D-Day signals operator who dodged machine gun fire during WWII Normandy invasion and survived after two bullets hit the RADIO on his back, dies after fall aged 95
- Ken Smith died at home aged 95 in Wheldrake, York, following a serious fall
- Only handful of mourners could attend service due to social distancing rules
- The signals operator landed on Gold Beach on D-Day in 1944
- He returned to the site with wife Gloria one last time in 2019 for 75th anniversary
A D-Day veteran has died aged 95 – and his grieving family has promised a hero’s send-off once the crisis is over.
Only a handful of mourners will be able to say a tearful farewell to Ken Smith at his funeral in York because of social distancing rules.
But the city is planning to honour Ken with a huge memorial service once the crisis is over.
D-Day veteran Ken Smith died at home aged 95 in Wheldrake, York, following a serious fall
His son Mark said there will be a full memorial service when the pandemic is over with a guard of honour for the World War II hero
Mr was straffed by machine gun fire as he waded ashore on Gold Beach during the Normandy landings.
Two bullets would have found their mark but they drilled into the radio set the signals operator was carrying on his back.
He fought on to help liberate much of Europe until being wounded months later in fighting on the Dutch-German border.
Ken died at home on in Wheldrake, York, on Monday, three weeks after he had suffered a fractured femur in a fall.
His son Mark said the funeral would take place at the church in Wheldrake with just a very small number of family members present because of social distancing.
‘However, there will be a full memorial service when the pandemic is over, with a guard of honour because he deserved it and hundreds and hundreds attending.’
Only a handful of mourners will be able to say a tearful farewell to Ken Smith at his funeral in York because of social distancing rules
Ken paid one final visit with his wife Gloria to Gold Beach last June, for the 75th anniversary.
His battle to attend made national headlines when it appeared he would be excluded by Donald Trump’s security arrangements.
He said: ‘We didn’t have all this security last time I landed in Normandy. In fact, I didn’t even need my passport.’