Charlie Horne: One of Scotland’s last D-Day veterans dies just days before Remembrance Sunday

One of Scotland’s last D-Day veterans dies aged 100 just days before Remembrance Sunday Charlie Horne has been remembered as 'a remarkable man' Sign up to the News Newsletter I agree to receive updates and information about my account, the GB News Community, and related products and services from GB News. Email address Sign up By signing up you agree to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy and Community Rules. Thank you for signing up!

See the latest from GB News here . Choose GB News on Google - add us as a preferred source Choose GB News Support GB News Champion free speech and independent journalism while unlocking exclusive benefits. Support us One of Scotland’s last surviving D-Day veterans, who helped clear sea mines off Omaha Beach during the Normandy landings, has died aged 100. Charlie Horne has been remembered as "a remarkable man" whose recollections of his wartime service have been preserved for future generations.

He died on Tuesday at Erskine Veterans Charity’s Edinburgh home, where he had been living since the summer. Mr Horne, who was from Prestonpans in East Lothian, said the scenes of devastation he saw on board the small wooden minesweeper, which came under fire on June 6, 1944, stayed with him for the rest of his life. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Born into a fishing family, Mr Horne was already an experienced seaman when he served on minesweeper MMS 291, part of the Royal Naval Patrol Service.

He kept a handwritten diary of his experience, describing bombs, shells and flares lighting up the sky. German guns fired upon the minesweeping vessels as they sought to clear the sea for the approaching invasion force. In his diary, Mr Horne recorded seeing "lots of wreckage" and dead servicemen in the water, while bullets fired from the shore landed within around 50 feet of his vessel. Charlie Horne died earlier this week | FACEBOOK/EAST LOTHIAN LIEUTENANCY His vessel destroyed eight mines after leaving Plymouth, but the danger did not stop after D-Day.

His diary also recalls how another minesweeper, MM299, struck a mine and its explosion "blew her bows clean off". The young sailor eventually gave up trying to count the ships lost, seeing the waters strewn with wreckage. His service during the Normandy landings was later recognised with the Legion d’honneur, France’s highest order of merit. LATEST DEVELOPMENTS WW2 veteran who lied about his age to get into British Army dies aged 101 'An extraordinary gentleman' - Normandy veteran Ken Hay dies at 101 after 'remarkable' life of service Henry Rice dead: One of Britain's last surviving D-Day heroes who survived torpedo attack dies aged 100 Charlie Horne, alongside fellow D-Day veteran Albert Keir in 2024 | PA Mr Horne, who returned home after the war to marry his sweetheart Jenny and continue life as a seafarer, recently reflected on his wartime experience ahead of Remembrance Sunday.

He said: "I will never forget what I saw. I don’t think you could live through something like that and ever really leave it behind, no matter how many years pass. "I was only 18, and there were ships being blown apart, men in the water and shells coming towards us from the shore." He continued: "There were mines underneath us, and you knew that one explosion in the wrong place could be the end of you and everyone around you. "You were frightened, of course you were, but there wasn’t time to sit and think about it.

We had a job to do, the men beside you were relying on you, and you were relying on them, so you carried on." Tributes have been paid to Charlie Horne | FACEBOOK/EAST LOTHIAN LIEUTENANCY Chief Executive of Erskine Veterans Charity Wing Commander Ian Cumming said: "We are deeply saddened by Charlie’s passing, and our thoughts are with his family, friends and everyone who knew and loved him. "His passing is particularly poignant as we approach Remembrance.

"We are losing the last of a generation who experienced the Second World War firsthand, and with each passing, another irreplaceable connection to that period of our history is lost. "It was a privilege to care for Charlie in the final months of his life." Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter News As the Ordnance Survey celebrates its 225th birthday, how it transformed the way Britain is mapped News Migrants are now smuggled to Britain on small boats as far away as the Netherlands News Church of England warns conversion therapy ban must not 'unintentionally criminalise' prayer News Man jailed after 'shock confession' to murdering mother of seven 28 years ago News Critical incident declared after car 'damaged by gunfire' in Swansea as residents told to avoid area News Schoolchildren taught vital lessons of Remembrance at moving Lincolnshire ceremony News Britain braced for migrant crossing surge with hundreds already in the Channel as conditions ease News Six people arrested after several police officers injured by fireworks thrown at a building engulfed in 'misinformation' campaign News Disgraced childminder who wilfully neglected children in her care jailed for two years News Armed police rush to school as boy injured and man seen holding long blade News London set for tube strike chaos as RMT announces new wave of 24-hour walkouts News Kemi Badenoch accuses police officers of 'cover up' over Henry Nowak murder News Britain's hospitality industry could be missing out on £500MILLION over unclean toilets, report reveals News Police vehicle set alight and ambulance workers targeted with fireworks in Bonfire Night chaos News Honour-based abuse cases soar to record high in England and Wales as victims face forced marriage and genital mutilation News Afghan migrants allegedly raped autistic girl, 14, in toilets on busy commuter train News Henry Nowak's killer has life sentence INCREASED after failed bid to cut it News Henry Nowak’s parents slam killer’s appeal against sentence and call his mother’s early release ‘an absolute disgrace’ News Bosses could be sent to JAIL if their staff use wrong pronouns under new trans law News French presidential candidate blames Britain for small boats crisis in Channel News Officers recover £80MILLION cocaine stash after lorry driver makes tip off at burger van News Ministry of Defence 'failed' British soldier killed during training exercise on Salisbury Plain News Labour apologises to young Ukrainian refugees after 'pushing' them to learn Russian News Apprentices dropping out of courses due to 'box-ticking' and 'weak' management, report warns News Pregnant Briton dies in Nigeria as devastated family set up fundraising page to bring body home News Halfords fined £600,000 after tyre fitter killed during roadside repair News World's 'greatest' military air show leaves RAF base at centre of terror probe News NHS nurse at heart of trans changing room row appeals court ruling on gender discrimination case News Birmingham councillors chant 'Free Palestine' after vote to ban Israel-linked investments Exclusive News How an 80s fashion revival created a 20-year British business success story