10/11/2004

Remembrance week sees heroes return to old battlefields

As the nation prepares to remember Britain's war dead, the Big Lottery Fund today announced new awards for Second World War veterans to revisit the battlefronts where they saw action 60 years ago through the multi-million pound 'Heroes Return' scheme.

Memories of the Dambusters and of the war in Europe figure strongly in the travel awards announced today for veterans, widows, spouses and carers from across the UK.

The scheme, which was launched in February, has so far helped 18,699 people revisit historic locations.

The Dambusters bombing of the Moehne and Eder dams in 1943 was recalled as four veterans, together with a war widow and carers, used their grants to travel to the Netherlands with comrades from the 617 Squadron Aircrew Association to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the death of Dambusters' leader, Wing Commander Guy Gibson, and Squadron Leader Jim Warwick at Steenbergen on 19th September 1944.

Big Lottery Fund Chief Executive Stephen Dunmore said: "The scheme recognises the great sacrifices made by men and women of Britain's wartime generation to defend liberty and democracy, and we believe it is important that those who served in the war, and their surviving spouses, should be able to make a visit to places of great significance to them."

Anyone seeking further information on the Heroes Return grant scheme should call 0845 4 10 20 30.

(gmcg/sp)

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