Beaches of D-Day mark veteran’s big adventure
He plans to stride the length of the five D-Day landing beaches of Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword on the Normandy coast in memory of his father Walter who was there in more hostile times.
And while the distance should not prove a challenge for Mr Morton, the subject certainly will.
“It will be very emotional,” he said. “My dad was at Sword beach but he spent the whole day saving people from a Norwegian troop carrier next to his which had sunk.
“He had a very traumatic day, I’m sure, but he never talked about it. People of that generation never did and everything I have found out came from other people. I have been in training for this event to make sure I can do it. I feel ready.”
Jim, 63, a Royal Navy veteran himself, plans to raise money for the Gurkha Welfare Trust, having served with many of them. His wife Sue will follow him in the comfort of a camper van.
He is no stranger to fundraising or walking. He spent over a year trekking nearly 9,000 miles around the coast of Great Britain. And he marched from John O’Groats to Land’s End during the same adventure. The Royal Navy veteran took on the latest challenge to raise money for the Gurkhas – who he worked alongside – in a bid to raise £50,000. The total stands at just over £40,000.
Now he is back and planning to walk the length of Normandy's D Day Beaches – where his father served 80 years ago, although Mr Morton never reached the sand. He was busy saving lives from the sunken Norwegian ship.
He says his father will be his inspiration. “He was only 21 at the time but he looked about 12, and he must have been terrified, ” he said.
“I’m intending to finish the walk on June 6 – the same day of the D-Day operation. I don’t want to rush. There is a lot of history to see and take in and I want to make sure I have time to do that.”
Like his father he also spent time in the Royal Navy serving alongside many Gurkhas on HMS Gurkha.
His walk and the proceeds of his book have raised over £40,000 for the Gurkha Welfare Trust. But he hopes this next challenge will help him to reach his £50,000 target.
He added: “The Gurkas fought for us for over 200 years, we even lost 15 in Afghanistan, so its not just a second world war thing."
He says he looking forward to meeting other veterans along the way. “There'll be the Americans, Canadians, there'll be everybody there and I'm hoping its going to be a big celebration of the lives of the people that were lost – and the ones that survived as well.”
He said he wants to talk to as many people as possible on the route to promote the Gurkha Welfare Trust and take his total toi £50,000.
Donations can be made via his Facebook page which is called I May Be Gone A While.