D-Day hero who was one of the first men on the ground in the battle to liberate Europe dies aged 102
- John Bellis was one of the first to land on Sword Beach, Normandy during D-Day
- War veteran was awarded one of France’s highest medals of honour in 2016
- During D-Day landings was a Bren Gun Carrier driver with Royal Welsh Fusiliers
- The great-grandfather from Southsea, Wrexham in Wales died on Sunday
A war hero who was one of the first to land on the beaches of Normandy during D-Day has died aged 102.
John Bellis from Southsea, Wrexham in North Wales died on Sunday after spending a day surrounded by his family.
The great-grandfather, who was known as Jack, was one of the first to land on Sword Beach – one of the five beaches targeted for D-Day in June 1944.
Mr Bellis served as a Bren Gun Carrier driver with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers during the landings.
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John Bellis from Southsea, Wrexham in North Wales has died aged 102. The great-grandfather was awarded the rank of Chevalier in the Ordre National de la Legion d’honneur in 2016 for his bravery
A youthful Jack Bellis aged 22 poses in his uniform (left) and again with his medals aged 102 (right) The former soldier was one of the first to land on Sword Beach during D-Day
The great-grandfather served with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry and the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry from March 1940 to April 1946
Mr Bellis was awarded one of France’s highest medals of honour, the Chevalier in the Ordre National de la Legion d’honneur in 2016, reported the Daily Post Wales.
His daughter Sandra Davies shared the sad news on Facebook and called his death ‘the end of an era.’
She wrote: ‘Sad day today, our dad passed away at a great age of 102. He had a great life. An end of a era.
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‘We had a lovely day with him at the summer fair at Broughton Hall, he sat outside with Me, Roy, Lucy, Betty and Billie, then he wanted to go to bed.
‘He will be missed by all who new him.’
His great-grandson Chris Roberts also shared a tribute to the much loved family hero.
Family members have paid tribute to the great-grandfather calling him an ‘absolute legend.’ After the war Mr Bellis worked as a foreman at Brymbo Steelworks near Wrexham in Wales
Great-grandson Chris Roberts posted this picture of Mr Bellis on a motorbike in a tribute on Facebook. He called his great-grandfather an ‘absolute legend’
He said: ‘RIP Great grandad Bellis. 102 years old. World war 2 veteran.
‘May you rest in peace. In my eyes you Sir are an absolute legend. Surely will be missed. Goodnight and god bless x’
During World War II Mr Bellis served with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry and the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry from March 1940 to April 1946.
Tributes to Mr Bellis have been posted on Facebook and Twitter. The 102-year-old veteran helped to raise money for the Poppy Appeal and was well known around his town in North Wales
Mr Bellis was a Bren Gun Carrier driver with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers during the D-Day landings (File picture)
Speaking in 2016 about his time in the war Mr Bellis talked about coming under fire while trying to get to Caen, about nine miles from Sword Beach.
He told Daily Post Wales: ‘I started off and we didn’t go far, but then the next day we had it.
‘We started off and there were shells all going off. We saw these big haystacks which we had to dive into for cover.’
Proud Mr Roberts also posted a picture of great-grandfather Jack Bellis meeting the Queen
He also told how he was involved in fighting around strategically important Pegasus Bridge and said he felt ‘terribly lucky’ to have survived the war.
After the War Mr Bellis worked as a foreman at Brymbo Steelworks near Wrexham. He retired from the post in the 1970s.
Alongside his wife Gladys, who died in 2013, he also ran a materials stall at Powis Hall Indoor Market in Oswestry for many years, reports Leader Live.
D-Day: How Operation Overlord turned the tide of war in Europe
Operation Overlord saw some 156,000 Allied troops landing in Normandy.
It is thought as many as 4,400 were killed in an operation Winston Churchill described as ‘undoubtedly the most complicated and difficult that has ever taken place’.
The assault was conducted in two phases: an airborne landing of 24,000 British, American, Canadian and Free French airborne troops shortly after midnight, and an amphibious landing of Allied infantry and armoured divisions on the coast of France commencing at 6.30am.
The operation was the largest amphibious invasion in world history, with over 160,000 troops landing. Some 195,700 Allied naval and merchant navy personnel in over 5,000 ships were involved.
The operation was the largest amphibious invasion in world history, with over 160,000 troops landing. Some 195,700 Allied naval and merchant navy personnel in over 5,000 ships were involved.
The landings took place along a 50-mile stretch of the Normandy coast divided into five sectors: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword.
The assault was chaotic with boats arriving at the wrong point and others getting into difficulties in the water.
Troops managed only to gain a small foothold on the beach – but they built on their initial breakthrough in the coming days and a harbour was opened at Omaha.
They met strong resistance from the German forces who were stationed at strongpoints along the coastline.
Approximately 10,000 allies were injured or killed, inlcuding 6,603 American, of which 2,499 were fatal.
Between 4,000 and 9,000 German troops were killed – and it proved the pivotal moment of the war, in the allied forces’ favour.
The first wave of troops from the US Army takes cover under the fire of Nazi guns
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