Britain's oldest surviving WW2 hero and veteran of legendary battles dies aged 110 as hundreds line streets for funeral

Scottish Sun

19 hours ago

The 110-year-old claimed he discovered the secret to his long life while stationed in North Africa
WE SALUTE YOU Britain's oldest surviving WW2 hero and veteran of legendary battles dies aged 110 as hundreds line streets for funeral
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BRITAIN'S oldest war hero was laid to rest yesterday, with hundreds lining the streets for his funeral.
Nearly 200 military veterans on motorbikes also paid tribute to Private Donald Rose, who died aged 110.
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Donald Rose, 110, was Britain's oldest surviving World War Two veteran
Credit: PA
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Donald was 25 when he joined up to fight in World War Two, and survived a gunshot
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At the cenotaph in Ilkeston, Derbys, a bugler played the Last Post.
Donald joined up for World War Two aged 25, and became a sniper in the Queen's Royal Regiment, fighting in Tunis, North Africa, and Salerno, Italy.
In 1944, he was part of an advance party that placed lamps on beaches in Normandy ahead of the D-Day landings.
Donald suffered a gunshot wound to the leg during the Normandy invasion.
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But he quickly returned to Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany before taking part in the liberation of Belsen death camp in April 1945.
He said the secret to his long life was the salty water he had been forced to drink as a Desert Rat at the battles of Tobruk and El Alamein.
Last May, the former dustman — who worked until he was 70 — was well enough to attend VE-Day commemorations held by the Royal British Legion at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.
He died on July 11 at Ilkeston's Canal Vue care home, where he had lived for five years following the death of his wife Jeanette.
There, Douglas drew up a bucket list of activities that included holding a vintage motorbike show at the care home, riding on a fire engine and trying out a flight simulator.
So it was fitting that 186 riders from the Armed Forces Bikers, Royal British Legion Riders Branch and the Household Division Motorcycle Club joined his cortège.
Haunting art honours the 1,475 brave Allied troops who died on D-Day standing like ghosts above beaches where they fell
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Servicemen, veterans and members of the public lined the streets for the funeral
Credit: PA
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Youngsters at Ilkeston Football Club were among those to pay their respects
Credit: PA
They followed his hearse for two miles to Ilkeston Town FC.
Junior footballers, lining the route into the ground, held up a poster, reading: 'For our tomorrow you gave your today. RIP Donald Rose.'
The funeral service heard the great-grandfather joined the Army because he felt 'they needed me to fight'.
He had added: 'I wanted to save this country from the fascists.'
Naomi Allsop, who helped Donald draw up his bucket list, described him as a 'walking history book'.
But the modest veteran always said: 'I didn't do anything that anybody else wouldn't have done.'
The Royal British Legion said: 'Donald's life and legacy will forever serve as a poignant reminder of the invaluable sacrifices made by those who served during WW2.'
Parade marshal John Wallace, of Derbyshire Royal British Legion, said: 'He epitomised all that was great and all that we have to be grateful for to his generation.'
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Donald suffered a gunshot to the leg during the Normandy invasion
Credit: Getty
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He served in North Africa as a Desert Rat at the battles of Tobruk and El Alamein
Credit: Getty
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Donald became a sniper in the Queen's Royal Regiment, fighting in Tunis, North Africa
Credit: Getty
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He claimed the salty water he had to drink in the desert was vital to his long life
Credit: Getty
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He also served as a sniper in battles in Salerno, Italy
Credit: Getty