D-Day veteran’s pilgrimage from Scotland to Southsea to set foot on Landing Craft Tank, 80 years after serving on the same type of ship in Second World War
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Ken Smith was 18 when he signed up to serve as a signalman in the Royal Navy - and 80 years later, he retraced his steps as he walked onto the Landing Craft Tank outside The D-Day Story in Southsea.
Yorkshire-born Ken, who is set to celebrate his 98th birthday next month, travelled down from Troon in Scotland with his family to pay a visit to Portsmouth’s LCT7074, the same type of ship that Ken served on decades ago.
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Hide AdAs a signalman, Ken underwent training and was then responsible for the vessel’s signalling.
![Veteran Ken Smith, who served as a signaller on a Second World War landing craft, visited the LCT7074 outside the D-Day Story museum in Southsea Picture: Habibur Rahman](https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOmQwZDFkYTllLWI5YjUtNDBlMC04ODg3LTE2YTBjZGY4YzA2NzpiNmNiZjE4MC1iYTgxLTQwNGEtYTIxNC05NWUzODZlZjEyZmM=.jpg?crop=3:2,smart&width=640&quality=65)
![Veteran Ken Smith, who served as a signaller on a Second World War landing craft, visited the LCT7074 outside the D-Day Story museum in Southsea Picture: Habibur Rahman](/img/placeholder.png)
He completed the 400-mile pilgrimage with his two sons, David and Tom, and his daughter-in-law Elaine.
Elaine said: ‘He’s a hero for living to 98, let alone what he did in the war.
‘I don’t think he really knew what he was signing up for at the time - it was a big adventure.’
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Hide Ad![Ken Smith with his sons, Tom Smith and David Smith and his daughter-in-law, Elaine Smith at LCT 7074 at D-Day Story, Southsea
Picture: Habibur Rahman](https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjY5YTU2NTBhLTI2MWUtNDFmMC1hZDY2LWEyNjliYWQ1YWRhZTo5NjBkMzdhZi02MDBhLTQxZWMtOTU4NC1lMjYwOWU3NGFjMmM=.jpg?crop=3:2,smart&width=640&quality=65)
![Ken Smith with his sons, Tom Smith and David Smith and his daughter-in-law, Elaine Smith at LCT 7074 at D-Day Story, Southsea
Picture: Habibur Rahman](/img/placeholder.png)
Ken believes he was at Juno Beach on June 6, 1944 - one of five beaches of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings.
Tim, 63, said: ‘As a signalman during the war, he served on a landing craft very similar to this one - the LCT4025.’
Together, the family explored LCT7074 as Ken reflected on his time in service - and pointed out the differences between the museum’s ship and the vessel he remembers working on.
![Ken Smith when he was 19 years old](https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOmU0MDQ3NzhjLWJhNWItNDRlZS04MWZiLTllOTExNjQ5MDYwODpiOGM3ZDc1NC1iYWUxLTQ1ZDEtYjQyNy1iZGEwYzA4NzE4YTA=.jpg?crop=3:2,smart&width=640&quality=65)
![Ken Smith when he was 19 years old](/img/placeholder.png)
He said: ‘[The ship] is a bit different to how it was. I was in here for three years.
‘At the time, it was just a job. I was one of the boys.
‘A friend of mine was killed at Dunkirk. He was the hero.’
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Hide AdDavid, 66, said that his dad was reflecting on the friends he met while serving in the war.
![Ken Smith at LCT 7074 at D-Day Story, Southsea Picture: Habibur Rahman](https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjQ1Nzg2ZDM5LTc5ZWItNDQyOS1iYTNjLTU1ZjUzY2FiMjlkNjo1ZDU5ZTNiMy0xZjgwLTQyZmYtOTU2Ny0wMWM4YzU2YmQyMzQ=.jpg?crop=3:2,smart&width=640&quality=65)
![Ken Smith at LCT 7074 at D-Day Story, Southsea Picture: Habibur Rahman](/img/placeholder.png)
He said: ‘All of his friends are gone - he’s the last one that survived.’
After the war, Ken met his future wife Margaret, mother to David and Tim, who passed away a few years ago.
In addition to his two sons, Ken has two grandsons - Gordon and Gary - as well as two great-grandchildren.