A WORLD War Two veteran who stormed the beaches during the Normany Landings 75 years ago has died after contracting coronavirus.
Bill Anderson, 98, passed away on January 30 after falling ill with Covid – but has been remembered by his family for his heroic battles serving the Allied forces.
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The veteran was born in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, on January 6, 1923 – and was the eldest son of 12 children.
He first met his future wife Jenny when they were 14 and she worked near where he lived.
William and Jenny married on June 30, 1945, shortly before the war ended.
And at the age of 20, he joined the war as a tank driver – with his very first day of service on June 6, 1944.
The veteran drove a Sherman M3 tank onto Juno beach on the day of the Normandy Landings, as well as commanding the first tank to cross the Orne River Bridge during Operation Tonga.
His vehicle was the only one in the Troop not to be destroyed.
Bill’s only son Richard, 68, from Southminster, Essex, described his dad as a “fantastic guy” and an “absolute model of respect.”
He said: “It was a privilege and an honour to know him and to be his son. He was my dad, but he was also my best friend.
“For him to have survived everything he did during the war and live to tell us the tale was amazing.
“If I can achieve half of what he achieved in his life, I know I will have lived a good life.”
Richard keeps the memory of his father well and truly alive – and has written 100 page records of Bill’s life, which he shares with his own children.
Bill, who served with the A Squadron Troop 4 as part of the East Riding Yeomanry, was thrown into the D-Day action on his first day of active service on June 6, 1944.
His son said: “They were at full throttle. The ramp went down and a half-track went off first and disappeared.
“Dad saw an arm come out of a window, but it sank and that was it. Someone stepped in front of the visor and signalled Bill to stop and the ramp came up again.
“The next thing he knew the ramp had opened again and he was on Juno beach with the Canadians.”
He added: “He fought his way through Belgium and France in support of the 51st Highland Regiment.
“He fought in the forests of the Ardennes and his regiment went to Holland and helped to clear the enemy resistance.
“His experience meant he was also an excellent mechanic and he received a citation for ensuring his tank was not once found to be not battle-worthy.”
Bill’s wife Jenny, now 98, has survived her husband, and lives in the home the couple shared in Althorne, Essex.
In 2019, Bill attended the 75th anniversary of D-Day at Burnham war memorial – where he was shocked to find people wanting to shake his hand.
Richard said: “He thought he was just going there to remember his mates, but there was a queue of people wanting to shake his hand.”
Speaking at the time, Bill said: “I never imagined so many people would want to shake my hand, thank me for what I did and wish me well.
“I was amazed and humbled by it all, especially as I only did what I was trained to do.”
Bill died on January 30, aged 98, after contracting Covid.
A private funeral service is due to take place in Chelmsford on April 12.
