Wednesday 13th October 2004
Britain´s wartime generation are set to receive free passports from next week, the Home Secretary, David Blunkett, announced today.
In recognition of the sacrifices made by World War II veterans and civilians, every British Citizen born on or before 2 September 1929 will, from this Monday, no longer have to pay for a UK passport.
Many veterans have already received free one-year passports to enable them to revisit battlefields in the 60th anniversary year of the D-Day landings. The Home Secretary announced earlier this year that this would be extended to cover everyone that played a part in the war effort, who will now receive free passports for life.
Mr Blunkett, who today visited the Cabinet War Rooms in Whitehall with actress Liz Smith to meet World War Two veterans and civilians, said:
"The years of the Second World War were amongst the darkest in our nation´s history. We must never forget the sacrifices made and bravery shown by the entire wartime generation. They endured the horrors of the battlefield, terrible losses and unremitting hardship at home to secure our country´s freedom and prosperity. Next month we will observe Remembrance Day, an annual reminder of their dignity and pride.
"I want to thank and honour every adult who helped us defeat the Nazis and their allies - not just those in our brave armed forces, but those who played their part on the home front. Now the wartime generation - some 4.5 million people - will receive free passports for life in recognition of what they gave to secure our nation´s liberty and democracy."
Brigadier Ian Townsend, Secretary General of the Royal British Legion, said:
"The Royal British Legion warmly welcomes this new scheme which, through the generosity of the Government, will enable all those who lived through and remember World War II to travel the world and visit places they may remember, countries which were liberated by the Allies, or beyond."
