A Second World War veteran who served in the Arctic Convoys and played a role in D-Day has died aged 100.
Dougie Shelley, who joined the Royal Navy aged 17, received more than 16,000 cards for his 100th birthday in September last year following an appeal.
He celebrated his milestone birthday at a tea party at his local Royal Naval Association branch in Southend, Essex.
The Royal Naval Association said in a social media post on Friday: “We are incredibly sad to hear that Dougie Shelley has crossed the bar.
“Fairwinds and following seas shipmate.”
Mr Shelley died on March 21.
He was a seaman gunner on the destroyer HMS Milne on D-Day, guarding the beaches in Normandy for the troops going ashore.
Mr Shelley was given the news on his 100th birthday that he would receive France’s highest honour, the Legion d’Honneur.
His carer Paul Bennett said at the time that Mr Shelley was “over the moon”.
Cards for Mr Shelley’s 100th birthday came from as far afield as Australia, as well as from the King and Downing Street.
