A D-Day veteran who owes his life to the toss of a coin is making an emotional voyage back to the Normandy beaches next week to mark the 75th anniversary of the landings.

Former motorcycle despatch rider, Gordon Prime, 95, will be one of 300 veterans of the remarkable Allied wartime operation on board a cruise funded by the Royal British Legion.

At first light on June 6, 1944, he was a 20-year-old driving onto Juno Beach in a three-ton truck, loaded with ammunition and petrol, with his Matchless 350cc motorcycle on the back.

Seventy-five years on, and Mr Prime, of Jameston, will be arriving in Normandy on the cruise ship Boudicca and getting around on his mobility scooter.

But the fire in him to remember his lost comrades burns as fiercely as his determination to follow his Royal Army Service Corps motto and ‘bash on regardless’ all those years ago.

Amongst those that Mr Prime will be particularly remembering as the Last Post sounds is his best pal and fellow despatch rider, Bert Tinscombe. WhIle in France, they tossed a coin to each choose a route, and the road that Bert followed led to him being blown up.

The remarkable veteran, who is the president of the Tenby branch of the Royal British Legion, was recently made an honorary member of the organisation’s bikers’ branch.

He owned his first motorbike at 11, was on the road on a 350cc Velocette when he was 16 and worked as a test rider after the war.

Mr Prime will be accompanied by one of his sons, John, on the cruise, where the age of the youngest veteran will be 92.

Church and cemetery services of remembrance will feature on the itinerary.

“My last Normandy visit was four years ago, and I never thought I would go again” said Mr Prime.

“But I was in hospital over Christmas with pneumonia, and my family persuaded me to sign up so I would have something to look forward to, and I’m very glad I did.

“It’s going to be a wonderful cruise, but obviously a bit sad.”