D-Day veteran Don Turrell, who feared he would not survive the war, has died aged 101. He was a Corporal with The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) when he sailed across the Channel as part of the liberating Allied armada in June 1944.
A lifetime of remembrance
Four months earlier, London-born Don lost his older brother Leslie, a telegraphist on HMS Penelope, when she was sunk off Naples. He made it his duty to return to Normandy each year to remember his wartime pals.
Last year the wheelchair-bound warrior made a pilgrimage with the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans and the Express to visit the final resting place of chums Rifleman William Carr, 19, and Lance Sergeant Robert Bremner, 29, who perished on June 26, 1944. His mates died from mortar fire during the battle for Hill 112 as part of Operation Jupiter in the bloody slog to free Nazi-occupied France during the Second World War.
Battle of Hill 112
After 10 weeks of fierce fighting and the loss of 10,000 men, the Allies eventually seized control of one of the most important battlegrounds in northern France, allowing them to retake Caen and continue the liberation of Europe. Don was seriously injured during the same assault.
Choking back tears Don recalled: “I feel close to them. I speak their names aloud. I haven’t forgotten them and I never will.” He added: “We could see the cliffs at Dover disappearing and I said, ‘I wonder how many of us are going to come back?’
“I go back to remember my friends and lay ghosts to rest, but they won’t ever go. Memories go to the back of my mind, but at times I am back there with them all. Every year that I’m able to return I count it as a blessing. I can still remember the noise, the chaos, the smell and the destruction.” He died in hospital on Friday surrounded by his family.
A life of courage
Don was just 17 when he volunteered for the Army, lying about his age so he could sign up. He was told to expect a dry landing on Sword Beach but he stepped off his landing craft into water up to his neck surrounded by bodies of young soldiers who never made it. Don was injured during fighting around the village of Eterville where his company was pinned down under heavy machine gun fire and used his rifle as a crutch.
After the war Don, of Frinton-on-Sea, Essex, married Lillian and the couple had two children Andrew and Linda. In a statement they said: “Our beloved Dad, Don, lived a truly wonderful and remarkable life. He was an extraordinary man, a loving father and someone who will be deeply missed by all of us who had the privilege of knowing him. While our hearts are broken at losing him, we take great comfort in knowing just how many people knew, loved and admired him, and in the wonderful memories they share of him.
“Dad’s life was full, meaningful and filled with experiences that few could ever imagine. His courage, warmth, humour and kindness touched so many lives, and his legacy will live on through the stories and memories of everyone who knew him. We will miss him more than words can say, but we feel incredibly proud to call him our Dad. He had a wonderful life, he was very much loved, and he will never, ever be forgotten.”
Final salute and lasting bond
Don's final salute came a fortnight ago when he cheered on fellow veterans Paul Terry, Alfred Cooley, and Ivan Staines - combined age 300 - who reached for the skies for a bucket list Spitfire flight at Biggin Hill in Kent. The spectacular treat was made possible thanks to a thrill-seeking fund set up by the Taxi Charity of which Don was an enthusiastic supporter. He was, typically, in good spirits and immaculately attired in regimental dress.
Callum Reid, 29, forged a special bond with Don, who he met by chance, when he realised his great-grandfather also died in the battle for Hill 112. Sgt James Dargie, 33, was killed on July 16, 1944, leaving behind a wife and four young children, including Callum’s grandmother who was second oldest of eight. He rests alongside 1,627 others, including Don’s pals, in Saint-Manvieu War Cemetery, near Caen.
Callum said: "Don was my best friend. He was incredibly caring, charming and funny. He definitely brought out the best in me. While I am devastated by his passing, I am incredibly grateful for each and every moment I spent with Don. Even at the end he was still looking forward to upcoming trips with the Taxi Charity."
“It's hard to articulate just how much of a wonderful man he was. Despite the traumas and hardships he endured, he always looked on the bright side of life. His openness to speak about his experiences in his latter years touched everyone who was privileged enough to meet him. I will miss him dearly, but I know how much love we had for one another and feel he will always be with me."
Dick Goodwin, Vice President of the Taxi Charity, said: “Don was incredibly special. He had a warmth and presence that lit up every room he entered and touched the lives of so many people. As a Second World War veteran he represented a generation whose courage and service we will never forget. It was a privilege for the charity to know him and he will be remembered with enormous affection and gratitude. My thoughts are with his family and all those who loved him at this very sad time.”
