A Second World War soldier who parachuted into Normandy on D-Day has died, aged 82.
Tom Bentley joined the Royal Corps of Signals in 1942 and then volunteered for the 6th Airborne Division.
He was taken prisoner after the Normandy landings and transported to the Stalag VIIIC PoW camp on the Polish border. The camp was finally liberated by the Russian army, who forced the prisoners to march 600 miles west to Hamburg through the winter of 1944/45.
Mr Bentley was educated at Leicester's City Boys' Grammar School and then joined Post Office Telephones now BT. He moved from Leicester to Colchester in 1955.
He rejoined BT after leaving the Army and remained with the company until his retirement in 1981.
Mr Bentley, of Layer de la Haye, enjoyed twinning events with the French town of Avignon for more than 20 years. He also had a keen interest in wine and was made a Compagnon du Beaujolais in June, 1994, to mark the 50th anniversary of D-Day.
He also enjoyed playing bowls in his home village.
Mr Bentley leaves a widow, Kathleen, four children and nine grandchildren.
Mrs Bentley said: "Tom was devoted to his children. He was a very good father and a very good husband."
Published Friday, April 18, 2003
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