Mr Goldrein had a bullet in his arm as he negotiated with the Germans With a bullet lodged in his arm and surrounded by dozens of German troops, there appeared no way out for Lieutenant Eric Goldrein. But, suffering from a serious wound, he feared his days would be numbered if he fell into enemy hands. His only way out was to conjure an audacious plot to persuade his captors to become his prisoners. And, while the momentous events of the battle for Normandy raged around him, Lt Goldrein was to play his part - by returning to base complete with 60 prisoners of war. Mr Goldrein, 83, of Hale village, Merseyside, recalled the story as veterans marked the 65th anniversary of the D-Day landings. It was mid-June in 1944 when he was told by his battery commander to go on a reconnaissance mission to find more locations to install guns. Mr Goldrein and his driver headed out into the Normandy countryside in a Jeep - but within minutes of getting out of their vehicle they felt a storm of bullets shoot past them. One hit the lieutenant, slicing into his right shoulder. He said: "We were surrounded by German troops and they shouted calling us "Häftling" - prisoners. D-DAY COMMEMORATIONS Royal British Legion service of remembrance, Bayeux Cathedral Normandy Veterans' Association Service of Remembrance, Bayeux Commonwealth War Graves Committee Cemetery Royal British Legion reception at Hotel Chateau de Belle Fontaine, Bayeux D-Day landings commemoration, Normandy America Cemetery, Colleville-sur-Mer

World War I veteran turns 113 "We were thrust at the German colonel and we began to speak in French, which I do speak pretty well. "I also have a good grip in German but I didn't let on that I could speak any so I could hear what messages were being conveyed to them. "I didn't think I could get them to surrender but they were getting told that there were a lot of casualties and new disasters kept on being described to the colonel. "I started think about persuading them to become prisoners of war. Flag of surrender "I had a bullet inside me and I was a bit worried about getting gangrene and dying. There was no way we could escape not with a bullet in my arm." Mr Goldrein told them that their fate lay in his hands. The Allies were winning so it would only be a matter of time before they were found and killed by British or American soldiers. He told them that by surrendering, their lives would be saved. "I wasn't being purely altruistic I thought it might help me a bit too - I needed to get back to a doctor." He led the 60 soldiers, with the colonel by his side and a white flag of surrender billowing out above them. Mr Goldrein added: "It worked, we met up with some British troops from the Worcester brigade, they were pretty shocked but it all ended fine. "I flaked out soon after that and was taken to hospital."



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