WELL-wishers are rallying round in a bid to give a D-Day veteran the funeral his heroism deserves.

Ted Young, who has died aged 94, waded ashore under heavy fire on June 6, 1944, and worked to build airfields for Allied aircraft.

He joined the Royal Engineers at 17, but had tried to sign up two years earlier by lying about his age.

The Royal Engineers Association has arranged for serving troops from Bovington to carry Ted’s coffin.

But supporters are aiming to raise £1,000 to help his family cover the cost of the funeral, and have so far raised £400.

Bob Perry, welfare officer with the Royal Engineers Association, said: “We could use this opportunity of giving this guy the best send-off he could get.

“He went ashore on D-Day and we shouldn’t forget the sacrifices that these guys made.”

Ted, who had dementia in recent years, lived in Upper Parkstone with daughter Irene Richards and son-in-law Paul.

He had returned several times to the countries he helped liberate, and had been in France for the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

In 2015, he received France’s highest honour the Legion d’Honneur from the French honorary consul.

Daughter Irene said Ted died suddenly but peacefully on February 10.

“He still had the infectious smile upon his face that everyone loved around the globe and will be missed by many,” she said.

“He loved his family very much and he was a much loved father and grandfather and had great joy when surrounded by children wanting his autograph and picture in France every year.”

Raised on a farm in Colchester, Ted joined the army at his second attempt – claiming he was 19 when still 17.

After saying he could drive a tractor, he was assigned to the Royal Engineers.

In 2015, he told the Daily Echo about the voyage across the Channel on D-Day.

“It looked as if you could just walk from one boat to another, right back to England. It was just a mass of metal. You could hardly see the water at all,” he said.

He landed on Juno Beach with the 3rd Canadians, and helped build B4 Airfield at Beny-sur-Mer for Canadian Spitfires to land on.

A close friend, John Queen, was killed by a crash-landing Spitfire during the work on the airfield. Ted left a cross of poppies on his grave every time he returned to northern France.

Funds are being raised for the funeral online at tedyoung.muchloved.com and any money above the £1,000 target will go to charity.