D-Day veteran Dr Norman Rose has died aged 98.

Dr Rose, of Limetree Close in Brecon, passed away on February 21.

He stormed the beaches of northern France in June 1944, when he was one of the youngest lieutenants in the Royal Marines on D-Day.

On D-Day, he landed as an 18-year-old east of Port en Bessin, at Sword Beach, at midday and had to trek six miles inland to attack the port - defended by 4,000 Nazis - eventually taking it the following day.

Speaking to the Brecon & Radnor Express in 2016, he said: “When I landed at D-Day we had to reach Port en Bessin to take it from the rear and went for 12 miles almost entirely on the stomach, if you stood up you were dead. I also went from Sicily to Rome on my stomach.”

The war ended for him on November 1, 1944 on the Dutch island of Walcheren when he badly injured his leg - which scarred his right knee.

In 2016, he was presented with France’s highest honour - the Legion d’honneur.

“It is a privilege and an honour to receive it, it’s a lovely medal - far and away the best medal I’ve got,” he said in 2016.

Dr Rose returned to France every year to remember those who fell, including 250 of the 420 men in his Commando.

The veteran subsequently had a distinguished career as a nuclear physicist and also achieved a doctorate for his thesis on Joseph Priestley.

He leaves behind his widow Daphne Rose, daughter Sarah Oliver, son Dorian Rose and two grandchildren.

His funeral will take place at 12 midday on Monday, March 11 at St Mary’s Church in Brecon.

No flowers please, but donations are invited to the Normandy Memorial Trust: www.britishnormandymemorial.org/donate/