TED Young, who has died aged 94, was a D-Day veteran who waded ashore through neck-high water to begin building landing strips for Spitfires.

Born Abraham Edward Young, he worked on a farm in Colchester, and tried to join the war effort at 15 by lying about his age.

He volunteered again when he was 17, claiming to be 19. After he said he could drive a tractor, he was assigned to the Royal Engineers.

On D-Day, he landed on Juno Beach with the 3rd Canadians, and helped build B4 Airfield at Beny-sur-Mer for Canadian Spitfires.

He told the Daily Echo in 2014: “I think we lost about 18 blokes out of our company, one way or another. Some trod on mines. Others were shot.

“The German aeroplanes used to come down and machine-gun the beaches.”

The first of Ted's friends to lose his life was John Queen, or 'Queenie', who was hit by a damaged Spitfire as it crash-landed. Ted would leave a cross of Poppies on his friend’s grave in Bayeux whenever he returned to France.

In the aftermath of D-Day, Ted helped liberate Belgium and Holland, where he stood on a German booby trap and spent several months in hospital. He eventually reached Hanover, where he spent 15 months before returning to the UK.

Ted left the Royal Engineers in December 1946 and continued to work with heavy machinery, spending many years with the construction company JL Kier.

He loved fishing and working with wood, spending many hours in his garage making furniture, wheelbarrows, garden seats and toys for his grandchildren.

After the death of his wife Irene in 1987, Ted moved to Parkstone to live with his eldest daughter, also called Irene, and her husband Paul. He became a great-great-grandfather last October.

He returned to Europe a number of times, including for the 70th anniversary commemorations attended by heads of state including President Obama.

He was awarded a series of honours including France’s decoration, the Legion d’Honneur, and a commemorative medal from Holland.

Ted had suffered with dementia for several years and died suddenly but peacefully on February 10.

Daughter Irene said: “He still had the infectious smile upon his face that everyone loved around the globe and will be missed by many.

“He was a great man, a true gent, an inspiration to all who knew him and as all Sappers have, an eye for the ladies. 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.”