WORLD War II veteran Eric Barton, 92, of Cronulla, has been selected to represent Australia at ceremonies being held in France and England this week to mark the 70th anniversary of Victory in Europe.
Mr Barton, who flew Lancaster bombers in 45 missions over Germany, is one of eight WWII veterans aged 90 to 97 selected to represent Australia at the VE Day commemorations.
The veterans served in the European theatre during WWII. Three were prisoners of war.
They are marking the day — May 7, 1945 — when Germany signed an unconditional surrender, bringing an end to the war in Europe. The surrender came into effect at midnight on May 8.
Mr Barton was selected from 700 veterans who applied. He is a founding member of the Bomber Command Association in Australia, is vice-president of the Pathfinder Force Association and a member of Cronulla RSL.
"While it is a party of eight, I like to the think we are representing the Australian armed forces," he said.
"[Of] 4500 Australian air crew who were sent to England and France, only 1600 came back.
"My reason for applying to go was that I'd like to see where my comrades are lying in little cemeteries across France.
"I want to pay homage to them."
Mr Barton said he lost many comrades during the war and probably 12 close friends.
"I had to pack up their gear and send it home, which wasn't very nice," he said. "I was lucky enough to do 45 operations (bombing missions) and come back."
Mr Barton married RAF nurse Elizabeth Knox in Edinburgh in April 1945. After the war, they settled in Australia and had two children. They have five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Mr Barton and the other VE mission veterans will be in Paris on VE Day, May 8.
After Paris, they will travel to Normandy and on to war cemeteries at Bayeaux, Granville and St-Desir.
"I will take the opportunity to thank members of the French underground who risked their lives and don't get enough acknowledgement," he said.
They will then go to London on May 10 for the Victory in Europe commemoration. There they will visit the RAF Bomber Command Memorial and the Australian War Memorial in London, attend a service for the air force at St Clement Danes Church and visit the Air Forces Memorial at Runnymede.
Mr Barton said the VE commemoration will be a huge event.
"World War II in Europe had affected millions and millions of people," he said.
"It was the end of six years of war.
"Children had grown up and never seen light, only darkness, and then on May 8, 1945, the lights went on."
