A 100-year-old D-Day veteran described as an “inspiration” has died less than a fortnight before the 80th anniversary of the landings. David Teacher, who served as a mechanic with the RAF in the Second World War, died last Friday, a spokesman for Broughton House care home in Salford, Greater Manchester, said. Mr Teacher, who was born in Hastings, East Sussex, was one of the first to arrive on Juno beach in the 1944 Normandy landings.
As well as fixing broken down vehicles, he worked with his squadron to take control of all equipment, including food and ammunition, and ensure troops arriving went through designated safe areas. He stayed on the beach for three months, living in a trench, and went on to the Battle of the Bulge. Previously, David described the D-Day landing as the “most horrendous day”, when a bomb landed around 20 feet away from him, but fortunately it did not explode.
His unit stayed on the beach in a trench for three months, fixing broken down vehicles and supervising the unloading of Landing Ship Tank’s. In 2016, he published an autobiography titled ‘Beyond My Wildest Dreams’ where he detailed his time in the Armed Forces and what followed. His second biography, written by David’s close friend Richard Alexander, was titled ‘No Ordinary Tuesday’, and was published last year.
Karen Miller, chief executive of veterans’ care home Broughton House, said: “David was 100 years old and was an inspiration to us all. He lived with us for three ye.
