A 95-YEAR-OLD war veteran who later became a vascular surgeon at the John Radcliffe Hospital has offered to help bring D-Day to life on the big screen.
The heroic actions of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry on D-Day at Pegasus Bridge are to be made into a feature film that could start shooting in the summer.
David Tibbs, from North Oxford, landed on D-Day as a medic with the 225 Parachute Field Ambulance and treated the mounting number of injured soldiers.
He has volunteered to help with the production.
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He said: “It’s great that there might be a film showing one of the most outstanding military feats of the war.
“I would love to help out or even say a few words at the start of the film.
“As a doctor I was not concerned with taking the bridge. I might be able to offer a different point of view.”
The film production team has since been in touch with the nonagenarian and he was hopeful of a part in the film.
Dr David Tibbs served with 225 Parachute Field Ambulance
The movie will tell the story of former Oxford city policeman Major John Howard leading his 2nd Battalion D Company on a daring and ultimately vital operation that secured two bridges for the D-Day landings – an operation known as Deadstick.
Nearby fighting involved the 7th Parachute Battalion in the village of Benouville, which will also be heavily featured.
Mr Tibbs, who trained at Guy’s Hospital in London before signing up, took advantage of a wartime measure that allowed doctors to qualify six months earlier than the normal five-year requirement, specifically to help the war effort.
He was assigned to the 225 Parachute Field Ambulance and on June 6, 1944, he landed as a medic officer with the 5th Parachute Brigade of the famous 6th Airborne Division.
The trained doctor’s sole concern was initially clearing the drop zone of wounded parachutists.
A film is being made about the taking of Pegasus Bridge
The North Oxford man survived several scares, including being shot through the shoulder, and went on to have six children with his wife Patricia before they divorced and he married Marie, with whom he lives in Davenant Road.
He worked as a vascular surgeon at the John Radcliffe Hospital from 1961 until his retirement in 1985.
The Military Cross recipient was recently awarded the Legion D’Honneur – the highest decoration in France – for his actions on D-Day.
Mr Tibbs said: “I’m just as proud of the Legion D’Honneur as of the Military Cross to be honest.
“When I went to France for the ceremony a couple of years ago many people, including quite a lot of young people, came up to me to thank us.
“It was a very touching gesture after more than 70 years.”
Last month, the production team visited several significant sites in Normandy as they continued their pre-filming process.
The team took a trip to Ranville Cemetery, the burial place of many of the Ox and Bucks Light Infantry men who lost their lives in June 1944.
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