D-Day veteran who escorted allied troops in Normandy landing dies aged 101

Francis “Jim” Grant, from Stowmarket in Suffolk, manned one of two anti-aircraft guns fitted to his Landing Craft Flak on June 6 1944, providing covering fire for the troops landing on Sword Beach in Normandy.

The Stowmarket Royal Naval Association Branch, of which Mr Grant had been president, announced on social media on Friday that the veteran died after a short illness.

Mr Grant joined the Royal Marines aged just 18 in 1943 and served until 1946, patrolling beaches and escorting allied troops around Sword, Gold and Juno beaches on D-Day and taking part in the Battle of the Scheldt later in 1944.

The veteran, who celebrated his 101st birthday on December 20 2025, attended the Remembrance Sunday service in central London in November.

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He was also pictured at the annual D-Day ceremony of remembrance in France in June.

In a Facebook post on Friday, his branch said: “It is with sadness that we have been informed that shipmate Jim Grant, our branch president, crossed the bar yesterday after a short illness at the age of 101.

“Jim served with the Royal Marines during the Second World War, taking part in both the D-Day landings in 1944 and then the vital Battle of the Scheldt, which opened the port of Antwerp.

“A holder of France’s highest national order of merit, the Legion d’honneur, we were honoured to have Jim as a shipmate.

“Rest easy shipmate, your watch is complete.”

For his 100th birthday, the local community group Mr Grant attended weekly at United Reformed Church in Stowmarket organised a surprise party for him, which was attended by family and friends, representatives from the Royal Navy and a representative of the King.