Haverhill D-Day veteran's surprise at 100th birthday party

A D-Day veteran shot just 12 days after being flown into Normandy was treated to a surprise party in Suffolk for his 100th birthday.

Bill Gladden was 20 at the time and serving with the 6th Airborne Reconnaissance Regiment.

He was shot in the leg by a German tank and spent the next three years in a hospital back in the UK.

His family arranged the party on Friday in Haverhill, describing him as "a legend" and "an inspiration".

"He always says he didn't do much because he got injured, he got wounded," said his niece, Kaye Thorpe, 69.

"He was only over there for about 12 days then he was three years in hospital - he had his ankle virtually blown off, shot off."

Mr Gladden had been with his unit at the time near the French village of Ranville, close to the strategically important Pegasus Bridge, which they were tasked with protecting.

Before his service, he had been a builder, and after his recovery he worked in various jobs in factories and in payroll departments.

Although he had told his family he did not want "any fuss" when he turned 100 - on 13 January - Mrs Thorpe said they felt they had to mark the occasion with the surprise party at the local community centre in his home town.

He was greeted by a rousing chorus of Happy Birthday.

As people set off party poppers, the veteran, who was brought into the room in a wheelchair, mouthed "thank you".

When asked later by a guest if he had any idea about the surprise, he replied: "No idea whatsoever."

Mrs Thorpe said: "I just think he's a legend, what he's been through, what he's seen, what he's done."

She said Mr Gladden, at 100, was still "bright as a button" and "loves singing and painting, and has created watercolour artworks from his memories of the Second World War".

Her husband, Alan Thorpe, who drove Mr Gladden to the party, added: "I had to tell him a white lie unfortunately - I said we were bringing him out for dinner.

"He had no idea.

"When he starts welling up, we got him.

"He's an inspiration, he really is."

Mr Gladden has been back to Normandy to visit the site where he was injured, and his family said he hoped to return for the 80th anniversary of D-Day in June.

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