The serried rows of white headstones in
lovingly tended commonwealth war
cemeteries stand as silent testament to
the price that this country has paid to
help restore peace and order in Europe.
This summer the sacrifices made by
British soldiers in World War II became an unexpected part of the Brexit
campaign.
I'm walking through the ruins of
Coventry Cathedral bombed and destroyed
by nazi war planes 75 years ago.
Controversially both sides appealed the
to the legacy of World War II to make their
case. The remain side argued that Britain
had fought in the war to unify Europe.
Not to abandon the continent at a time
of need.
Leave supporters said that Britain had
fought for national sovereignty and
that the British people would be damned if they let Eurocrats and Brussels
roll them from afar.
It seems like Britain's political
campaigners were in a tip for tap battle
to claim the legacy of World War II as their own.
So we went to meet some living
war veterans -  all men in their nineties - to talk about how they voted in the EU
referendum.
The referendum
I voted for out. I felt that the
unelected body of this  elite of
people which is the politicians in Brussels.
I were beginning to try and impose things
upon us which I don't think we needed
Weren't in Europe in the first place.
Stay out of it, let them get on with what they want to do. I wanted to remain, I thought
I thought it was still in its infancy
I really did think it was still in its infancy. 40 years is nothing, I served
alongside
a flight of Polish chaps that we seem
to gel as one unit
 
I voted to stay in the Europe. After winning
the war we achieved lots of progress
in Europe. The younger generation
should follow the same course.
How did you vote in the recent
referendum ?
Oh, definitely out, one hundred percent. David Cameron gave a speech a few months ago and in it
he suggested that if Britain left Europe
it would increase the risk of war on the
continent. Do you think that's right?
Well my. To me that's bollocks... absolute bollocks
He knows nothing about war. I don't 
think that the same ethos is there at all
not at all.
These men, old enough to witness the birth of a
federal Europe 70 years ago.
Are left divided on the union's legacy but
British voters have made their choice
and negotiations over brexit are
already underway
 
Does it seem strange to you, so many
years after you fought, that actually now
Germany is one of the leaders of the
european union? Yes, as my wife said we spent
six years trying to keep the enemy
out and now we've allowed them to walk in.
Were you scared when you heard the
results of the referendum?
 
Yes, I am scared because in Europe there
is always uncertainty. Europe as far as history goes
is like a youth
it's been given a load of money and it
hadn't spent it very well. It hasn't yet
got on to drugs and cocaine but by the
way it's going it
could easily get that way but wake up
Europe we've got an enormous chance now.
 
