More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
A Kent war veteran was personally invited to meet Hollywood actor Brad Pitt to give him advice for a new film... but admitted he had no idea who he was.
Ex-soldier Peter Comfort, 90, was telephoned at home by the Fight Club star - who had to persuade him to visit his film set.
It was not until sprightly Mr Comfort, from Ripple, near Deal, searched for Pitt on Google that he realised he is a global superstar.
And he admitted the 49-year-old "rolled about laughing" when he told him how he was completely unaware of his fame.
The Ocean's Eleven actor wanted to speak to Mr Comfort, of Chapel Lane, about his wartime experiences - as he is the last survivor of his regiment.
So he visited Pitt - whose girlfriend is Angelina Jolie - in Hertfordshire, where he was filming Second World War blockbuster Fury.
Pitt will be playing the commander of a DD Sherman tank crew and asked Mr Comfort to explain what life was like inside the amphibious tanks.
Mr Comfort said: "My regiment, the Light Dragoons, got in contact with me about three weeks ago.
"They'd been approached by an ex-officer who worked for a film company and asked if there were any old boys left.
"Mr Pitt was very friendly and charming actually, but I didn't know who he was..." - Peter Comfort
"Then Brad Pitt phoned me and said he wanted to speak about Sherman tanks for a film. He talked me into going and, I have to say, I was extremely well treated.
"They wanted a lot of information to make it accurate and fired a lot of questions at me.
"The film crew got me up on the tank for a few pictures and wanted to know everything about it, where we slept, where we spent a penny, the living conditions and what it was like in action, so I told them.
"Mr Pitt was very friendly and charming actually, but I didn't know who he was.
"I said to him, until last night I didn't have a clue who you were and then I Googled you and you've been in quite a lot of films.
"They all rolled about laughing when I said that."
Mr Comfort was assigned to the Sherman tanks aged just 21.
He landed at Sword beach, Ouistreham, on D-Day June 6, 1944, where the British infantry were supposed to seize the city of Caen from the Germans.
"We fought all day and then we were recalled to Hermonville, about four miles away," he said.
"That was the end of D-Day for us – 350 were wounded and 140 were killed.
"I don't like to talk about it because I saw too many people killed, but Mr Pitt was very nice and I will be interested to see the film."
Mr Comfort has been invited to the British premiere of Fury, probably in November next year.
