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'Remarkable' D-Day veteran dies after 100th birthday

BBC Richard Willis sat with his self portraitBBC
Lt Richard Willis painted a self portrait of his time in uniform

A veteran of the D-Day landings who recently celebrated his 100th birthday has died.

Lt Richard Willis, from Wellington in Somerset, was 20 years old when he served as second in command on a landing craft at Utah Beach, transporting US tanks and soldiers to Normandy for Operation Overlord.

On the 80th anniversary of D-Day, he described his experience as "real and frightening".

Ted Allen, the Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Somerset said he was saddened to hear that he passed away in September and described Mr Willis as a "remarkable man".

Lt Richard Willis sat in a wheelchair with a book and hat in his lap
Mr Willis was 20 years old when he served as second in command during the D-Day landings

Mr Allen presented Mr Willis with a birthday card on behalf of the King earlier this year at a surprise birthday celebration.

"I will never forget meeting him and his family," he said.

"This is terribly sad news.

"I am so pleased we could in some way mark a huge milestone in the life of this remarkable man."

The Lieutenancy organised for Mr Willis to be presented with a D-Day chart of the Utah beach landings, prepared by the UK Hydrographic Office.

The chart - once labelled Top Secret - was inscribed: "Presented to Lt Richard Willis... on the occasion of his 100th birthday.

"With the thanks and admiration of the Lord-Lieutenant and the people of Somerset."

Supplied Black and white image of Lt Willis on a stretcherSupplied
Lt Willis was injured during the D-Day landings

Speaking to the BBC In June, Mr Willis said during the D-Day landings he had found himself in a war which he "hadn’t understood".

"The lives that were lost were innocent. They weren’t there to fight a dangerous war, they just got into it, like me," he said.

Mr Willis suffered injuries when his leg was hit by shrapnel during the landings.

A photograph was taken of him in the aftermath, showing him being carried away on a stretcher.

A painting of D-day by Lt Willis
Lt Willis turned his D-Day memories into artwork

The French government awarded Mr Willis its highest national decoration, the Legion of honour, for his service.

Later in life, Lt Willis turned his D-Day memories into paintings depicting what happened 80 years ago.

He was the youngest ever exhibitor at the Royal Academy of Arts, in 1942.

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