D-DAY veteran Richard Willis has died, just months after three of Somerset’s deputy Lord Lieutenants helped celebrate his 100th birthday.

Mr Willis, who previously lived with his wife Diane in Greenham Barton, near Wellington, spent his latter years in Nynehead Court.

He was a Royal Navy First Lieutenant and second in command of a landing craft putting tanks and troops ashore in the Normandy landings on Utah beach.

Mr Willis suffered shrapnel wounds during the mission, and was awarded France’s Legion d’Honneur many years later.

He became a professional artist after leaving the Navy and his work, particularly in maritime art, achieved high acclaim.

His wartime experiences influenced much of his work and in 1942 he became the youngest ever exhibitor at the Royal Academy of Arts.

Attending his 100th birthday in February were Vice-Lord Lieutenant of Somerset Ted Allen, and Deputy Lord Lieutenants Rear Admiral Ian Moncrieff and Brigadier Richard Toomey.