Harry Billinge, a D-Day veteran, died at the age of 96 following a brief illness, according to the obituary published by his family. When he was 18 years old, the former Royal Engineer from St Austell, Cornwall, was one of the first British soldiers to land on Gold Beach in 1944.
He was a sapper of the 44 Royal Engineer Commandos and one of just four members of his unit to survive.
Later in Normandy, Mr Billinge fought at Caen and the Falaise pocket.
“He was a guy who always gave his word, and his word was firm,” his daughter Sally Billinge-Shandley told the PA news agency. He was never afraid to stand out for what he believed in.
Harry Billinge Obituary On Twitter
Talkinga bout Harry Billinge’s obituary, he was 96 years old and had been collecting money for the Poppy Appeal for upcoming Remembrance Sunday on his local high street in St Austell, Cornwall.
When he arrived on Gold Beach on June 6, 1944, the D-Day veteran, who has been raising money for military organizations for 68 years, was 18 years old.
He was a sapper, or military engineer, of the 44 Royal Engineer Commandos and was a member of the initial wave of soldiers.
He denies being a hero, but claims the “horrifying pictures” he saw lingered with him long after the war ended, inspiring him to raise thousands of dollars for a national memorial to those who perished in the battle.
He has raised at least £50,000 over the years for the construction of the British Normandy Memorial, which was dedicated last year.
Mr Billinge said it was his “final responsibility” to assist the homage in France, which lists the names of all 22,442 military personnel who perished under British command on D-Day and throughout the Battle of Normandy.
The soldier, who joined the army in 1939 after his father and brothers, feels it is critical to preserve the memory of those who died and to teach future generations about what happened.
Harry Billinge Death Cause Explored
From his family’s posts, Harry Billinge’s death cause is said to be illness. Since he is 96 years old, it is likely that he must have been suffering from various diseases.
However, Harry lived an honourable life and death as well.
One of the numerous ways Billinge pays tribute to his fallen friends is by placing a memorial wreath on a train at St Austell station this year, which was then transported across the UK to other wartime sites, as part of an effort organized by The Veterans Charity.
For the previous two weeks, veterans have been escorting wreaths on trains, ferries, and planes before sunrise.
We are profoundly grieved to learn of the death of beloved Harry Billinge MBE. We were privileged to have known Harry. We send our heartfelt condolences to his wife Sheila and family.