Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Farewell to D-day veteran who landed in France at 17
Brave Ted lied about age to join up
A D-DAY veteran who lied about his age so that he could fight for his country has had a hero’s send-off.
Ted Young, who died last month aged 94, claimed to be 19 when he joined the Royal Engineers but was only 17.
He landed at Juno beach in Normandy on June 6, 1944, to help clear German defences, then built landing strips in the area for Canadian Spitfires.
Ted fought in France, Belgium and Holland, where he was badly injured after stepping on a German booby trap.
Originally from Colchester, Essex, he worked for many years with construction firm JL Keir before moving to Poole, Dorset, after his wife Irene died in 1987.
Ted was honoured yesterday at his funeral in Bovington, Dorset. The piper-led procession was watched by 100 serving soldiers, veterans and representatives of the Royal Canadian Navy.
The service included readings by Ted’s daughter Irene Richards, a recital of the Royal Engineers Prayer, two minutes’ silence and the Last Post. Irene 67, said afterwards: “Dad was incredibly humble and would have been thinking, ‘What’s all the fuss about?’ if he could see himself getting a military funeral.
“His remains will be split, most will be scattered over his father’s grave in Colchester but I’ll be taking some to Normandy, which he would have liked.”