Donald Turrell, the 17-year-old who forged a letter to fight at Normandy, dies aged 101

Donald Turrell, who falsified his age and forged a parental consent letter to join the Army at 17, passed away on Friday at his home in Frinton with his family at his bedside. He came ashore at Sword Beach in June 1944 with the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), taking part in heavy fighting against German forces in the immediate aftermath of D-Day. The Taxi Charity for Military Veterans said he was "incredibly special" and would be remembered with "enormous affection and gratitude."

Turrell told them he was 18, writing his own parental consent letter — 'I was happy,' he recalled last year.

A lifelong ambition to serve in uniform drove him to enlist, and, like 'all the young lads', he felt a duty to stand up for his country.

Born in London in 1925, he was stationed at Bury St Edmunds, Newquay, Newcastle and Fort William before crossing to France.