A D-Day veteran from Chadderton has passed away at the age of 98, the Royal British Legion (RBL) has said.

Ken Tanner was a Sergeant in the 34th Armoured Support Regiment, serving as a tank gunnery assistant providing armoured support to the Canadian 3rd Division.

The Royal Marine was among the first of the artillery troops who landed at Vers-Sur-Mer, codenamed Juno Beach, early in the morning of June 6, 1944, before heading for the front line.

Ken passed away on September 20 after a short spell in hospital.

Speaking to the RBL in 2019 about his experiences on D-Day, he said: "We were at sea for more than 14 hours, it was a horrendous crossing.

"We eventually landed on the beach and the first thing I saw was four or five Canadians lying dead on the shoreline, with the tide lapping over their faces, and there was nothing we could do about it."

He was awarded many medals in recognition of his service, including the Legion d’Honneur, the highest French military honour.

The invasion, codenamed Operation Overlord, was launched when allied forces began bombarding German defences. 160,000 troops landed on the beaches of Normandy under heavy fire after travelling on thousands of vessels across the Channel.

Ken was among the troops who arrived shortly after the first wave and had to wade through bodies to reach the shore.

He was one of the 255 D-Day veterans who were taken back to the beaches of Normandy three years ago by the RBL on a chartered cruise ship and he also took part in the charity’s D-Day 75 commemorations in both northern France and Portsmouth.

Stuart Steel, membership support officer for the RBL, said: "We were immensely proud to be able to take Ken back to the beaches of Normandy in 2019.

"Like all of the D-Day generation veterans, he leaves behind a remarkable legacy, and all our thoughts are with Ken’s family and friends."

Ken's funeral service will be held at Oldham Crematorium at 2pm on Monday, October 3. 

His family have asked that donations are made to the RBL.