A “dapper” grandad was left “in awe” after the local community came together to surprise him on his 99th Birthday. Bill Buckly, born on August 4, 1925 and originally from New Ferry, Merseyside, celebrated the milestone this weekend. The nonagenarian, now living in Bebington, thought he was going for a birthday meal at a local restaurant but was left "in awe" after he stepped outside and saw what his neighbours had planned.
Mr Buckly went to Normandy to serve in World War II at the age of 18 and was involved in the D-Day landings, which helped turn the tide of the war against the Nazis. On June 6, 1944, British troops stormed the beaches as part of Operation Neptune, which was the largest seaborne invasion in history. The huge operation initiated the liberation of occupied France and Western Europe, leading to the eventual defeat of Hitler and the Nazis.
Approximately 153,000 troops were involved as the Allies launched their assault on the beaches of Normandy—a day that would go down in history as D-Day. And more than 80 years on from the famous invasion, veteran Bill's military past was honoured by his neighbours. When he stepped outside, dressed in a grey suit, he was greeted by his local community, a wartime tank, and a 1942 American Jeep.
His neighbour Jimmy Murray, 77, said that it took three months to put together this surprise for Bill and that all their neighbours kept it a huge secret to make the day even more special. Jimmy told the Liverpool Echo : "We tri.