D-Day Veteran Kenneth Hay Dies Aged 101
Winnie Agbonlahor | London | PA Media
Normandy veteran Kenneth Hay, who survived being captured just weeks after D-Day and dedicated years to educating children about World War Two, has passed away aged 101.
Hay, from Upminster in east London, served in the 4th Dorset Infantry Regiment. He recounted his harrowing experiences, including a forced march of over 1,000 miles across eastern Europe after being captured a month following D-Day.
His passing was announced by the British Normandy Memorial, for which he served as an ambassador. They described him as an "extraordinary gentleman" whose "remarkable life will never be forgotten."
They added: "His passion for education was unwavering. The countless schoolchildren whose lives he touched with his stories of courage and resilience nicknamed him 'Grandad Ken'."
Hay landed at Courseulles-sur-Mer days after D-Day, on 6 June 1944. He was captured by the German 12th SS Panzer Division during a night patrol on 7-8 July. Remembering his capture in 2024, Hay expressed initial feelings of "dread" and "fear."
He recalled: "We went out on night patrol... but in fact, it was behind their lines. So they let us through and then very unfriendly, they sealed it and wouldn't let us back... five of us got captured and then presumably nine got killed."
The prisoners were marched approximately 1,000 miles to a new location, with many dying along the way. Hay shared that he once "lay down to die" but was saved by two friends.
Eventually liberated by American troops in May 1945, Hay returned to the UK via Reims.