D-Day 80: Normandy veteran, 103, 'determined' to make event
Stuart Woodward/BBCA 103-year-old World War Two veteran says he is determined to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day at a memorial he helped to design.
Don Sheppard, from Basildon, who is Essex's oldest Normandy veteran, fought on the beaches on 6 June 1944 as a Royal Engineer.
He is hoping to attend a special service at the Living Memorial at Rettendon, near Chelmsford.
"It'll bring back a lot of memories for us," Mr Sheppard told the BBC.
The centenarian served in north Africa and Sicily prior to D-Day, when he landed on Juno Beach.
"We were helping the Canadian advance party shifting mines, and we eventually made it - but we had quite a few casualties," Mr Sheppard said.
Stuart Woodward/BBCMr Sheppard has returned to Normandy for D-Day anniversaries in recent years, as well as visiting the National Arboretum in Staffordshire.
But due to his age he is unable to travel this year, so he is keen to support the local memorial, which was built with his input.
The Living Memorial was created in 2008 by Fran and Peter Theobald.
It contains several memorials to individual wars and campaigns, such as Korea, Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as tributes to the emergency services.
Mr Sheppard came up with several ideas for the Rettendon memorial, including the addition of a replica English Channel, beach and anti-tank defences.
"There's not only me, but loads of guys who can't make going back to Normandy or to the Arboretum," he said, adding that the Living Memorial was "an ideal place" to mark D-Day 80.
Family photo"Don was very instrumental in getting this going - he's got a very winning way," said Fran Theobald, who is also an RAF veteran.
"He's a remarkable man and we're really privileged to have done this for him."
Mr Sheppard's daughter, Jo O'Brien, said it would be "beyond words" to have her father present at D-Day 80 at the Living Memorial.
"Dad is relentless - he doesn't give up and he was determined to make this happen," Jo added.
Mr Sheppard's grandson, Sam O'Brien, said it was "extremely important" to have a D-Day memorial in Essex.
"Freedom has a price, and Grandad's colleagues and comrades paid that price," Mr O'Brien told the BBC.
"That's why it's so important to him and to us that we come here to remember that."
Follow East of England news on Facebook, Instagram and X. Got a story? Email [email protected] or WhatsApp 0800 169 1830