A SECOND World War veteran who took part in the D-Day landings and the Dunkirk evacuation has passed away peacefully at home.

Derek Findley, aged 98, of Wimborne, joined the Royal Artillery in February 1939, and after the outbreak of war was part of the British Expeditionary Force sent to France.

He saw action in France and Belgium, before being evacuated from Dunkirk on HMS Codrington not long after his 20th birthday.

After promotion to First Lieutenant in the 9th Irish Field Battery, 7th Field Regiment, Derek became one of the thousands of soldiers, sailors and airmen who took part in the successful Normandy landings, the largest amphibious landing in history.

His LCT331 (Landing Craft Tank), a specially-adapted flat-bottomed landing craft designed to carry 105mm self-propelled guns mounted on a modified Sherman Tank chassis, was in the forefront of the first assault on Sword Beach.

Indeed, he commanded some of the first artillery ranging rounds to be fired on the Normandy beaches on that fateful June 6 morning.

Not long after he landed, his LCT was hit twice and sank.

Afterwards Derek was promoted to Captain, and, along with his unit, played a significant part in the liberation of France and Belgium.

Recalling his time at Dunkirk, in an interview with the Daily Echo two years ago, Derek said: “It was a really hard time as many of us had little sleep and almost nothing to eat for days.

“We found ourselves cut off from the main French army and in danger of becoming prisoners.

“But thanks to a great effort from the Royal Navy, those of us that were not killed or wounded were evacuated from the French port back to England.”

Four years later, Derek was heading back to the French beaches, as part of Operation Overlord.

“At 6.40am two of my guns were required to fire the first two ranging rounds,” he recalled in the same interview. “The directing officer ordered ‘fire’ and I gave the order to my two guns.

“Away went the shots. It wasn’t until later that day that I was told they were the first shots to be fired at the Normandy beaches.”

After the war Derek returned to England and married Joan Whitfield in Lincoln, in August 1945.

Following a brief honeymoon he rejoined his regiment to serve for another 18 months in Egypt, Palestine and Iraq.

He was eventually promoted to Major and was awarded the Territorial Decoration.

Decades later he would also be awarded one of France’s highest military honours, the Legion d’honneur, for his part in the liberation of France.

After leaving the British Army Derek trained in Lincoln as a land agent, later becoming a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and a Fellow of the Royal Forestry Society.

He went on to manage large rural estates in Shropshire, Cheshire, Surrey and Dorset, before retirement beckoned in 1985 and he moved to Wimborne.

Derek was an accomplished violinist, pianist and organist.

It was in his blood, as his father had been a professional violinist with the Halle Orchestra during the 1920s.

An ardent Francophile, Derek spoke fluent French and travelled throughout France from the 1950s until only a few years ago.

While living in Wimborne he became a keen member of Canford School Golf Club and the Wimborne Bridge Club.

He also loved to paint in watercolours, remaining active until well into his 90s.

Derek’s wife, Joan, died in 2002 aged 80.

He is survived by his two sons, four grandchildren and four great grandchildren.