THE first wave of the North-East's Second World War veterans have landed lottery funding so they can revisit battlefields.

John Morrison and George Brown are the first two men who make up the 'advance guard' first awards announced today. (Wednesday April 28).

Money from the New Opportunities Fund's Heroes Return scheme is enabling veterans, widows spouses and carers to make the journey back to the places where they fought and where comrades fell.

County Durham Veteran John Morrison, 82, has received £525 towards the cost of a trip to Markabygd, Norway in May.

The Halifax Bomber veteran's plane was shot down during his third attack against Tirpitz in Norway in April 1942 and crash landed near the shore of Lake Movatnet near the village of Markabygd.

Half the squad lost their lives in the attack but John was taken in by the locals who dressed his wounds and helped him escape to Sweden. Any Norwegian found to have helped Allied aircrew was more than likely to face a German firing squad.

John has since returned to the community that helped him, but is keen to make one more trip.

He said: "This might be the last chance I get to say thank you to the people who so selflessly helped me without any thought for themselves."

South Tyneside Royal Engineer 'sapper' George Brown, 83, saw action in Italy in 1939, before he was wounded in Anzio in 1944. He has been awarded £1,300 to return to the Italian battlefields with his son, Brian in May this year.

Thousands more awards are likely to be made under the scheme, which runs until the end of next year, to enable those who served abroad during the Second World War to return to battlefields, cemeteries and other places which hold special memories for them.

This summer, many veterans are travelling to France and other sites in Northern Europe to mark the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landings and events which foreshadowed the end of the war in Europe. Funding is available to veterans, together with spouses and carers, to visit sites in Europe, Africa, Asia and elsewhere where they saw service during the war.

For more information call 0800 169 2277