PLANS have been unveiled for the funeral of Basildon’s beloved war hero Don Sheppard – one of the last few remaining D-Day veterans.

Don, who lived in Basildon all his life, died on September 6 at the age of 104 due to pneumonia.

His family have been busy preparing a funeral befitting of the former soldier who served in Normandy, at Arnhem, in North Africa and helped liberate the Nazi death camp Bergen-Belsen.

Don’s funeral service will be held on Friday October 4 at St Martin’s Church in Basildon Town Centre. Afterwards friends and family will celebrate Don’s life at a wake at Langdon Hill Golf Club.

Hundreds of mourners are expected to line the streets as Don’s funeral cortege makes its way from his home in Methersgate to the church.

Due to space the family have issued invitations for the funeral service and wake but hope wellwishers will gather in St Martin’s Square to pay their respects.They are hoping to organise speakers in the square so that those outside the church can hear and join in the service.

Don’s daughter Jo O’Brien said: “We want to make this a terrific celebration of dad’s life and we are so grateful to the council, the church and veterans and associations on making it happen as dad would have wanted.”

(Image: Newsquest)Gavin Callaghan, leader of Basildon Council added: “We are expecting a huge turnout from the people of Basildon to pay our final respects to a great man who did so much for our country. I look forward to joining with the community to mark this poignant occasion and to give Don the send off his deserves from a forever grateful Basildon.”

The family have asked that if anyone does want to make a donation to one of Don’s favourite charities, it would be most welcome. They are The Living War Memorial in Rettendon and Prostate Cancer UK.

The Living Memorial – an incredible space of remembrance created by Fran and Peter Theobald in 2009 – was a true passion of Don’s.The couple grew close to Don over the years and assisted Don and his family in creating a number of remembrance and memorial events. Fran particularly remembers the 79th D Day anniversary event – where despite his age and frailty Don climbed onto the back of a vintage army motorbike, much to the delight of spectators.

“This is just like the bike I rode around on in the war,” he beamed.

Fran said: “Don was in fine fettle that day. Beneath the exterior of this quiet and gentle man, was a man of character, humour, honour and warmth. He was like the father that every child should have and every friend needs. To be in his presence made one feel everything would be alright with the world – that is a rare gift.”

The memorial garden even has a special chair dedicated to Don. Sadly this Remembrance Sunday that chair will be empty, however Don’s legacy will live on forever.

For Don, despite receiving so many personal accolades, including being given Freedom of the Borough of Basildon in 2019, his focus was always on those who paid the ultimate price during the war. He frequently said: “The lads that didn’t make it back. They are the ones we need to remember.”

Don was called up at the beginning of the war. By the time DDay arrived in June of 1944 the 24-year-old sapper was a despatch rider with the 51st Scottish Division of the Royal Engineers.

Once Don got on to Juno beach, the sheer scale of the situation became clear. “There were shells and a whole lot of people killed. Bodies were everywhere,” he said.

In 2008, an X-ray flagged up a “foreign body” in Don’s lungs and he feared it was cancer. It turned out to be shrapnel from an explosion that nearly killed him at Pegasus Bridge in France.

Don had been walking around with a piece of a German bomb wedged in his lungs from that very incident. “They said they could try to remove it but I thought what’s the point at my age! Let it stay there,” he laughed.

After the war Don settled in Basildon with wife Sandra who he would be married to for 57 years. He became chairman of the Southend Normandy Veterans Association where he led veterans on annual trips to France and Belgium for commemorative events.

Don’s eldest granddaughter Amy Scott Barnes made a special tribute to her grandad this week. She said: “Grandad was my real life hero and a true soul mate. He was the best grandad anyone could ever wish for and the fact he was also loads of fun as we got older was just a bonus. Our three greatest shared loves were good red wine, music and dancing.”