Isle of Wight Legion d'Honneur war veteran has died

Leonard Williams was born in 1926 to Elizabeth and Edward Williams, in Landport, Portsmouth, and had five older siblings.

Len had numerous jobs but while working in Boots the chemist in Commercial Road, Portsmouth, the city got bombed.

Due to the night safe being destroyed, Len had to take the takings home with him and hide them under his mattress for a week or so.

Being an honest man, he took the money to another Boots store and handed it over when it was safe to do so.

He joined the army at 17 years old and was soon deported to France with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.

He was later awarded the Legion d'Honneur for his role in the Normandy landings.

He was in action with the regiment on the frontline until he was wounded, crossing the Rhine, where he was shot three times on his 19th birthday by German officer with a machine gun.

He was shot in the knee, hand and foot.

He travelled far and wide with the army, rising to the rank of colour sergeant, stationed in Korea, Tokyo and Hong Kong, among other places.

Len met Isabell, or as Len would call her, Isa, when she was standing on the steps at the GPO near Edinburgh Castle, where Len was stationed at the time.

Isa was waiting for a date with someone else, but locked eyes with Len and they were together from that moment.

They married in September 1947 and enjoyed 53 happy years together, until Isa's death.

Prior to Len being posted to Africa where he joined The King's African Rifles on a three-year tour, Len and Isa had two children, Brian and Ronald (known as Robert).

While in Africa, they welcomed a third child, Lorraine.

After Africa, the family returned to Scotland and had their fourth child, Frank.

Len worked at Vat 69 as a customs officer in a whisky distillery in South Queensferry, before taking on a post to be a customs and excise officer in Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight.

Their new journey started in 1977 and Len remained in customs for ten years, until he took early retirement due to ill health.

Daughter Lorraine moved herself and her family to the Island to live with her parents in Freshwater, later all moving to Brading.

Son Ron emigrated to Australia, and Brian and Frank remained in Scotland.

From August 2000, after Isa's death, Len lived with Lorraine, who looked after him for the next 21 years.

He enjoyed helping out at the family car business in Ventnor.

Len was a keen football fan and supported Portsmouth FC.

Although a sporting all-rounder, he particularly loved playing darts, snooker, and golf.

He loved spending time with his 13 grandsons and one granddaughter, plus his 24 great grandchildren.

He was a member at the Royal British Legion, where he was known as 'Lucky Len' as he always had luck on his side with the lottery and raffles there.

A funeral service was held on Monday.