RAAF World War II pilot Bill Purdy of Mosman remembers D-Day ahead of Anzac Day

As the world gears up for significant commemorations of the 80th anniversary of D-Day, one remarkable Australian who was there recalls what it was like.

Ace pilot and WWII veteran Bill Purdy had a quiet dinner last week to celebrate his 101st birthday, in his own Mosman home, with family and a cake.

He bats away suggestions he’s a national treasure, but this remarkable centenarian who still holds his pilot’s licence is one of the few living links Australia has with the momentous events of D-Day 80 years ago.

Mr Purdy was in the air on D-Day and is a living testament to the courage and pluck of so many Australians who put their lives on the line to save the nation.

For many years he’s taken part in Anzac Day marches – even into his 90s and astonishingly flew a Tiger Moth at the age of 90 as part of a Anzac Day flyover Sydney Harbour in 2014 – but these days he’s happy to quietly watch the day on TV at home.

Exactly 80 years ago it was not so quiet.

Bill Purdy 101-year-old veteran at his home in Mosman, Sydney with a photo of himself from 1944. Picture: Renee Nowytarger/TWAM

Back then he celebrated his 21st birthday with a dangerous night bombing raid over Munich in Germany while flying an Avro Lancaster bomber as part of the No 463 Squadron.

Nine aircraft never returned to their base in Lincolnshire, England that fateful night in 1944 – with many planes taking over 10 hours to return and it was reported several wireless operators tuned into the BBC radio while still airborne to hear about the bombing and the fact a certain number of aircraft had failed to return.

Bomber from Bill Purdy’s Squadron No 463, WW11, around April 1944 being loaded with bombs. Picture: Australian War Memorial

But the young Bill Purdy was to go on and survive an incredible 37 missions and live to tell the tale eight decades later.

Another of one of his extraordinary missions took place just a few months later when he was still just 21 years old – D-Day on June 6 – the biggest invasion in history – which he remembers vividly.

The remarkable centenarian – who still lives in his own home and has until recently maintained an extraordinarily active life doing his own shopping, driving, playing golf and bowls until a fall slowed him down in January – says there are “things that are imprinted on your memory and hard to forget”.

“It was absolutely dreadful, we were under cloud at about 3000 feet and we were way, way down near the target,” Mr Purdey told The Daily Telegraph.

“But we did our part well, it was very successful.”

The mission to Pointe du Hoc was to remove five naval guns in advance of the massive land invasion of France of 150,000 Allied soldiers who were tasked with driving out Hitler’s forces.

Soldiers in allied landing at Normandy, France on "D-Day" during World War II. Picture: Life

About 150 Lancaster planes, each carrying fourteen 1000-pound bombs, took part Mr Purdy said.

“We removed the guns and half the cliffs and landscape around the place.

“Ironically we found out later it was a waste of time – the Germans had already decided they were a bit vulnerable and were already removing them and as a result they had two guns on the side and the others had been taken.

Landing craft delivering more troops to beaches of Normandy after D-Day landing in France during World War Two, 06/1944.

“But as we turned to come back it’s a scene I will never forget.

“The whole area covered with ships. You couldn’t see the space between the ships. I’ve said many times I could have put the wheels down and taxied home on them. Something like 290 mine sweepers, 5000 ships, different sizes, 140 thousand soldiers.”

The D-Day invasion was most significant victory of the Western Allies in World War 11 and major international commemorative events are being planned this year for the 80th anniversary.

Mr Purdy’s squadron sustained the highest loss rate of any of the Australian bomber squadrons during the war when measured as a proportion its size.

“Every time you returned you had a sense of relief,” Mr Purdy recalled.

Bombed factory in Germany, Squadron 463 took part in the bombing. Picture: Australian War Memorial

“We had to do a minimum of 30 tours. The chances of finishing 30 is something like 1 in 3.”

The squadron lost 546 aircrew, 225 of whom were Australian, and 78 aircraft. From D-Day to the end of August, when the Germans retreated, more than 16,000 Allied air force in total died.

Mr Purdy fortunately avoided getting injured during the war – although he had a very lucky near miss one day in London while meeting a girlfriend friend for lunch, with a V2 bomb exploding in the street in front of him.

“She was coming from the north, I was coming from the south of the street – we both thought the other one was going to be a bit of pulp in the middle of the street,” he said. “But she was a few minutes late and we survived and had lunch after.”

Mr Purdy in his days as a successful chairman of Arnott's biscuits Chairman Bill Purdy at annual general meeting.

Reminiscing about his near misses, he says he was “too young to worry about things”.

At the end of the war he was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross presented by King George VI. He was posted back to Australia in March 1945 to serve in the Pacific against the Japanese and later stayed with the reserves at the rank of Flight Lieutenant, and also served as a flight instructor during the Korean War.

Mr Purdy married, had two children and went on to have a successful career in business – eventually becoming chairman of Arnott’s Biscuits.

“It’s interesting to look back from 100 years ago and see just how many things have changed in the world.

“People have asked how did you get as old as you have. Make sure you look after yourself. Learn to ride with the punches.

“Don’t take anything too seriously and make sure you’re doing the right thing.”

His determination to stay independent and fighting fit has him going to regular physio after injuring his pelvis in a fall at home in January and spending five days in hospital.

“In another month I hope I’ll be playing bowls again,” Mr Purdy says.

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