A 100-year-old D-Day hero who found out the Second World War in Europe was going to end 48 hours before it was made public has vowed to keep the historic letter stating the news within his family.
Bernard Morgan was working as an RAF codebreaker in 1945 when he deciphered a secret telex that read: “The German war is now over ... The surrender is effective sometime tomorrow.”
The great-grandad, who turned 100 recently, read the note aloud—dressed in the uniform he wore on D-day—to remind others of the liberties won through the victory.
“I am always keen for the younger generation to know exactly what went on during the War and to appreciate the sacrifice that our lads made so that we can enjoy the freedoms we have today,” Mr. Morgan, who was considered the youngest RAF sergeant to land in Normandy in June 1944, said.
Mr. Morgan of Crewe, Cheshire, North West England, landed on Gold Beach at 6:30 p.m. on D-Day, June 6, 1944, at the age of 20, after he had joined the RAF as an 18-year-old.
He was stationed in Schneverdingen, Germany, when he got the message on his Typex machine. It was May 6, 1945, and the note declared the war in Europe was ending.
“The German War is now over. At Rheims last night the instrument of surrender was signed which in effect is a surrender of all personnel of the German forces—all equipment and shipping and all machinery in Germany,” it stated. “Nothing will be destroyed anywhere. The surrender is effective some time tomorrow. This news will not be communicated to anyone outside the service nor to members of the press.”
Following the news, Mr. Morgan had a big party with his close comrades—lighting a huge bonfire and celebrating into the night while being careful not to give the game away.
About the note he received, Mr. Morgan said: “It was a surprise. We couldn’t tell anybody until we got the final message to say the war in Germany was now over.
“We had to decode it—it was in code. It was great when we got that. I was in a little place called Schneverdingen, Germany, near Hamburg.”
He said he was happy to know that no more soldiers, sailors, or airmen were giving their lives. It was also a special moment to remember and thank the civilians who gave their lives for the same reason.
“On occasions like this, I always think about the three wireless operators that I lost in Normandy. They were the lads bringing me the messages,“ Mr. Morgan said. “One of them was 19 and two of them were 20, and whenever I go to Normandy, I always go to their graves.”
After the war, Mr. Morgan worked on the railways and at Crewe Alexandra, where he was a turnstile operator for 57 years. The widower was married for 51 years before his wife’s death.
In reading the note, Mr. Morgan has vowed that the important telex will pass to his family when he dies.
“The Imperial War Museum in London and in Manchester both wanted the original copy—they weren’t interested in a photocopy—but I’m keeping it for my family,” he said.
He is also planning to return to Normandy with the Royal British Legion (RBL), a nonprofit that supports retired servicemen and women, to mark the 80th anniversary of D-day in June.
Nancy Kay, Branch Chair for the RBL in Crewe, said: “Our D-Day veterans are a dwindling band of brothers, so it is incredibly important that we take every opportunity we can to celebrate the achievements and the bravery of those people who helped to liberate Europe 80 years ago.”
Mr. Morgan’s daughter said: “We are incredibly proud of Dad, and it is wonderful that so many people want to share his special day.
“He will always be a war hero but he is a brilliant dad, grandad, and great-grandad, too.”
