Although Gerry Flower is 79, he attended the National Day of Commemoration ceremonies at the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, for the first time yesterday. The events left the tailgunner from Donore Avenue, Dublin, close to tears.
"This is the first time I have been here. I found it very emotional today because of the memories it brings back and I thought it was beautiful at the same time," he said.
Each year political and religious leaders, along with members of the diplomatic corps and branches of the Defence Forces, pay homage to "all those Irishmen and Irishwomen who died in past wars or on service with the United Nations".
In the blazing sunshine, Bernadette Greevy lifted hearts with her rendition of the Thomas Moore song, Oft, in the Stilly Night. A minute's silence was observed and the Army No 1 Band sounded the Last Post, as the Tricolour flew at half-mast in memory of the fallen.
Mr Flower was accompanied by his nephew, the Green Party leader, Mr Trevor Sargent TD. He served under a different flag, in the Royal Air Force, during the second World War.
He was "a little surprised but at the same time delighted" when his nephew told him members of non-Irish forces were being included in the commemoration nowadays.
He was a tailgunner in a Lancaster bomber that was shot down over Hamburg in 1943. His parachute saved his life and,like all those who were saved by the silken miracle, he wears a silkworm badge on his lapel.
Three of the seven-member crew perished but Mr Flower became a prisoner of war on the Polish-German border. As the Russians advanced, he took part in a forced march to Berlin, but was eventually liberated by the Red Army.
He emigrated to Canada in 1956, where he worked as a civil servant with the federal government. He is "real proud" of his TD nephew: "I am waiting for him to be the Taoiseach. Wouldn't it be nice to have a Green Party Taoiseach?"
The ceremony is described as a "multi-faith commemoration" and there were prayers and readings, in the following order, by the Chief Rabbi, Dr Yaakov Pearlman; the Catholic Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin, Most Rev Raymond Field; the Rev Alan Martin from the Presbyterian Church in Ireland; the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin, Dr John Neill; and the Rev Donaldson Rodgers of the Dublin Methodist Synod.
Prof Muhammed Saleem Khan represented the Muslim community but did not take part in the prayers and readings. There are now between 20,000 and 30,000 Muslims in the State. Prof Khan said there were two major groups within the Muslim community and he suggested that the Government invite a representative from each to take part in the prayers in future, since there were four representatives of Christian denominations.
The President, Mrs McAleese, laid a wreath at the commemorative plaque. The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, members of the Cabinet, the leader of the Opposition, Mr Enda Kenny, and the deputy leader of the Labour Party, Ms Liz McManus, also attended.