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Bill Johnston: 'I was blown up by a mortar shell'

At the age of 21, Bill Johnston was among the first ashore at Gold Beach on D-Day.

He admitted: "War is frightening, especially when you are being shot at."

Although he lost friends on the beaches of Normandy, Bill survived.

But he had a near-death experience just days later when he was blown into the air by a mortar shell.

We Were There aims to collect as many first-hand accounts as possible by 2025, the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, to preserve veterans' accounts for future generations.

The BBC is currently working on the project with a number of partners including the Normandy Memorial Trust and Royal British Legion. Some of the stories collected may be shared with our partners and used on BBC News platforms.

If you have a story to share, or know someone who does, please click here to tell us a little bit more or use one of the methods below.

Do you or someone you know have memories of World War Two? Please share these experiences by emailing [email protected].

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:

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