Tributes paid to man who parachuted into Normandy

A war veteran who parachuted into Normandy on D-Day has died at the age of 99.

Roy Burr, who was born in Essex, but lived in Kingswood near Bristol, was one of the last surviving members of the 6th Airborne Division.

He jumped into Normandy soon after midnight on 6 June 1944, as part of the 22nd Independent Parachute Company and was part of a pathfinder group whose role was to identify landing areas on the French coast and set up radio beacons for the incoming Allied parachute battalions.

His death was announced "with great sadness" by the Bristol Normandy Veterans group chairman Paul Turner.

"Roy was a very private, very quiet and modest man that you couldn't help but love and admire," Turner explained.

"He, unfortunately, very seldom spoke of his war history and experiences, but he was a very brave man."

Paul Turner explained Roy Burr's family has been trying to find out more about his wartime experiences.

They have discovered that he left his war records, documents and photographs in trust and are hoping to be able to learn more about his life and his time in the armed forces.

The 22nd Independent Parachute Company was formed in October 1943, as the second of the Parachute Regiment's wartime 'pathfinder' units.

The pathfinders would mark the drop zone and establish radio contact with the incoming parachute battalions, enabling the transport aircraft to home in.

The Company also acted as an early warning if the selected drop zone was heavily defended, possibly enabling diversion to an alternative.

Once the main force was down the pathfinders were usually employed as a small reserve or reconnaissance force.

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