Massive effort launched to track down Second World War veterans in Harborough and across the East Midlands

The personal mission is being carried out by Col Matt Limb.

And it is a genuine race against time as the number of surviving wartime servicemen still with us sadly dwindles month in month out.

Matt has been deeply involved with battlefield tours and veterans’ causes for the last 40 years.

The former senior Army officer also owns a publishing company and has set his heart on writing a book on local Second World War survivors and telling their incredible wartime stories.

No one knows how many of these veterans remain – and five years from now they could be gone for ever.

Stewart Harrison, 74, chairman of the Market Harborough branch of the Royal British Legion, told the Harborough Mail: “We are very keen to help Matt in Harborough as much as possible.

“The magnificent men from Harborough who fought for us in the Second World War are obviously well into their 80s and 90s.

“None of us know how much longer these heroes are going to be with us for,” added Stewart, who served in both he Army and the RAF.

“So I would appeal to every one of them – and their families – to get in touch with Matt and relive their memories of those momentous years as soon as they can.”

Matt will only carry out interviews with the permission of an ex-serviceman’s family or care organisation.

All data will be treated within up to date GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation).

You can contact Matt at: [email protected]