Horsham student's swim, bike and run in memory of D-Day hero great-grandfather

Alex is taking up the fundraising baton from Mike who has previously done five triathlons and raised £25,000 for the charity War Child. 18 year-old Alex is fit and strapping, and will be doing the full Olympic triathlon of 1,500m swim, 40k bike ride and 10k run. While his less fit and decidedly “un-hench” Granddad is doing the super sprint, which is a quarter of each distance.

Alex, who is currently taking his A-levels in History, Psychology and Economics at Collyers College is very active in Horsham’s sporting world. He trains at Horsham’s Pavillion leisure centre, and is also an enthusiastic footballer, playing for Roffey U18’s and U23’s teams. He is also a keen table tennis player, and has coached other young players at Horsham Table Tennis Club. For this commitment he was awarded the Regional Pride of Table Tennis Award in 2021.

Alex said: “I’m very proud of my Great Granddad’s contribution in fighting fascism, and of the sacrifice he made. I was really moved when I read the letter he sent to my Great Grandma on the day he was killed. In a way I feel as though I’m bringing him back to life. Now I’m so pleased to be fundraising for a charity that is helping children who are suffering in war zones like Ukraine and Syria. My Granddad, Mike, was a true war child as he was born three months after his Dad was killed. So, this cause is very close to my family’s hearts. It’s great that with my Granddad we have already raised nearly £2,000 in the first few weeks of our appeal.”

Alex’s Great Granddad was a Battery Commander in the Royal Artillery’s Anti-Tank Regiment. He landed on Gold Beach in Normandy 22 days after D-Day. Just 10 days later on 8 July 1944, he was killed fighting in the battle for Caen, which was one of the fiercest of the war. That very morning Bill had written a letter to his wife Ethel, and his small son, Max who was five years old.

Bill wrote: “. . . it won’t be long before we are together again, if Jerry was a decent sport he would know he was beaten and pack in now. I’m still feeling fine and getting along alright, don’t worry about me this job isn’t so difficult after all, I’ve had much tougher times on training schemes. Well darling I must close now, look after yourself and keep happy, all my love to my own two darlings.Yours and Maxies’ always . . . Bill”

Alex’s Great Grandma received a letter a week later from Bill’s troop commander telling her that he had been killed. She remained a war widow for the next 62 years. She died in 2006. Although Alex was just two years old, he joined his family to carry out her final wish a year later, which was to have her ashes buried with her beloved Bill in the Hermanville War Cemetery in Normandy. Alex said: “It was a really moving moment for my family when we made sure that they were finally together again.”

To sponsor Alex and Mike go to: justgiving.com/fundraising/mike-power11