Skip to content

Bob Jones: 'We couldn't save everyone'

Bob Jones lied about his age to ensure he could sign up early to the Royal Navy in 1942.

Before long, he had joined the Royal Navy Commandos and by the time of D-Day, he set sail for Normandy on one of the first ships to leave the English coast.

Although he survived, many of his friends didn't.

"The worst part of it really is that when I was trying to save my life, there were people ahead of me struggling with a heavy weight," he said.

"We lost them."

We Were There aims to collect as many first-hand accounts as possible by 2025, the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, to preserve veterans' accounts for future generations.

The BBC is currently working on the project with a number of partners including the Normandy Memorial Trust and Royal British Legion. Some of the stories collected may be shared with our partners and used on BBC News platforms.

If you have a story to share, or know someone who does, please click here to tell us a little bit more or use one of the methods below.

Do you or someone you know have memories of World War Two? Please share these experiences by emailing [email protected].

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways: