Chris Tarrant: My hero dad never talked about D-Day

Maj Basil Tarrant felt guilt over surviving World War Two, his son said

Broadcaster Chris Tarrant has described how his father played a heroic role in the D-Day landings but never discussed his experiences.

Maj Basil Tarrant, from Reading, then aged 24, led soldiers from the Royal Berkshire Regiment in a successful assault on Juno Beach.

Tarrant said his father wrote that he was "apprehensive" but "not really frightened" as his ship approached the German guns.

The presenter said: "I'm frustrated that he never talked about it. I think now he would look on it with pride because he comes out of it... an incredible man."

Chris Tarrant said he could talk to his father about anything except the war

Maj Tarrant, who died in 2005, was twice awarded the Military Cross for actions during World War Two, the presenter said.

The broadcaster said his father crossed the Channel in choppy seas on D-Day in a boat carrying English and Canadian soldiers.

The officer later wrote in a memoir: "I have never, ever seen so many ships nor ever, ever will again.

"People around me were throwing up but surprisingly I wasn't sick at all, not even really frightened. I don't think I was. I was just apprehensive."

Juno Beach was one of five landing areas for Allied forces on D-Day

Tarrant said his father was "one of the older ones" in the boat, which was carrying many teenagers.

He added: "When Dad's lot... started piling off the boats, there were a lot of Canadian bodies floating in and out on the tide which must have been quite scary... And then it was just hell.

"Dad, as an officer, was supposed to go running out in front of his men with a pistol.

"And, like several of the others, he thought: 'That's really stupid. You can keep your pistol.' He had a Sten gun.

Maj Tarrant was twice awarded the Military Cross, the broadcaster said

"Somehow they got through the morning. Their job was to take the beachhead... and by lunchtime it was in the Royal Berkshires' hands.

"They were heroic... you had to become a hero or die."

Tarrant said later that day his father stole a railway sign from the nearby station at Bernières-sur-Mer, which now hangs in The Rifles Berkshire & Wiltshire Museum.

The TV and radio host said: "He was an incredible guy because he was just a great dad. He was lovely with me and he was my best friend.

"I could talk to him about anything - anything except the war. He just wouldn't go near it."

Tarrant said his father was "heroic" and an "incredible guy"

Tarrant has written a book about his father's exploits, titled Dad's War.

He recalled: "I sometimes think with Dad and quite a few of them... they felt guilt about being alive because so many of the guys with them had died.

"Dad went with Mum and looked at this line of crosses in Normandy, of the Royal Berks and Royal Wilts Regiments.

"And mum said all he kept saying was 'so young, so young'.'"