Alex (92) returns to D-Day landing

FRIENDS waved goodbye to legendary World War II glider pilot Alex Reith (92) on the lawn of his home at Margate Retirement Village last Sunday morning.

It was the start of Alex’s return trip to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy in France yesterday  (Friday). He was joined by his friend, Dennis Wepener, who was a brigadier general in the South African Air Force for almost 40 years.

Ken Bannister, the Lower South Coast SAAF Association chairman, has been the driving force behind Alex and Dennis attending the special occasion. He drove the friends to the King Shaka International Airport.

Alex is believed to be the only former glider pilot travelling to the commemorations from outside of Europe.

“I’m getting so excited and emotional that I’m about to break into song,” said Alex, speaking from his Margate home.

“I’m reminded of all the war songs but I don’t know which one to sing,” he added, smiling. Dennis said he hadn’t slept the night before he was so anxious about the trip.

Alex and Dennis will join Allied heads of states and thousands of visitors from all over the world to commemorate the historic World War II event.

Queen Elizabeth II, Prime Minister David Cameron and US president Barack Obama are expected to be in attendance.

During their stay in England, Alex and Dennis will be hosted at the British Army’s Centre of Aircorps in Middle Wallop, Hampshire. They will then travel to the 70th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy in northern France.

Alex departed from OR Tambo International after many press and TV interviews. He featured on eTV on Sunday evening.

The British-born citizen Alex courageously landed a glider in Normandy in France on June 6, 1944.

Without any engine assistance, Alex, at the age of 22, courageously flew a glider which carried a jeep, field gun and five airborne troops in Normandy.

During an interview with the Herald, Alex said he had joined the British army in September 1939, as a member of the bomb disposal squad of the Royal Engineers.

In 1942, he saw a notice advertising a post to be a glider pilot.

“I haven’t got any tales to tell. I simply landed a glider in Normandy during the D-Day operation on June 6,” said Alex modestly.

However, he said the mind boggles as to what happened on that particular day.

“Anyone who survived D-Day was lucky. I was lucky enough to have survived without a scratch. Someone was looking after me,” he added.

The battle, which began on June 6, 1944, also known as D-Day, was when some 156 000 American, British and Canadian forces landed on five beaches along a 50-mile stretch of the heavily fortified coast of France’s Normandy region.

Prior to D-Day, the Allies conducted a large-scale deception campaign designed to mislead the Germans about the intended invasion target.

By late August 1944, all of northern France had been liberated, and by the following spring the Allies had defeated the Germans.

The Normandy landings have been called the beginning of the end of war in Europe. For more pics, visit our gallery.