On Saturday, John Tyler, a 100-year-old veteran of D-Day, celebrated his milestone birthday with his family, which included two children, nine grandchildren, and fifteen great-grandchildren. He told BBC Radio Devon that he does not feel his age at his home in Northam, Devon, where he lives independently.
During World War II, Mr. Tyler served in the Royal Navy and was part of a smaller boat that escorted larger boats to Omaha beach on D-Day. He recalled that the landings were “terrifying” and that he remembered “people being killed” and “bodies floating in the water.”
Mr. Tyler, along with other North Devon and Torridge D-Day veterans, was awarded the Legion d’honneur by the French Consulate in 2017 for his contribution to the liberation of France. He stated that marrying his late wife, who passed away almost ten years ago, was the best decision he ever made in his long life. The couple met on a blind date and were married for almost seven decades.
On Saturday, John Tyler’s family celebrated his 100th birthday with him at the Pier House in Westward Ho! Mr. Tyler is thankful to have lived such a long life despite the fact that none of his closest comrades were killed during the war.
