D-Day veteran faced mortar fire from all angles and many years later, a bullet was found in his bottom

The discovery caused much amusement within the family but the truth was it was a solid reminder of the D-Day veteran’s challenging war service.

Son David, who lives in Worthing, said: “When my dad got bowel cancer before he died, aged 84, the hospital consultant came to see him after his scan and said ‘Mr Heath, did you know we found a bullet in your bum!’. We used to laugh about it.

“My dad was a D-Day veteran, one of many soldiers, him a sergeant in the Middlesex regiment, nicknamed the Die-Hards.

“They landed on the beaches of Normandy, the largest allied seaborne invasion in history, to fight against the monstrous tyranny that was Hitler.

“The command instructions given were to take Caen. This involved fighting the cream of the German army, the 21st Panzers, the Death’s Head Hussars and the SS Hitler Youth, who fought so ferociously, they stopped the allies from taking Caen for over a month.”

The capital of Normandy was an important Allied objective as it was an essential road hub, astride the Orne River and Caen Canal, but it took six weeks of fighting and heavy shelling to capture the city.

David said: “My dad had many stories to tell about life in the army and hearing the sound of the bagpipes. After the capture of Caen, the liberation trail continued through the densely-wooded countryside of France, riddled with snipers hiding in trees. They had to remove their badges of rank to avoid being a target.

“There was mortar fire coming at them from all angles – the Germans mounted the mortars on trucks and drove them around. This made it difficult to see where the next one was coming from.

“My dad’s unit was buttoned down by mortar fire in an open field and was being cut to pieces, slaughtered. They managed to get a last call out to the Royal Artillery, saying they were trapped, so they managed to send out a massive barrage of fire and pelted them with everything they had.

“The Germans then had to retreat, they could not live under it, giving time to get the wounded out, my dad being one of them, and regrouping.

“I asked him what was the difference between the German soldiers and the British. He said the Germans were very good soldiers but knew when they were beaten, the British never knew. I thought that is something in the mentality and psyche.”

Alf lived in Highgate and regularly visited Worthing but his favourite place was Alfriston in East Sussex, and his favourite drink was a pint of Harvey’s from the brewery in Lewes.

His father was a professional boxer, who bought a milk round when he retired. He also taught unarmed combat to the Kentish Town police.

David said: “My dad had different jobs, worked in the rag trade selling ladies’ coats and then was a printers’ newspaper copy holder until he retired.

“Today, we are in a war against an unseen enemy, Covid-19. It will take a combined nations’ effort to defeat it. There have been mistakes made early on, just as there were all those years ago on D-Day. Difficult decisions are taken but we seem to be now making up for lost ground.

“The good news is a vaccine could be on the way. It might not be the best vaccine in the world but it will be better than nothing and win with it we will.”

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