• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Meet the Team
  • Contact us
  • Guest Content
TLE ONLINE SHOP!
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home Must Reads Good News

Watch – D-Day hero yesterday became the world’s oldest tandem skydiver…aged 101!

A D-Day hero yesterday became the world’s oldest tandem skydiver – aged 101 and 37 days. Daredevil Verdun Hayes leapt from a plane at 15,000ft to glide into the record books. The great-granddad jumped with ten other people, including three generations of his family and the doctor who signed him off. He stole the world […]

Joe Mellor by Joe Mellor
2017-05-15 13:51
in Good News, Must Reads
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

A D-Day hero yesterday became the world’s oldest tandem skydiver – aged 101 and 37 days.

Daredevil Verdun Hayes leapt from a plane at 15,000ft to glide into the record books.

The great-granddad jumped with ten other people, including three generations of his family and the doctor who signed him off.

He stole the world title after knocking Canadian Armand Gendreau, who was 101 and three days when he jumped in 2013, off the top spot.

The sprightly centenarian, of Croyde, north Devon, jumped yesterday in Honiton, Devon, after the dive was postponed on Saturday due to the weather.

It comes a year after the Second World War vet, who served during the D-Day invasion of Gold Beach, became the oldest Brit to complete the feat aged 100.

Verdun was named after the 1916 Battle of Verdun on the request of his dad Joseph Hayes, who served in the First World War as a Sapper with the Royal Engineers.

The soldier, who fought during the Battle of the Somme, wrote to his pregnant wife Mary from the front line suggesting the moniker.

RelatedPosts

‘Real-life Father Christmas’ spends £15k buying presents for underprivileged children

Migrants say Manston is a ‘prison’ as they beg for help with message in a bottle

Britain’s biggest food bank might close as their energy bill skyrockets

Energy cap rise means we’ll have to choose between ‘food and electricity’

Verdun also served in the Army, as a Lance Corporal during the Second World War, and was a signaller and wireless operator for the Royal Signals.

While in the Forces he was caught up in an explosion that killed his friend, Sgt Edgar Robertson, and sustained shrapnel injuries to his ribs and hands.

The pair had been digging trenches together in Choux, France, when a German shell exploded nearby.

Verdun, who is a widow, said: “How I came home from WW2 I do not know. I was so near to the edge of everything.

“I lost any amount of friends in no time at all really. I just didn’t think I would ever return home. Surviving an explosion when others didn’t… I was just lucky I guess.”

Verdun was later awarded the Legion d’Honneur, the highest decoration in France.

After the war he worked in his family’s building business before becoming the secretary of the Somerton branch of The Royal British Legion in Somerset.

His jump was in aid of the charity, which provides support to the UK Armed Forces.

Verdun said he’s “absolutely over the moon” about breaking the world record.

Before the skydive the centenarian was asked if he was excited and replied: “Absolutely, I can’t wait for it.”

Nail-biting footage then shows Verdun – kitted out in a jumpsuit and helmet – ascending in the plane and leaning out of the door at 15,000ft before making his exit.

Video of the 90-second flight captures him soaring through the air, grinning and giving the cameraman a thumbs up, before landing in a field.

Speaking afterwards, Verdun said: “Hooray!” before telling instructors at Skydive.Buzz: “I’m absolutely over the moon.”

Read “Watch – D-Day veteran aged 92 is given a mobility scooter by the British Legion” Click Here

To donate, visit: uk.virginmoneygiving.com/VerdunHayes

 Watch Video Here

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Trending on TLE

  • All
  • trending
Abdollah

‘Rescue us’: Afghan teacher begs UK to help him escape Taliban

CHOMSKY: “If Corbyn had been elected, Britain would be pursuing a much more sane course”

What If We Got Rid Of Prisons?

More from TLE

5 Reasons To Stop Sharing Your Bed With Your Kids

Generation Y want Clarkson as their boss

A reminder of Sean Lock’s brilliance one year on from his passing

TOP 10 Most Popular Movies in the UK

In Trump’s World, Liberals Need A Bastard Of Their Own

Johnson told to spend some time ‘studying at the Southgate school of leadership’

Government leaks “worse case scenario planning” with likelihood of no deal now 50/50

Lucky Numbers and Horoscopes for today 31 December 2022

Vehicle builder, car manufacturer

The Most Iconic Movie Cars Of All Times

JOBS

FIND MORE JOBS

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

Contact

Editorial enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Commercial enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Address

The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE
Company number 09221879
International House,
24 Holborn Viaduct,
London EC1A 2BN,
United Kingdom

SUPPORT

We do not charge or put articles behind a paywall. If you can, please show your appreciation for our free content by donating whatever you think is fair to help keep TLE growing and support real, independent, investigative journalism.

DONATE & SUPPORT

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • JOBS
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.