Tributes to D-Day Normandy landings veteran Bill Anderson

Tank driver Bill Anderson first saw action on June 6, 1944 – the day of the Normandy Landings.

It was a baptism of fire as he prepared to follow a half-track down the landing craft’s ramp on to Sword beach in his Sherman M3 tank.

Son Richard, from Southminster, said: “They were at full throttle. The ramp went down and a half-track went off first and disappeared.

“Dad saw an arm come out of a window, but it sank and that was it.

“Someone stepped in front of the visor and signalled Bill to stop and the ramp came up again.

“The next thing he knew the ramp had opened again and he was on Juno beach with the Canadians.”

The three tanks in his Troop provided anti-aircraft fire for nearly three days while they waited for the roads to be cleared of mines so they could rejoin their regiment.

Bill had an eventful war as the Allies fought their way through Europe.

Richard said: “He fought his way through Belgium and France in support of the 51st Highland Regiment.

“He was the first tank across Pegasus Bridge.

• Bill's was the first tank to cross Pegasus Bridge

“His tank was unlucky number 13 but was the only one in his Squadron that wasn’t destroyed.

“When the Germans broke through at the Battle of the Bulge, it was his regiment that went to the rescue.

“He fought in the forests of the Ardennes and his regiment went to Holland and helped to clear the enemy resistance.

“His experience meant he was also an excellent mechanic and he received a citation for ensuring his tank was not once found to be not battle-worthy.

“They ended up on the River Rhine where the tanks were taken away and they were trained to drive Buffalo floating troop carriers.

“After about three weeks of training he was in the first wave to cross the Rhine into Germany and successfully made three crossings.

“He finally finished up driving Britain’s new Comet tanks at Lüneburg Heath to show them off to the watching Russians before coming home in 1946.”

Bill was born in Waltham Cross.

His first driving job was as a 16-year-old, delivering fruit and vegetables in Enfield.

Bill first met future wife Jenny when they were 14 and she worked near where he lived.

Richard said: “He was one of 12 children so they did anything they could to supplement their income.

“Boxing had been in the family a long time and Dad took it up because the prizes at Waltham Town Hall were often joints of meat.

“He got two free tickets to a dance and went along with a friend and that’s where he met my mother again. They were 17.

“When the regiment later found out that Dad had boxed, they offered to cut his guard duties if he boxed for his Troop. He was so good they asked him to box for the Regiment, even when they were in combat zones.”

William and Jenny married on June 30, 1945, shortly before the war ended.

After the war he got a job as a truck driver, delivering pig food to farms all over the south of England.

He then started delivering aggregates from Hertfordshire to London and also worked as a coach driver.

He was hailed a hero by a coroner for courageously trying to save a boy from drowning in a fast flowing river.

Bill managed to pull him from the water, but sadly the boy died.

Richard said: “That pretty much summed him up.

“He never let us or anyone around him down.

“He was always there with a practical solution or a way forward.”

• Bill and Jenny on their wedding day ib 1945

Bill and Jenny moved to Althorne to be nearer to their family about 12 years ago.

Bill attended the 75th anniversary of D-Day at Burham war memorial in 2019.

Richard said: “He thought he was just going there to remember his mates, but there was a queue of people wanting to shake his hand.”

Speaking at the time, Bill said: “I never imagined so many people would want to shake my hand, thank me for what I did and wish me well.

“I was amazed and humbled by it all, especially as I only did what I was trained to do.”

Bill died on January 30, aged 98, after contracting Covid.

A private funeral service is due to take place in Chelmsford on April 12.