Bernard Jordan

Bernard Jordan
Born(1924-06-21)21 June 1924
Brighton, England
Died30 December 2014(2014-12-30) (aged 90)
OccupationsRoyal Navy veteran, electrician
Known for"The Great Escaper" – travelling to Normandy for D-Day commemorations in 2014
SpouseIrene Jordan (died 2015)

Bernard Jordan (21 June 1924 – 30 December 2014) was a British Royal Navy veteran of the Second World War. He gained widespread public and media attention in June 2014 when, at the age of 89, he left his care home in Hove without permission to attend the 70th-anniversary commemorations of the D-Day landings in France. His journey, undertaken independently after official veteran trips were full, was widely reported in national and international news, earning him the nickname "The Great Escaper". His story was later the inspiration for two feature films.

Early life and military service

Bernard Jordan was born in Brighton, England, on 21 June 1924. During the Second World War, he served as a Royal Navy electrician aboard the destroyer HMS Eskimo.[1] He served on Arctic convoys and was present for the D-Day landings in June 1944.[2]

The 2014 D-Day journey

In June 2014, Jordan was a resident at The Pines care home in Hove, East Sussex. Wishing to attend the 70th-anniversary events in Normandy, he discovered that the official trip organized by the Royal British Legion was fully booked.[3][4]

On 5 June 2014, he left the home under the pretense of a routine trip into town, wearing his war medals under his raincoat, and travelled to Portsmouth to catch a ferry to Caen, France.[3] When he failed to return, care home staff, concerned for his welfare, reported him missing to Sussex Police, who issued a public appeal.[5]

On board the ferry, Jordan was assisted by fellow traveller Jon Orrell and his family, who helped arrange his accommodation in Normandy and his attendance at the commemorations at Sword Beach in Ouistreham.[6] He visited the Grand Bunker Museum to pay his respects to fallen comrades.[7]

Media coverage and public response

The story of his independent journey, juxtaposed with the police missing person appeal, was picked up by major national news outlets including the BBC, ITV, The Independent, and The Guardian, as well as international media.[3][5][8] Upon his safe return, the narrative shifted to celebration. The care home stated they were "pleased he was able to make the journey."[9]

The incident resonated with the public as a symbol of the determination of the wartime generation. Days later, on his 90th birthday, he received over 2,500 cards from well-wishers around the world.[10]

Death and legacy

Bernard Jordan died on 30 December 2014, aged 90. His wife of over 60 years, Irene Jordan, died seven days later on 6 January 2015, aged 88.[11] In their wills, the couple left their estate to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).[12]

Jordan's story inspired two films:

See also

References

  1. ^ "Bernard Jordan: The Great Escaper". Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  2. ^ "The Great Escaper: the story behind the headlines". The D-Day Story, Portsmouth. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  3. ^ a b c "D-Day: Hove veteran disappears for Normandy trip". BBC News. 6 June 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  4. ^ Halliday, Josh (7 June 2014). "D-day veteran, 89, who ran off to France for anniversary: 'I'd do it again'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 27 January 2025. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  5. ^ a b Bond, Anthony (6 June 2014). "D-Day veteran missing from nursing home had snuck away to Normandy to mark the 70th anniversary". The Mirror. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  6. ^ "BBC Radio 5 Live - 5 Live In Short, The 'Great Escaper' Bernard Jordan was a real gentleman". BBC. 7 January 2015. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  7. ^ "The Great Escaper: the story behind the headlines". The D-Day Story. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  8. ^ "Bernard Jordan: D-Day veteran whose visit to the 70th anniversary". The Independent. 8 January 2015. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  9. ^ "Runaway D-Day veteran Bernard Jordan returns home". BBC News. 7 June 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  10. ^ "Runaway D-Day Hero Gets 2,500 B-Day Cards". Sky News. 21 June 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  11. ^ Press Association (8 January 2015). "D-day veteran Bernard Jordan's wife Irene dies aged 88". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  12. ^ "D-Day veteran Bernard Jordan's estate left to RNLI". BBC News. 28 January 2015. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  13. ^ Ritman, Alex (9 June 2023). "Pierce Brosnan to Star in D-Day Thriller 'The Last Rifleman'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  14. ^ "Michael Caine and Glenda Jackson to star in care home escape film". BBC News. 14 February 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
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