D-Day veteran Hector Duff dies aged 101 on Isle of Man

One of the last remaining D-Day veterans has died aged 101.

Hector Duff, who lived on the Isle of Man, served with both the 7th Armoured Division in North Africa, and the Royal Tank Regiment - part of the 50th British Division which landed on Gold beach in Normandy in 1944.

He was awarded the Military Medal for Bravery for his service, the Legion D'honneur, the British Empire Medal and the highest Manx honour, the Tynwald Honour, for fighing in North Africa, Italy, France and Germany.

Hector, who lived in Onchan, was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2013 for his work with schools on the island highlighting the war's legacy.

In March, aged 100, he was awarded an OBE - making him the oldest recipient in the 2020 New Year's Honours list - celebrating his continuous work to inform others about the Second World War.

Hector received his OBE in March in a special ceremony held before lockown.

Hector was born in Sulby in 1919, and worked on the Island's railways before being called to fight in the Second World War.

During the second Battle of El-Alamein, which took place in Egypt in November 1942, Hector drove his vehicle in front of enemy fire, shielding others, when a brigadier came under heavy attack while checking to see how far the German army had advanced.

Hector was just 19 when he was called up for the D-Day invasions. He spoke many times about the famous invasion - his memories were crystal clear.

Hector Duff as a young soldier.

Men like Hector were left with coming to terms with the reality of taking the life of a fellow human being.

He said: "You don't think of them as being a person, you think of them as a target really. If you don't do something quick, he'll do it quicker and you'll be the dead person, not him."

Over the years, Hector returned to Normandy to remember his friends who never came home, and said his one wish is that the turning points in the Second World War will never be forgotten.

Speaking in 2019, he said: "I still see those men, and when I do anything, any marching - when I used to march - I do it for their sake."

Hector frequently spoke of his memories at schools and events to teach others about what happened during World War Two.

After leaving service, he retrained as a police officer, before, during his retirement, dedicating his life to those who lost theirs in war.

His dedication, and service, was recognised by the Queen, when he received an OBE in March 2020.

Hector celebrated his 101st birthday in October, where he was given a special surprise from a WWII 'Dingo' armoured car - a car he used to drive in the North African desert from 1941 to 1943.