Haverhill D-Day veteran who survived gunfire dies aged 100

Bill Gladden was aged just 20 when he was shot in France

A "one-in-a-million" D-Day veteran who flew into Normandy on a military glider and survived being shot by machine gun fire from a tank has died aged 100.

Bill Gladden, from Haverhill, Suffolk, was serving with the 6th Airborne Reconnaissance Regiment in 1944.

He was shot in the leg by the Germans 12 days after landing in France and spent the next three years in hospital back in the UK.

Mr Gladden died at home earlier on Wednesday.

The then 20-year-old had been with his unit near the French village of Ranville, close to the strategically important Pegasus Bridge which it was tasked with protecting.

On 17 June 1944 he carried two wounded soldiers into a barn being used as a medical post, before being carried into the same barn two days later when he was shot while brewing tea.

His family threw him a surprise party to celebrate his 100th birthday on 13 January.

Mr Gladden was surprised with a party for his 100th birthday in January

He was a regular on trips to Normandy and the Netherlands, as well as to events in the UK, with the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans.

Dick Goodwin, honorary secretary of the charity, said: "Bill was one-in-a-million who was adored by everyone he met.

"He had a wonderful, gentle voice and loved nothing more than singing some of his favourite wartime songs.

"Earlier this year we had the joy of celebrating his 100th birthday in Haverhill - and testament to the man he was, the hall was packed with all those who knew and loved him.

"Stand easy sir, your duty is done."

Mr Gladden, who grew up in Woolwich, south-east London, had volunteered for airborne duties and flew into Normandy from the former RAF Tarrant Rushton in Dorset.

He is survived by his daughter Linda Durrant and her husband Kenny, and his niece Kaye Thorpe and her husband Alan, who cared for him in his later years.

At his party in January, Mrs Thorpe said her uncle was still "bright as a button" and had been hoping to return to Normandy for the 80th anniversary of D-Day in June.

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