Strangers answered an SOS and provided a guard of honour for the final journey of D-Day hero Rifleman Jim Justice, who died just days before his 100th birthday. Jim, a veteran of the Normandy landings, passed away at his care home in New Milton, Hampshire, on January 10, survived by his wife of 72 years, Joy.
His family had planned a surprise birthday party for his centenary on February 13. Instead, serving soldiers, strangers, friends, and family gathered at New Forest Crematorium to bid farewell to the great-grandfather-of-10. His daughter Christine Derrington had issued a call for mourners to 'come together in one final act of honour' to pay tribute to his selfless service.
Jim volunteered in 1943 at age 17 without telling his parents. He served as an anti-tank gunner with the 1st Battalion, The Rifle Brigade, and took part in the Normandy landings on Gold Beach. He later helped liberate the Belsen-Bergen concentration camp in 1945. After the war, he was demobbed in 1947 and awarded the Legion of Honour in 2017.
In 2024, Jim attended the 80th anniversary commemorations of D-Day as a VIP guest at the British Normandy Memorial. He was also a guest of honour at Westminster Abbey for the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. Jean Barras of the Royal British Legion said, 'Like all these boys, Jim was a hero. It was important for us all to stand together to honour him.'
