Alan Barnes passed away last week surrounded by his friends and family, one year after being awarded the Légion d’Honneur
Tributes have been paid to one of the last surviving D-Day veterans, who died at his home aged 98.
Alan Barnes, a Major in the Army, who served in Africa, Italy and France, died in Jersey last week surrounded by his friends and family.
He passed away on Thursday 28 September, a year after being awarded the Légion d’Honneur – the highest French military honour – and just days before an annual reunion celebrating Normandy veterans.
Mr Barnes was part of the D-Day invasion on Normandy, which began the liberation of German-occupied northwestern Europe from Nazi control in 1944.
He returned to Normandy with his family in 2004 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the history defining landings.
Mr Barnes pictured with his wife Betty on their wedding day. The pair were married for 71 years
Leading the tributes was his son Ian who said he was deeply proud of his father’s war effort where he was part of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.
‘He was put in charge of water proofing all the vehicles that were taken over to France for the D Day landings,’ said Ian.
In 2004, Mr Barnes returned to Normandy with his family to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Normandy landings. He was met by crowds of French people, who cheered and applauded Mr Barnes and his fellow veterans
‘His time in France saw him arriving on the Normandy beaches D-Day plus 2 and we had a memorable visit there for the 60th anniversary in 2004.
‘I drove him there from St Malo and he was sat in the front seat with his beret on and wearing all his medals.
‘Gendarmes and Army personnel were saluting us everywhere we went.
‘What was most memorable was walking with him along the Normandy beaches resplendent in his beret and proudly wearing his medals.
‘Crowds of French people standing up, cheering and applauding.
‘It made us realise the contribution he had made to the war effort – especially in France.’
The late Mr Barnes, who was a much-loved husband to Betty, 90, for 71 years, was also father to Juliet, father-in-law to Bernadette and William and grandfather to Emma, Jonny, Chris, Dominic and Ed, as well as a great-grandfather.
After serving in the war he returned to run the family garage business and was also a well-known motor-racing enthusiast.
Mr Barnes’ son said that his father gave up driving only last year and always had a love of cars.
In 1947, Mr Barnes was asked by the organisers of the International Road Races – the equivalent of Formula 1 today – to operate one of the pits on Victoria Avenue.
Mr Barnes is survived by Ms Barnes, 90, their two children, Ian and Juliet, his five grandchildren and a great-grandchild
Mr Barnes pictured during the Second World War. As a Major in the Army who served during the Normandy landings, Mr Barnes was instrumental in securing the victory of Britain and its allies against Nazi Germany
He used 8-mm cine film to record the road races, which Ian has now digitised and converted to DVD format.
Mr Barnes’ son believes that his father was the only person to have footage of the 1952 race.
The funeral is due to be held on Tuesday at the Crematorium Chapel, Westmount Road, at 2.30 pm.
Portsmouth’s D-Day Museum estimates there remains approximately 500 surviving D-Day veterans in the UK, while the Normandy Veteran’s Reunion puts the figure closer to 1,500.