A D-DAY veteran from the North East has sadly passed away at the grand age of 101.

On June 6, 1944, Thomas Trotter was involved in the largest military air and naval land operation ever attempted, the D-Day landing, and has enjoyed recalling stories from the war with friends and family.

Originally from Stockton, he served with the Northumberland Fusiliers and the Pioneer Corp.

Before the first lockdown of 2020, Tommy would visit the Don War Memorial Museum & The Last Post bar in Thornaby every day, and was known for his dancing.

The Northern Echo: Tommy celebrating his 101st birthday, on February 10 2022. Picture: JULIE COOPERTommy celebrating his 101st birthday, on February 10 2022. Picture: JULIE COOPER

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Tommy celebrated his 100th birthday in February 2021, and was sent more than 2,700 birthday cards after an appeal to help him celebrate his centenary in lockdown went global.

The former Northumberland Fusilier, said he felt spoilt and was “over the moon” after seeing all the cards laid out at The Last Post bar.

Tommy had quite the fan club and Julie Cooper, landlady of ‘The Don’, thought of his as a real friend.

Julie said: “He was just such a lovely man, we loved listening to his stories and hearing about his life.

“Everyone loved him and for his 100th birthday last year he was over the moon with all the cards he got.”

The Northern Echo: Tommy outside The Don War Memorial Museum in Thornaby. Picture: JULIE COOPERTommy outside The Don War Memorial Museum in Thornaby. Picture: JULIE COOPER

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Tommy also featured in numerous Facebook Live videos Julie organised at ‘The Don’ during lockdowns as he was in a support bubble with her so he could have some normality throughout.

Mr Trotter’s niece, Aida Dalton, described her Uncle Tom “an absolutely lovely man who would brighten any room.”

Ms Dalton said: “He never had children of his own but he was always there for his nieces and nephews. He’s always been around.”

Tommy met his first wife, a German lady, during the war and after the war spent a few years over there, she passed away in 1980.

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Aida said: “He had a friend who had a boarding house in Scarborough and I used to take him on a Friday and pick him up on a Sunday and he always used to love that.”

Tommy married his second wife, Yvonne, in 1988. She sadly passed away around 2011.

Aida said: “When Yvonne passed away, Tom’s sister, Ada, looked after him although there was only 18 months between them, so for the last ten years or so I’ve been looking after him, until he went into the care home.”

The Northern Echo: Tommy outside The Don War Memorial Museum in Thornaby. Picture: JULIE COOPERTommy outside The Don War Memorial Museum in Thornaby. Picture: JULIE COOPER

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Explaining why her uncle had such a fanclub at ‘The Don’, Ms Dalton said: “He was such a happy man. He used to beam when he went in there. He suffered from Vascular Dementia, so at times he could be difficult, and I used to say to Julie, ‘can you bottle the atmosphere in here or put it in a can and I’ll spray it round his flat for when he feels a bit down’

“He loved children and they used to gravitate towards him and one time when some schoolkids went to visit ‘The Don’ he taught them how to march and told them stories.”

Tommy passed away in hospital after a nine day stay, with Aida and Julie by his side on April 3, 2022.

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