Henry Rice, a Royal Navy veteran who took part in the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied France during World War Two, has died at the age of 100.
Rice, who lived in Cranleigh, Surrey, served as a signalman aboard HMS Eastway, helping transport troops, vehicles and equipment to reinforce Allied forces at Juno Beach, five days after the historic D-Day landings on June 6, 1944.
His wartime service took him across several regions, including Malta, the Red Sea, the Gulf, Sri Lanka, Burma and Singapore. Among his most frightening experiences was a close encounter with a torpedo fired at his vessel, which passed beneath the hull without striking the boat.
In recognition of his contribution during the war, Rice received France’s Legion of Honour, one of the country’s highest distinctions.
In later years, he became a passionate advocate for preserving the memory of the Normandy landings, urging schools to teach younger generations more about the historic operation.
The Spirit of Normandy Trust, a charity supporting veterans, described Rice as a remarkable personality whose warm character and mischievous smile left a lasting impression on those who knew him. The organisation also praised his dedication to remembering fallen servicemen and women who never returned home.
Rice regularly attended remembrance ceremonies across the United Kingdom, including events at Westminster Abbey and the Cenotaph. During commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, he presented Queen Camilla with the final ceramic poppy placed at the Tower of London installation.
In March 2026, his family celebrated his 100th birthday. Earlier in the year, he also met fellow D-Day veteran Ronald Hendrey for the first time, sharing memories of the Normandy invasion in what became one of his final acts of remembrance.
Reflecting on his life in an earlier interview with the BBC, Rice expressed gratitude for the years he had lived, while acknowledging the emotional weight of remembering comrades lost during the war.
His death comes just two weeks after the passing of another Normandy veteran, Kenneth Hay, who died aged 101. Hay had survived capture by German forces after D-Day and devoted much of his later life to educating children about the Second World War.
The D-Day landings remain one of the largest amphibious military operations in history, bringing together British, American, Canadian and French forces in an assault on German positions along the northern French coast.
The operation marked a decisive turning point in the campaign to liberate Nazi-occupied north-western Europe.
The Spirit of Normandy Trust has expressed its condolences to Rice’s family, paying tribute to his enduring commitment to remembrance and the legacy of those who served during the war.
