D-Day veteran: ‘Brexit worries me. Breaking up European nations would be a crying shame’ Eric Chardin was just 19 when he landed in Normandy. Now at the age of 94 he hopes the peace that followed WW2 will continue

A D-Day veteran who is concerned about Brexit has said it would be a “crying shame” to break up the European Union.

Eric Chardin, who was in Portsmouth to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day, said he hoped the peace that followed World War II continued.

“Brexit worries me in that respect,” said the 94-year-old from Cambridge.

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‘Awful shame’

“I can’t help feeling that it would be an awful shame if what we’ve gone to so much trouble to do, to collect the European big nations together, to break it all up now would be a crying shame,” said Mr Chardin, in an interview with the BBC.

The veteran’s words were applauded by viewers who oppose Brexit.

“The next time a Brexiteer mentions WWII they must be reminded of Eric Chardin, a true patriot, what an amazing gentleman,” said one person on Twitter.

Mr Chardin served with the second battalion of the Essex regiment but was captured. He was a POW for 10 months. At the time of Normandy landings, he was 19.

‘One was scared’

During the BBC interview, Mr Chardin was asked whether he thought he was “brave”.

“Not particularly, no,” he replied. “One was scared.”

Presenter Simon McCoy later asked Mr Chardin whether he had been thanked for his service recently.

“I don’t think so, no,” he replied.

Mr McCoy then said: “Can I? On behalf of everybody watching just say thank you?”

“Well thank you for your courtesy,” said Mr Chardin.

‘Have you finished?’

As Mr McCoy tried to bring the live interview to an end, Mr Chardin asked: “Have you finished? So what will you do with this?”

Laughing, the presenter said: “Well I’ve still got a bit of work to do… You’ve just been on live across the nation. I should have warned you of that beforehand.”

Mr Chardin said: “Now you tell me.”

Many viewers described the veteran as “modest” and “humble”.