Victor Chanter: D-Day veteran who died aged 101 to be laid to rest

Victor Chanter served on a number of ships and saw tough battles in the Mediterranean

A veteran of World War Two, who served at both Dunkirk and D-Day, will be laid to rest later.

Victor Chanter, who died on 6 June aged 101, was born in Barnsley and became a signaller in the Royal Navy.

He also braved enemy bombers in the Mediterranean but his family said this was only part of his story.

His daughter Jacqui Mathers said the war prevented a potential career in showbusiness: "He was a bit of a singer and entertainer, he loved his music."

Mr Chanter, pictured with David Dimbleby, took part in a number of veterans' events and started an association for old crewmates

Mr Chanter was raised by his mother and won a scholarship to a grammar school after the family moved to Leicestershire.

He had to leave school to go and work when his mother died but his singing talent earned him an audition with the BBC.

Unfortunately, the war intervened.

Ms Mathers said: "He had real talent, everyone said so and if he had had the breaks, he might have been a professional singer.

"But he joined the navy and served in so many places on several ships.

"He never really spoke about it until the big anniversaries started coming around but he helped set up a veterans' group for one of the ships, HMS Phoebe."

Mr Chanter was married to Marjorie for 66 years

Mr Chanter helped get the troops off the beaches during the evacuation of Dunkirk in 1940.

He also took part in another major operation, getting troops off the island of Crete in 1941, where the Royal Navy lost nine ships.

When the Allies returned to France on D-Day in June 1944, Mr Chanter's ship was off Gold Beach, helping land the invasion troops.

After the war he married his sweetheart Marjorie, to whom he was married for 66 years and had four daughters.

Mr Chanter never lost his love of singing and entertaining

He even managed a TV appearance in the Channel 4 reality show Old People's Home for 4 Year Olds.

But his love of singing never left him even after moving to a retirement home in Clifton, Nottinghamshire.

Ms Mather said: "He loved to entertain. Even at Christmas he gave a song or two.

"When singer Alfie Boe visited, he heard about dad and they sang together.

"He was a lovely family man. He was a bit of a singer and entertainer, he loved his music."

The funeral is being held at Wilford Hill Crematorium and representatives from the HMS Phoebe Association and the Royal Naval Communication Service are due to attend.