D-Day veteran's funeral held after appeal

Albert Price landed on Gold Beach at the age of 18

A funeral has been held for a D-Day veteran after an appeal for people to attend.

Albert Price was a gunner with the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards on the day of the Normandy landings and hoped to return there next week for the 80th anniversary.

On Thursday, an appeal was launched by an Aston Villa FC supporters group for the armed forces after fears the funeral would be empty, with the 98-year-old's wife and daughter his only family.

The Robin Hood crematorium in Solihull was packed on Friday with standard bearers escorting the hearse.

Mr Price had lied about his age to join up when he was 16 years old, and found himself on Gold Beach two years later.

He went on to marry his wife Betty and passed away just two weeks before their 72nd wedding anniversary.

An appeal was made for people to attend the service for the veteran

Their daughter Karen Price was pleased to see the crematorium packed, with little room even for those standing.

She said: "He never spoke very much about the war and what he'd achieved until fairly recently.

"To be honest when we did find out what he'd done and what he did achieve, it's absolutely incredible, so we're very proud of him."

Mr Price was married for more than 70 years

A serviceman from a younger generation who knew him in recent years, Stewart Bailey, from Jaguar Land Rover armed forces network, said he was "completely humble".

Mr Bailey added: "He kind of very quickly glossed over the stories and some of the horrors of the things he'd seen.

"He wasn't interested necessarily about talking about what he'd been through. He was more interested in talking about the men that he didn't come home with and those that had suffered the most."

He returned to Normandy five years ago with his wife at his side

Mr Price went back to Normandy with the Royal British Legion in 2019.

Speaking last year about his involvement in D-Day, he said: "I can still remember driving the tank on to the beach in Normandy and having to zig-zag to avoid mines and shells flying straight at us.

"I will never forget that day, scrambling for safety after our tank got hit. I had to push my commander up out of the hatch and suffered shrapnel wounds in the process.

"I hope as many D-Day veterans as possible sign up to attend the commemorations next year. I want the legacy of those I served with to be remembered."

He was a gunner with the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards on the day of the Normandy landings