A GROUP of former soldiers have spent a year preparing to ride a World War Two motorbike to Berlin, retracing a veteran’s journey to celebrate his 100th birthday.

The team from Blackburn’s Veterans Living History Museum (VLHM) is organising ‘Operation Banham’ as a nod to D-Day and WW2 hero, Lewis Banham.

Mr Banham, 99, from Weir, rode a 500cc BSA M20 motorbike, which he fondly named ‘Old Faithful’, on his trip across Europe during the Second World War.

The veterans from VLHM have bought the same bike for their ride across the continent.

One of the veterans and VLHM members, Wayne Hester, said: “Whenever we talk with Lewis about it his face just lights up and he tells us all his stories about his time at war.

Lancashire Telegraph: Lewis with the same model bike as he rode through Europe as a dispatch rider in the second world warLewis with the same model bike as he rode through Europe as a dispatch rider in the second world war

“He thinks what we are doing is amazing and we are so happy we can do it for him.

"His legacy will live on with the rest of his regimental dispatch riders through our full-length documentary.”

Lewis, who is also a member of Haslingden-based charity Veterans in Communities, will be flying out with his son Greg to Berlin to meet the group at the end of the journey.

The team of ex-soldiers will set off from their Blackburn hub at 6pm on Thursday, June 9, travelling through Normandy before setting off to reach Berlin by 3pm on June 15.

Upon their arrival, Colonel Stephen Davis, Wayne’s Colonel, will be giving the final dispatch to Lewis.

Wayne said the group are also using an Armed Forces Day hosted by Healthier Heroes in Burnley on June 18 as their ‘coming home party’ with Lewis set to attend the event with the bike arriving before a Spitfire will perform a flyover.

Lancashire Telegraph: The bike after it was renovated thanks to National Motorbike Museum, funded by India’s BSA motorcyclesThe bike after it was renovated thanks to National Motorbike Museum, funded by India’s BSA motorcycles

The operation, which has received funding from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, will follow the co-ordinates of Weir resident Lewis Banham’s historic liberation trip across Europe.

The bike, which they found in Northern Ireland, has been renovated by the National Motorbike Museum, funded by India’s BSA motorcycles, to bring it back to tip-top condition in readiness for their journey.

The group will be made up of 10 veterans and a film crew from Capture That in Leyland.