Raymond Whitwell, one of Britain's oldest WWII heroes, dies at 105 - tributes pour in

Tributes person been paid to Raymond Whitwell, 1 of Britain’s oldest Second World War heroes, who has died astatine 105.

Braveheart Ray was called up successful September 1939 and instantly sent to France with the British Expeditionary Force [BEF] earlier moving to Belgium, arsenic the German beforehand began, delivering substance to front-line units.

In May 1940 Ray, a operator successful The Royal Army Service Corps [RASC], was portion of the heroic rearguard astatine the fabled Dunkirk evacuation successful 1940, aboriginal immortalised successful the 2017 Hollywood epic starring Kenneth Branagh, Harry Styles and Mark Rylance.

But alternatively of fleeing the advancing Germans helium drove to Lille, from wherever helium caught a bid to Cherbourg, earlier hitching a assistance backmost to Britian aboard a Dutch sportfishing boat. It was the begining of an eventful war.

He and his portion converted to paratroops successful 1941, joining the 1st Airborne Division, and fought campaigns successful North Africa, Sicily and Italy.

Proud Yorkshireman Ray was besides astatine the Battle of Arnhem, fought astatine the vanguard of Operation Market Garden, arsenic the Allies were poised to participate Holland aft sweeping done France and Belgium successful the summertime of 1944, aft D-Day and the Battle of Normandy.

He flew from RAF Fairford successful Gloucestershire connected September 18, 1944 arsenic portion of the largest airborne battle successful history.

Ray recalled: “We flew implicit the North Sea and implicit onshore (Holland) and we were changeable astatine by anti-aircraft guns, but were not hit. After unloading we acceptable disconnected for Arnhem, but we lone got arsenic acold arsenic Oosterbeek by precocious afternoon, past we ate our 24-hour rations. And that was the extremity of our food. We did not person thing to devour for the adjacent 7 days.

“There were respective proviso drops, but each clip each the supplies were dropped successful German-held territory. After each proviso driblet we were told to spell by Jeep and retrieve immoderate of the supplies, but we ne'er got any, but it was precise exciting!.The relation of the RASC was to proviso the part with each it needed, but with nary supplies we could not bash that. We were past utilized arsenic infantry soldiers and fixed a presumption connected the Oosterbeek perimeter to defend, and halt the force erstwhile they attacked.

“We fought our ain small conflict successful the woods for 9 days, defending the perimeter. We had nary nutrient astatine that time, but portion we were drafting h2o from a good a sniper changeable astatine america and his bullets made holes successful the bucket. After that, getting h2o took a agelong time, and was precise dangerous, we could person been changeable dormant astatine immoderate moment”.

After being discharged from the Army, Ray went backmost to his occupation arsenic a effect merchant successful York and aboriginal settled successful Malton, North Yorkshire, opening his ain store arsenic good arsenic moving respective marketplace stalls until helium retired aged 90.

He was joined to Iris for much than 40-years and the mates had 3 children, Paul, Tim and Jill, 4 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.

Stalwart Ray returned to Dunkirk and Arnhem connected galore occasions with the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans wherever helium was feted arsenic a hero.

On 1 of those trips, erstwhile Ray was 103, the Gelderse Gliding Club took him up successful a glider to spot the country wherever helium landed each those years before.

Ray said astatine the time: “It was wonderful, I could spot for miles. I loved each infinitesimal and was precise gladsome that erstwhile we came down it was inactive 2022 and not 1944.”

London cabbie and Taxi Charity for Military Veterans unpaid Sebastian Philp, Ray’s regular driver, would thrust to Malton to prime Ray up and they became large friends.

Seb said: “What an honour it was to person Ray Whitwell arsenic a friend. He had a cheeky property and was precise friendly, witty, comic and shared astonishing stories of what helium had witnessed during his life. I volition truly miss him. What a large man. A existent hero.”

Ray’s girl Jill said: “He was peculiar to maine but they each were. We request to retrieve that it was mean radical similar him who did the bonzer for radical of this state astatine that time.

​"​H​e was humble and kind, a man successful the existent sense. He was arrogant to beryllium a veteran. He felt particularly loved and appreciated by the radical of Arnhem and the Netherlands.

“And, erstwhile you met him, helium had that twinkle successful his oculus and a beauteous smile. He was conscionable a bully antheral and, of course, a hero.”