Lottery help for heroes to return

Former soldier pictured with mock-up of Spitfire at RAF Musuem in Hendon

John Crosson visited the Netherlands with the help of Heroes Return

World War II veterans are being encouraged to apply for lottery money for commemorative journeys to the places where they fought.

The Big Lottery Fund has chosen the run-up to Remembrance Sunday to issue the call.

The Heroes Return 2 programme has already helped more than 7,500 veterans, widows, spouses and carers.

Grants of up to £5,500 are available so that people can honour the comrades who lost their lives between 1939 and 1945.

Almost £5m has been awarded since April. The scheme runs until January 2011.

It was a very emotional experience for me to go back and see the meadows which I had to walk through to reach freedom

John Crosson

John Crosson, an 85-year-old widower from Slough in Berkshire, heard about the Heroes Return programme from the Arnhem 1944 Veterans' Club.

He was given a grant to travel to the Netherlands with his family in September to commemorate Operation Market Garden in 1944, in which almost 1,500 British airborne troops lost their lives.

Mr Crosson said: "It was easy to apply - just some brief personal details and some information about where I wanted to go. I wanted to return to the area where the Battle of Arnhem was fought.

"We lost a lot of men and it was a very emotional experience for me to go back and see the meadows which I had to walk through to reach freedom.

"We walked in darkness and had little sleep for days. I wanted to visit the place where I eventually managed to get some sleep.

"I also wanted to see the home of a woman who was like Florence Nightingale. She had a house full of wounded Allied soldiers whom she cared for.

Huge debt

"I would certainly recommend that veterans should apply to the fund. There are bound to be people who can't afford to go back and this would give them the opportunity."

Chief executive of the Big Lottery Fund Peter Wanless said: "A huge debt of gratitude and recognition is owed to the men and women who valiantly fought in World War II.

"I am delighted we are able to offer lottery funding for them to return and pay their respects at the places they served and to attend memorial events within the UK."