Royal Navy Veteran, 99, honors fallen shipmates who ‘never came home’

Stan Ford, a 99-year-old Royal Navy veteran, spent Remembrance Sunday thinking about his friends who didn’t come back from the war. “They never came home,” he said, his voice filled with sadness. 

“I feel it’s my duty to be here for them, to thank God for the ones who survived, and to pray for the ones who didn’t.”

Ford served on a ship called HMS Fratton during World War II. His job was to help other ships reach the UK safely. On D-Day, his ship was near a place called Selsey Bill on the south coast of England, close to where soldiers landed in Normandy to fight.

But just a few weeks later, Ford’s ship was attacked and sunk off the coast of Normandy. It was likely hit by a small submarine, which caused a huge explosion. 

Ford was one of the 38 crew members who were saved, but the blast left him with injuries he’d carry for the rest of his life. Thirty-one crew members did not make it.

The explosion injured Ford’s spine and legs so badly that he has needed leg supports, or “callipers,” to walk ever since. Still, he returns every year to honor his friends who were lost at sea. 

This year, he joined other veterans at Horse Guards Parade after the Royal British Legion’s march. “It’s always an honor to be here,” Ford said. “I’m here to remember and thank God that I survived, but I’m also here to pray for the ones who didn’t.”

Ford, who lives in Bath, often shares his story with children in school. He wants them to understand what war is really like. “I tell the children not to forget,” he said. “Remember what the veterans did, and as they grow up, do what they can to prevent more wars.”

Ford is also an ambassador for the British Normandy Memorial. This memorial honors the soldiers who fought in Normandy and remembers those who lost their lives. Ford feels proud to be part of it because it’s a way to keep the memory of his friends alive.

Earlier this year, Ford met King Charles and Queen Camilla in Normandy. Ford remembers the moment well. The King asked him how old he was, and Ford answered, “99, sir.” The King smiled and said, “When I go home, I must get your card out and start filling it in,” hinting at Ford’s upcoming 100th birthday. Ford thinks the King was very kind and genuine.

When he talks about the future, Ford has his own way of honoring the past. He believes people don’t need strict rules from the government about how to remember Remembrance Sunday. 

“We all are remembering our families in our own ways,” he explained. “I keep a photo of my family on the mantel, and every day I look at it and think of my loved ones.”

At 99, Ford is one of the few World War II veterans still with us. Sadly, each year, fewer and fewer veterans are here to tell their stories. “They say in 10 years, there is less chance of any veterans left,” he said. 

Knowing this makes Ford even more determined to honor his friends.

For Ford, remembering his friends who didn’t make it back is a lifelong duty. Every Remembrance Sunday, he stands strong, despite his injuries, to honor them and remind others of the price of peace.