day veteran Bernard Jordan's wife Irene dies aged 88". The Guardian.
- ↑ "D-Day veteran Bernard Jordan's estate left to RNLI". BBC News. 28 January 2015.
External links
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