Scarborough army veterans take on VE Day remembrance challenge
A pair of Yorkshire Regiment veterans have set themselves the challenge of reaching France in seven days, unsupported and by any means they can, in time for the 80th anniversary of VE Day.
Lee Holmes (38) and Doug Lincoln (35) will set off on May 1 2025 from The Green Howards Museum in Richmond, Yorkshire, aiming to arrive at The Green Howards Memorial in Crepon, France, in time for the commemorations on 8 May.
With The Green Howards amalgamated to form The Yorkshire Regiment in 2006, this will be a particularly poignant opportunity for Lee and Doug to pay their respects to those from their regiment who gave their lives during the Second World War.
The pair, who served together in Afghanistan in 2009, have seen first-hand the impact of military trauma on friends and comrades.
They have set themselves the target of raising £10,000 for veterans’ mental health charity Combat Stress along the way, after a close friend’s life was transformed by the charity’s specialist treatment.
Under the rules of their challenge, Lee and Doug will not be permitted to use money en-route, nor are they allowed to use a single mode of transport for more than 90 minutes – they must instead switch to another mode of transport, or travel on foot for at least two hours before resuming the same type of transport.
Any transport, food, tickets, or shelter can only be obtained as ‘gifts’ from members of the public they meet along the way.
The pair will carry seven days’ worth of rations and provisions, but this won’t include spare clothes or camping gear.
They will instead have to sleep wherever they can find a safe place each night.
On their challenge, Lee and Doug said: “We only found out about the incredible work of Combat Stress after the charity gave our friend his life back.
“Having really suffered with his mental health after his time in Afghanistan it was incredible, and really moving, to see him helped out of a dark place and empowered to start living again.
“Naturally, we wanted to give something back as well as raise as much awareness and funds as possible to help other veterans out there who are struggling.
“In light of this milestone VE Day anniversary, we dreamt up a unique and difficult challenge that would hopefully generate much support and interest, but also one that would allow us to keep alive the sacrifice of those Green Howards who came before us.
“It’s going to be tough; the uncertainty, the elements, the sleeping rough, the reliance on the generosity of strangers…but if we make it to that memorial, and help one even one fellow veteran in the process, it will be completely worth it.”
As if the challenge wasn’t tough enough, in return for making a donation supporters will be able to request that Lee and Doug take on additional challenges and choose the nature of the challenge e.g. put their boots on the wrong feet or leopard crawl for one mile.
This will be done once a day via live streams and social media, with viewers/followers able to put their suggestions up with a price tag, for one to be picked. What will YOU challenge the pair to do?
To support Lee and Doug’s challenge, visit: https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-ve-day-anniversary-hard-routine-charity-tour-may-2025
Or to submit a misery-inducing challenge for the pair to complete, visit: https://www.facebook.com/people/VE-Day-Hard-Routine-Charity-Tour-May-2025/61573058895607/ (during the challenge).