PRIME Minister Boris Johnson has led tributes to a Laindon war hero who celebrates his 100th birthday today.

Mr Johnson sent a message to Don Sheppard congratulating him on his huge milestone and thanking him for his service.

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Birthday - Don Sheppard, who turns 100 today, with his granddaughter Daisy

Don, of Methersgate, Laindon, was called up for service in the Second World War at the age of 20 and survived the D-Day Landings in Normandy on June 6, 1944.

Since then he has had a hugely successful career in the Armed Forces and was the chairman of the Normandy Veterans’ Association in Southend for more than 20 years.

Mr Johnson wrote and signed a letter to the 100-year-old veteran that was due to be given to him at his birthday celebrations.

However, due to the coronavirus pandemic restrictions the event at Saxon Hall, Southend, had to be cancelled.

The Prime Minister’s letter said: “Dear Don, I am writing to send you my heartfelt congratulations on the marvellous occasion of your 100th birthday.

“I understand you have a distinguished wartime record not only serving in North Africa and Sicily, but as one of our brave D-Day veterans, who as part of Allied Forces helped to gain such an important victory during the Second World War.

“Thank you for your service to this country then and for all the voluntary work you have done in the Basildon area in later life.

“I hope you enjoy a jolly good knees-up as befits an old soldier still going strong.

“I send you my very best birthday wishes.

“Yours sincerely, Boris Johnson.”

The letter was arranged by South Basildon and East Thurrock MP Stephen Metcalfe, who has also paid tribute to Mr Sheppard in a heartfelt message.

Don was born in Laindon on May 4, 1920. He lives with Sandra. his wife of more than 50 years and has three children, six grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

Jacqui Scott, Don’s eldest daughter, said he has never thought of himself as an elderly man and has been fighting to stay active to this day.

Jacqui, 73, said: “He had a very serious bout of pneumonia just before Christmas, it was very, very scary, but he came through that and has gone back to living at home.

“He has such determination and resolve to not just be an old person. He is home for the lockdown now, but he hadn’t been going out as much because he had been very poorly.

“During the week, he will cook more than Sandra. He’s got his own computer and is able to send emails, we Facetime every day.

“When he was in hospital, I said to him I need you to think about a stairlift, and he got quite sad, and said ‘I am not getting a stairlift because I need to keep my knees moving’, but realised in the end he had to.

“Even up to two months ago he was resisting the call to become an old person.

“He always looked after the veterans without thinking himself as one. He would go around to see if they were OK, even if they were younger than him. He is quite remarkable really.

“He has been to Normandy once again, we went last August, but with all this going on at the moment, I don’t know if we will go again.”

Jacqui said Don is very close to his children and grandchildren.

Originally, there was set to be a huge birthday party with 140 friends and family today at Saxon Hall in Southend. However due to the coronavirus pandemic this has had to be cancelled.

Jacqui said: “The older he has got, the more central to the family he has become. We just expect him to always be there.

“My dad is quite revered which is quite unusual.

“People tend to have a small group of people around them when they get older, but it’s just got bigger and bigger.

“He has a really great relationship with so many businesses, that’s what makes him.

“The blessing is he always has had a sharp mind. We are all so pleased he has got to this stage; his personality makes him so special.

“As a family we would like to say how extraordinarily proud we are of Don.

“He is funny and quick-witted, if a little deaf.

“He always remembers to ask after each one of us and keeps track of school, college, university and work. He is quite simply the very heart of our family and we love him.”

Dick Goodwin, Vice President of The Taxi Charity for Military Veterans, said: “Don is a very popular member of the charity family and it is a real pleasure to spend time with this gregarious gentleman at the Taxi Charity’s annual summer visit to Worthing which he  regularly attends.

"The Taxi Charity committee, volunteer cabbies and veterans would like to wish Don a very happy birthday and we look forward to celebrating with him when the COVD-19 restrictions are lifted.”

From barber shop to D-Day hero

DON Sheppard’s military career has taken him from hairdresser to charity chairman.

He left school at 14 and began a building job, before developing his skills to work as a handyman.

Right up until his conscription to the Army, Don worked as a hairdresser in a barber shop, as he was the main breadwinner for the family at the time.

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He joined the Royal Engineers in 1940 and trained at the Colchester Barracks before being deployed.

He ended up first being posted to the 107 Field Company Royal Engineers in North Africa.

Following this, his company joined the 51st Highland Division for landings in Sicily, Italy, to fight the Axis Forces based there.

Following successes in Italy, his company was returned to the UK in 1944 to take part in the D-Day Landings, the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord.

Don’s efforts helped the Allied Forces liberate France, Belgium and Holland.

He also was one of the soldiers who liberated the Bergen-Belsen Nazi concentration camp in 1945.

It is estimated around 50,000 people were killed in the camp during the war, and a further 35,000 perished in the first months of 1945 before and after rescue.

Don has since served as chairman of the Normandy Veterans’ Association in Southend for 20 years. In September 2019, he was honoured as Basildon’s fourth freeman of the borough on Armed Forces Day