He'd kiss his wife, Irene, on the cheek, put on his grey raincoat and unlatch the gate of The Pines, the redbrick residential home in Hove, East Sussex, where the couple lived.
'He was a joker. He loved telling stories and always had a twinkle in his eye - and so we laughed along with it. I remember saying, 'Take me with you. I want to come to France!' When he went out, we assumed he was off for his usual walk.' Under his raincoat, he had proudly pinned his five war medals, including the prestigious Atlantic Star, to his jacket. He would continue to wear them every day until he died.
The Great Escaper, featuring Caine as Bernie and Jackson as Irene, is bringing this incredible adventure - and their love story - back to life Along with five other staff members, he was proud to receive a red carpet invitation to the film's premiere. Great Escape D-Day veteran Bernard Jordan in Ouistream, Normandy, with two French girls, Anne-Sophie Corbin and cousin Aude Corbin
'My job was to make sure the doors of the ship opened properly to let the tanks out,' he explained in an interview with the Mail. 'Any electrical job that went wrong, it was my job to put it right.' Bernard Jordan , onboard a ferry to France with a cabin crew and members of the Candy Girls entertainment troupe
'I'd say, 'Bernie, you checked yesterday,' and he'd say, 'You can never be too sure.' So for him to be late was very out of character.'It was a call from a younger veteran from Brighton who, remarkably, used to work at The Pines so knew Bernie, had met him on the ferry and was now in the same hotel in Normandy.
He disembarked in his now familiar grey raincoat, beaming and waving for the cameras, and carrying a shopping bag from Duty Free. Inside were chocolates for Irene. Back at The Pines, Bernie was given a hero's welcome.'We all were. He'd had quite the adventure and now he was back safe and sound.'