Harry Billinge: Cornwall D-Day veteran dies aged 96

The former Royal Engineer was 18 when he stormed the beaches during the Normandy landings in 1944

D-Day veteran Horace "Harry" Billinge has died aged 96 following a short illness, his family has confirmed.

Mr Billinge, from St Austell, Cornwall, was 18 when he was a sapper attached to the 44 Royal Engineer Commandos ahead of the Normandy landings.

He was one of only four of his unit to survive the storming of Gold Beach on 6 June 1944.

The veteran spent more than 60 years collecting for the Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal.

His daughter Sally Billinge-Shandley said: "The passion he had for all the veterans that lost their lives was unwavering.

"He dedicated his life to making sure that was never forgotten, that's how he'll be remembered."

Mr Billinge's daughters, Margot Billinge and Sally Billinge-Shandley, have paid tribute to their father

Mr Billinge was appointed an MBE in 2020 after raising funds to build a national memorial honouring his fallen comrades.

He dedicated it to the 22,442 service personnel killed on D-Day and during the Battle for Normandy.

A tribute from The British Normandy Trust, posted on social media, said: "The trust sends its deepest condolences to Harry's wife Sheila, and to all his family and friends. Harry raised more than £50,000 for the memorial."

In 2019 Mr Billinge said on BBC Breakfast: "I'm no hero, I was lucky, I'm here. All the heroes are dead and I'll never forget them."

Mr Billinge was appointed an MBE for services to charitable fundraising

Prior to his death, he made annual pilgrimages to the cemeteries of Normandy.

"The memorial for the Normandy veterans just became part of him, it was just a huge part of his life," Mrs Billinge-Shandley said.

D-Day was the start of Operation Overlord, the largest seaborne invasion in history, as about 160,000 troops from Britain, the US, Canada, France and other Allied nations landed in Normandy.

It marked the beginning of the liberation of France from the Nazis and paved the way for victory on the Western Front in World War Two.

Mr Billinge later fought in Caen and the Falaise pocket in Normandy.

Mr Billinge was a sapper attached to the 44 Royal Engineer Commandos

Steve Double, MP for St Austell and Newquay said: "Harry was a hero, plain and simple.

"Thank you Harry, for your service. My thoughts are with your family and all those whose lives you touched."

Mr Billinge grew up in Petts Wood in Kent but had been in Cornwall for 70 years after being advised to leave London for a better quality of life.

After moving to Cornwall, Mr Billinge set up shop as a barber and became president of the local clubs for the Royal British Legion and Royal Engineers.

A spokesperson for the Royal British Legion said: "Everyone at the Royal British Legion is incredibly saddened to hear of the passing of Harry Billinge.

"He epitomised the spirit of our wartime generation and his dedication supporting veterans causes, including the Poppy Appeal, was nothing short of remarkable."

Harry Billinge at a ceremony at Penzance Station in Cornwall where a train was named in his honour

In 2020, Great Western Railway (GWR) dedicated six trains to "remarkable individuals" involved in World War Two - Mr Billinge was one of them.

He said he was "deeply moved".

In a social media post, GWR said: "We were so sad to hear about the passing of our dear friend, Harry Billinge MBE.

"It was our absolute honour to name one of our trains after him in October 2020 and we will never forget the impact he had on so many."

Mr Billinge is survived by his wife Shelia, two daughters Sally and Margot, his son Christopher and granddaughters Amy and Claire.

Mr and Mrs Billinge were married for 67 years and were due to celebrate their 68th wedding anniversary in August.

Mrs Billinge-Shandley said: "Some of his last words were, 'love one another'."