War veteran William Cross is to return to the battlefront where he fought for freedom - thanks to a lottery grant.
William, 80, of Shirley Gardens, Basildon, was today receiving the grant from the Big Lottery Fund from its Heroes Return scheme so he can return to Anzio in northern Italy.
The scheme which will pay for 550 veterans, spouses, widows, and carers to return to the battlefields for VE Day on May 8, and remember those who died.
Mr Cross served with the Royal Navy in the Mediterranean during the war and was awarded a certificate of honour by the town of Anzio for wartime bravery.
In April he will be returning to northern Italy with his wife and he also fought in Malta, Egypt and Naples and on Gold beach during the D-Day landings.
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