D Day Veteran Roy Hayward dies aged 99

Roy Hayward, one of the last surviving veterans from the D-Day Landings, has died peacefully, aged 99.

Roy, who was celebrated as a national hero at the 80th anniversary of the landings attended by Prince William earlier this year, was just 19 when he joined the Allied invasion.

He lost both his legs when the tank he was in took a direct hit as his unit pushed into Normandy from Gold Beach and Roy returned to his job working in a bank after rehabilitation from his injuries.

He received a standing ovation at the commemoration in Portsmouth in June this year and was personally thanked by members of the Royal Family and senior figures for his service and sacrifice but he said with characteristic modesty:

My wounds were a bit of bad luck and my thoughts are always with those who did not return home.

 

Roy joined Blesma, The Limbless Veterans, after the war and represented its Members’ interests as Isle of Wight branch treasurer when he retired from the bank.

“Roy was a remarkable person and he will be sadly missed by so many people,” said Vivienne Buck, chief executive of Blesma, which has championed the welfare of amputee veterans since the aftermath of WW1.

“He was typical of that generation in that he did not complain or dwell on what had happened. He just got on with life and even commuted from his home in Surrey, cycling to his local station on rudimentary prosthetics to catch a train into London every day.

“Roy’s first concern was always for others and he worked hard to represent Blesma Members during his time as a branch official. I know he took a lot of satisfaction in helping other amputees and veterans.

“We were delighted to have known Roy at Blesma and honoured to have had him as a Member of our charity.”

Roy, who was awarded France’s highest military honour, the Legion d’Honneur, rarely spoke about his part in D-Day but he joined the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry Tank Regiment as an 18-year-old as the Allies geared up for the invasion. His unit landed in the evening and were soon in the action and he was in a Sherman tank as they clashed with the 12th SS Panzer Division at Fontenay-le-Pesnel.

His tank was hit by a shell and immediately started to burn. He managed to push a fellow crew member out and, despite horrific injuries, get himself clear before it was engulfed in flames. Roy was rescued by medics and had his legs amputated at a nearby field hospital before being shipped back to Portsmouth for extensive treatment and rehabilitation in four different hospitals.

He joined Blesma and stated: “I got the feeling they were behind me and they were going to see I would get the pension and allowances I was entitled to that I might not have been able to do myself. I felt they were there on my side and always available, I didn’t need too much at first but it was good to know they were in your corner. It gave a feeling of confidence.”

Roy met his wife Barbara at the bank and they married in 1948 before later settling at Seaview, on the Isle of Wight.