Tributes paid after D-Day veteran from Gosport dies age 101

Adam Macleod, a D-Day veteran from Gosport, has died a the age of 101, his family has confirmed.

The oldest D-Day veteran in the Portsmouth region, Adam died in December.

A patriotic man, he was the officer in charge of ammunition supply to the Royal Navy’s D-Day flotilla, serving as a Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve (RNVR).

He was one of a select few people to see the detailed plans of the D-Day invasion, and was even given time alone to study them – before locking the plans away in a wooden cupboard.

His son, David Macleod, 70, has paid tribute to his ‘inspirational’ father.

He said: ‘He was a great man and always stayed up-to-date with what was going on in the world.

‘My father was always full of stories about the war and was more than happy to share his experiences; he was very proud of his service.

‘He was an inspiration to quite a few people – myself included. So many people have spoken about what a fantastic person he was, which has been very heartwarming.’

Following D-Day, Adam continued running supplies and stayed in France until August.

But during that time he also married his wife, Margaret – being granted three days off for their honeymoon in Scotland. She died in 2009.

After returning home, he stayed in the civil service for 41 years, working with young offenders and on judicial review cases.

Son David said: ‘When I was clearing out the house, I got the impression he was a one-man government department.

‘He was always driving up to the High Court for judicial cases, even in the latter stages of his life.’

Adam was also a keen motorist, owning more than 40 different cars in his lifetime and was frequently seen darting around Gosport in his silver Vauxhall Astra.

‘His love of driving often worried me,’ David confessed.

‘But he absolutely loved being behind the wheel of a car.’

He is survived through four children, 12 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.