Fred, the unassuming hero who dodged sniper fire on D-Day

A FORMER soldier who took part in the D-Day landings, has died of lung cancer, a month after being diagnosed with the disease.

Before his death, Fred Waldron recounted how he dodged Nazi sniper fire as he landed on Juno beach in June 1944 during the Second World War.

proud record: Tributes have been paid to war veteran Fred Waldron, who saw action on D-Day. Left, with his wife, Mavis, in 1948.
final battle: Fred Waldron and the landing on Juno beach on D-Day, 1944.

He also recalled how he had to walk around the bodies of Canadian soldiers who had arrived before the British Army and had been shot dead by the Germans.

The 86-year-old, of Littleover, who lived in Derby all his life, died at Royal Derby Hospital.

His daughter-in-law, Lita Waldron, said: "Fred was called up to the Army when he was 18 and served with the Royal Engineers.

"Because I am Canadian, he told me about walking around the bodies of the Canadian soldiers, but like many from his generation who served in the war, he didn't really talk about it in too much detail.

"I know he was involved in the demolition and rebuilding of bridges and after D-Day marched into Germany via northern France, Belgium and Holland."

Derby-born Mr Waldron, of Littleover Lane, met wife Mavis after the war and the pair were married at St Mark's Church in 1948.

They had one son, David, now 55, an engineer, who lives with wife Lita in Repton Avenue, Littleover.

His working life was spent at Greens, firstly in Charlotte Street, then Agard Street, where he was a loom tackler for more than 40 years.

Mrs Waldron, also 55, said: "Fred was a totally devoted man who loved Mavis.

"She died of cancer in 1998 and every year after he would take a big bunch of flowers to Markeaton Crematorium on the anniversary of the day she died.

"He was a nice easygoing man who would fall in with whatever you were doing.

"He did not judge people and was very tolerant and easy to get along with."

A huge lover of gardening, Mr Waldron kept allotments in the city for more than 40 years.

He started in Sunny Hill before tending a plot in Littleover, where he was a member of the allotment association.

Roy Morton, of Littleover, who knew Mr Waldron through his love of gardening, said: "He was such a quiet unassuming person that when he told me about his involvement in the D-Day landings I was quite taken aback.

"I remember him saying how the sky went black with all the planes going over."

A keen cyclist into his 80s, Mr Waldron was also a member of the Derby Cycling Club for a number of years.

Mr Waldron died on March 3. His funeral will take place on Wednesday at Markeaton Crematorium, at 2.40pm.