Funeral to take place for World War Two veteran

A funeral is taking place for a 101-year-old navy veteran who sailed with King George VI to Malta during World War Two and took part in the D-Day landings.

Richard Wood, from Bedford, who died on 4 March, was 18 years old when he joined the Royal Navy in 1942, entering as a Stoker 2nd Class.

His son Alan said "even in his later years he remained immensely proud of his service".

Monday afternoon's funeral at St Swithun's Church in Sandy, Bedfordshire, will be "larger" than Alan had expected with "so many people wanting to pay their respects, which is the right and appropriate honour".

Richard was awarded the Legion d'Honneur, France's highest military honour.

Alan said his dad's coffin would be draped with a white naval ensign and have his medals displayed on a cushion.

Richard joined the Royal Navy in August 1942 as a signaller. After discovering he was colourblind, he transferred to the elite Marine Engineering Branch.

In June 1943, Richard sailed with George VI, on board HMS Aurora with a destroyer escort from Tripoli for the King's historic trip to Malta in recognition of the heavy bombing it had suffered at the hands of the Axis powers.

Alan said there was another incident in October 1943, that had a profound impact on his father.

He "witnessed the death of 47 of his closest friends and the wounding of 30 others" when HMS Aurora was struck with a 500kg German bomb while the crew were supporting British efforts around the Greek island of Leros in the Aegean sea.

The ship then withdrew to Taranto, in southern Italy, for repairs which were completed in April 1944.

"This is something that he could never process or was fully able to speak about. He would often shout and cry for help in his dreams," Alan said.

"He carried his history with great dignity, always honouring the memory of those he lost and who did not return."

On D-Day in June 1944, Richard was aboard HMS Jervis, supporting the Canadian landings at Juno beach after the Allies invaded northern France.

Alan remembers how his dad recalled "stories of noise, the fear and anxiety" but his attitude was just to get on with things.

Richard's active wartime naval service ended serving as a Stoker 1st Class on board HMS Deptford, which played a vital role in safeguarding Allied shipping routes.

He remained in the service until August 1946, contributing to the Navy's transition from wartime operations to peacetime responsibilities.

In September 2024, the St Neots branch of the Royal Naval Association, in Cambridgeshire, arranged a visit to Normandy for the D-Day 80th commemorations.

Richard returned to Courseulles-sur-Mer and was thanked by the mayor for liberating the town.

Ahead of the funeral, the mayor sent the family a condolence message, and the Juno Beach Centre has agreed to honour him with a plaque on its wall of remembrance.

Alan added that those who knew his father would describe him as "a strong, stubborn and a determined man, guided by a steadfast sense of what he felt was the right thing to do".

"He would always mutter at the television when the news was reporting on conflicts simply saying 'why have we never learned the lessons of war' - something that we can only reflect on and agree with," he said.

"He never sought to be hero - but in my eyes he was.

"His actions and that of his generation made the world a better place."

The funeral is at 14:00 BST.

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