Sgt Ernest (Ernie) Heppenstall , or simply “Grandad Ernie” to me, was a young man from Lincoln and Sheffield. Born in 1923, he joined the 4 Lincolnshire Regiment in 1941 at just 18 years old. He Served in Norway, Iceland , trained at Glenfeshie Scotland, was based in Kessingland to the South of Lowestoft then left for Normandy landing at Gold Beach on 10 Jun 1944.

Given just a bike to cycle to the front, alongside other soldiers, he abandoned the bike as the local roads and paths were impassable on wheels after the Allied Bombardments.

His first engagement was near Tessel Wood, to the West of Caen where he engaged the enemy in the wood and had to destroy a tank that was providing support to the German infantry.    He then fought through Europe via France, Belgium, Holland (Breda) and eventually into Germany itself.    After the war he was posted as a Sgt at the Nuremberg Trials where he was mentioned in dispatches for his smartness and attention to duty .

I have served for 16 years as a Regular in the Army, and the last 12 in the Army Reserves. To remember his heroics, and to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, 2025, I intend to put one foot in front of the other and cover the same distance as he did from D-Day to VE Day. A grand total of 1062km, will be covered to raise funds for our partner Charity, SAMH