WORLD War II veteran and Miranda RSL Sub-branch Club member Charles Houghton, who fought at the D-Day landing and served in Germany, India and Palestine, has died. He was 94.
Mr Houghton was known to many in Sutherland Shire through his visits to local schools, where he spoke of his experiences in WWII.
He was born in St Pancras, London, on November 2, 1921.
Orphaned at the age of two, he spent his early years at the Little Sisters of the Sea at Littlehampton and then went to work on a farm.
He enlisted in the Royal Engineers British Army at the age of 19 and participated in the D-Day landing at Sword Beach, Normandy, and the taking of Caen Bridge.
"The courage shown by these men helped turn the tide of war in that area," his friend, Ron Vincent said.
His unit then travelled south through France to Falaise, capturing thousands of German troops.
In England, the unit was required to clean up in London and other British towns after the Germans launched their flying bombs.
Having seen active service in Great Britain, France and Germany, he was sent to India to build a pipeline from Iraq when the war ended.
He was then sent to Palestine in a peacekeeping force.
After he was discharged in 1947 he did a bricklaying course at Bristol training college.
While living in Bristol he met Kathleen Clayton and they married in 1947.
Their first son, David, died in 1948. They had two more sons, Derek, born in 1952, and Trevor, born 1955.
During the first Suez Crisis, Mr Houghton was called up and and rebarracked but did not see action.
In 1964, tired of the British winters, the family decided to move to Australia.
"He had always dreamed of Australia," Trevor said. "He knew that was a sunnier place."
Mr Houghton worked as a bricklayer with the Department of Public Works on many jobs around Sydney, including Government House.
One of the last jobs he did before he retired was to restore the old chimney stacks at St Peters brickworks.
"When we drive past them we always say 'There's Charlie's memorial smoke stacks'," Trevor said.
The family moved back to England in 1976 but Mr Houghton did not like the cool weather and they returned to Australia three years later and settled in Yowie Bay.
In retirement, he and Kathleen travelled Australia fossicking for gold. At home he was an enthusiastic beekeeper and produced honey from his hives in his backyard at Wonga Road. He also helped Trevor and his wife Julie build a mud brick home on their property at Coonabarabran.
Kathleen passed away in 2011. They are survived by Derek and Trevor and their families, including six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Mr Houghton's daughter-in-law Julie described him as kind and compassionate.
"I never, ever saw him angry," she said.
"He was always happy. He helped a lot of people in the area with handywork and mowing lawns. He was always giving and sharing.
"He was the sort of person that everybody liked because he was very personable."
A military service was held for Mr Houghton at the West Chapel Crematorium, Woronora Memorial Park, yesterday.
Mr Houghton was the subject of a Leader video interview by photographer Chris Lane. See the interview with Mr Houghton above.