Donald Rose, the United Kingdom’s oldest surviving World War II veteran, has passed away at the age of 110.
Rose played a key role in some of the most significant moments of the war. He was among the Allied forces who landed in Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944, and was later part of the division that liberated the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in northern Germany.
His passing was confirmed on Friday by James Dawson, leader of the Erewash Borough Council in northern England. Dawson described Rose as a true “war hero” and added that the local community was honored to have him as a resident.
In May, Rose had joined 45 fellow veterans at a special tea party held by the Royal British Legion at the National Memorial Arboretum, commemorating the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day. During the event, Rose reflected on how, at the time of the 1945 armistice, he hadn’t been able to celebrate. “When I heard the armistice had been signed 80 years ago, I was still in Belsen,” he said. “Like most soldiers, we didn’t get to celebrate. We simply did what we thought was right and felt relieved when it ended.”
Born on December 24, 1914, shortly after the outbreak of World War I, Rose was originally from Westcott, a village southwest of London. He enlisted in the army at the age of 23 and went on to serve in campaigns across North Africa, Italy, and France. His service earned him numerous medals, including France’s highest military honor, the Legion d’Honneur.
Alongside being Britain’s oldest war veteran, Rose was also believed to be the oldest man in the country.
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