No regrets as commando veteran Roy turns 100
ROY Maxwell wanted to be in the Army from when he was a young boy, so it was a dream come true when he joined the Royal Welsh Fusiliers aged 17 and then moved two years later to No. 4 Commando.
The Second World War veteran turned 100 years old last month and has now reflected on his life, with “no regrets”. Roy has lived in Bristol for 70 years and currently resides in Staple Hill, living independently.
He enjoys a cup of tea every morning and likes watching comedians such as the Two Ronnies and Tommy Cooper, plus football and snooker. He enjoys time with family and friends and occasionally goes with a neighbour to a nearby golf driving range.
He thinks keeping fit while in the Army contributed to his good health. He has continued to stay active, and kept a large garden in immaculate condition until he was 82.
His daughter Jane said her father rarely drank and gave up smoking 70 years ago, as soon as the health warning was put on cigarette packets. She said: “Everyone loves him, he’s always charming and polite. He’s reserved, but always willing to help people.
“I recall as a child that he would always be doing something to help somebody. As a teenager it was always my Dad that picked my friends and I up from clubs. Even when I was an adult he was the first person to offer to pick friends and in-laws up from Heathrow who had travelled from Iran.”
Roy was born in Rhyl, North Wales on February 22, 1922 and brought up on his grandfather’s farm. He spent six years in the Army.
In June 1944, as part of the 1st Special Service Brigade, No. 4 Commando landed on Sword Beach, Saint-Aubinsur-Mer, 30 minutes before the rest of the brigade. Their first objectives were to capture a strongpoint and gun battery in Ouistreham.
As part of HQ Troop, Roy came in at 07:30 hours by landing craft, shortly after zero hour. As he and his comrades advanced up the beach under heavy enemy fire, the attachment of French commandos under Phillippe Kieffer peeled off to assault the German strongpoint on the beachfront.
On D-Day, Lord Lovat, the commander of No.4, brought his personal piper, Bill Millin, to pipe the men ashore. Roy and Bill remained friends after the war, when Roy would often visit Bill after he moved to a care home.
Today, there is a statue of Bill above Sword beach and attached to each lamppost lining the promenade is a banner that displays a picture of a D-Day veteran, along with his name and regiment. Roy’s and Bill’s stand next to each other.
Roy left the Army aged 23 when No. 4 Commando was disbanded and after the war had a series of jobs working with his brother-in-law in construction, a garage, a department store and a builders’ merchants. When the builders’ merchants was sold to Jewson’s, Roy stayed with them until he retired.
His wife Tegwedd’s ill health meant they were unable to travel together but Roy enjoyed many holidays with his cousin in Spain and when he was 87 had his first trip to Australia, travelling on his own to see an Army buddy. The Taxi Charity for Military Veterans organised the trip and Roy said he was thankful to the charity for the travel opportunities he had had with it.
Roy enjoyed a surprise party for his 100th birthday, organised by his family.
Asked if he had any regrets in life he answered: “No, no regrets. I’m very happy about that.”