For Bill Blackburn, the memories that returned were the flies, the thirst, and the power of the artillery barrage that opened the battle of El Alamein.
Blackburn was one of six British World War Two veterans to visit the desert battlefield on the 76th anniversary of the decisive Allied victory that marked an important step towards the eventual defeat of German and Italian forces in Africa in May 1943.
Those who fought are now in their late 90s, and may not return again.
The battle began on the night of Oct. 23 1942 when Commonwealth forces from General Bernard Montgomery's Eighth Army began driving back Field Marshal Erwin Rommel's Panzerarmee Afrika, which had threatened to sweep across Egypt and into the Middle East.
The veterans returned to the battle site because the British government paid for the trip for the first time, using the proceeds of fines levied on banks over the manipulation of the Libor interbank interest rate.
Joe Peel, also 98, was a gunner at El Alamein who had his hearing badly damaged by German bombing and said he had never expected to return.
REUTERS
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