A WORLD War Two veteran who saw more than 100 of his colleagues killed in action when his ship was sunk a week after D-Day hopes to return to Normandy next year to lay a wreath for his fallen colleagues.

Eddie Linton, 87, was one of only 20 to leave the frigate HMS Mourne alive when it was torpedoed on June 15 1944. 110 of his fellow sailors were killed.

He returned to Normandy in June this year thanks to funding from the Big Lottery Fund Heroes Return scheme in June this year and he hopes to be able to go again next June, which will mark the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

Prior to this year Mr Linton, of Colston Avenue, Somerton, had not visited the Normandy beaches where so many lives were lost in 1944.

He recalled June 15 1944, when his ship was called to sweep the English Channel further down from the beaches: “We were going in to attack an U-boat but before we got her another one got us and we went down in two minutes.

“The majority of the casualties died in the initial hit and it was one hell of a blast. When it hit us a huge fireball went up in the air. They’d hit us directly in the magazine section and all that went up. The poor devils down below never stood a chance – no chance at all.”

Mr Linton, still a teenager, was on deck and managed to escape. After several hours in the water, he was picked up by HMS Aylme and taken back to Plymouth.

Grief didn’t end with the war, however, as Mr Linton lost two wives while they were both still young. His first wife Dorine Hannett died from TB aged just 21, then more tragedy followed when his second wife Rose Hall died from a heart attack aged 45.

Phil Mountain, secretary of the Royal Naval Association’s Newport branch, went to Normandy with Mr Linton in June. He said: “I think he was in some places a bit down but I think he appreciated the experience. I’m pleased he wants to go back, because obviously the 70th anniversary is going to be a big one.

“At one of the memorials he said something like, “Look at these boys, they’re all so young.”

Mr Linton was given the grant as part of the Big Lottery Fund’s Heroes Return 2 programme while allows World War Two veterans to make trips back to places across the world where they served.

For more information contact the Heroes Return helpline on 0845 00 00 121 or visit www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/heroesreturn.