Popular Worthing football referee's memories of Second World War bring to life horrors and excitement of D-Day, 80 years on

Hugh O'Reilly signed up to the Royal Navy voluntarily on April 8, 1940, to serve 'until the end of the period of the present emergency', as his certificate confirms.

He wrote his memoirs for Guild Care when he was a Methold House Day Centre member in the 1990s, and these have been shared by his son Jim O'Reilly to honour his late father.

Hugh wrote: "I was only a teenager on D-Day, June 6, 1944. At that age, wading chest deep through the mine-clogged sea towards the beaches at Arromanches, Normandy, under the shadow of a concrete German gun emplacement, at Ver-Sur-Mer, seemed like high adventure.

"It was only later, still exhilarated at landing safely, that the sombre reality of my predicament came through. I felt very excited and glad to get through the water.

"We went towards the sand dunes for cover and there were many dead bodies lying around. We were dug in at that beach for ten days, helping to set up a landing and departure control, also helping to direct the gunfire from the off-shore warships, particularly HMS Warspite.

"I joined the Royal Navy at Portsmouth at 17½ years, trained as a wireless telegraphist and was drafted into combined operations. I was trained on assault courses in Scotland and had commando training with sea landings, wading ashore, route marches and four-hour runs.

"On June 3, 1944, I embarked for France, sailing out past The Needles to join a large troop carrier with small assault landing craft in the assembly area in the English Channel. All troops were given a message from General Eisenhower on June 6, and we knew this was it.

"In the early dawn I went on board the landing craft hostilities 275 with frogmen, marine commandos and initial assault troops. We set sail for Normandy and Gold Beach. The scenes of D-Day are among the most vivid of my war memories. I recall the grim pictures of the disfigured bodies of my friends but also the excitement and the sheer joy of staying alive.

"I would do it all again, most of us felt there was something to put right. Something to be done. We just got on with it."

Hugh was able to return to Normandy for the D-Day commemorations in May 1994, with the help of the Royal British Legion.

Born in a small village in south-west Ireland on September 5, 1923, Hugh remembered walking to school barefoot. When he was still very young, his father, who was a blacksmith, was kicked to death by a horse, leaving his mother Bridget to bring up three boys on her own.

Having joined the Royal Navy as a radio engineer, he worked in the communications field during the Second World War and travelled the world, including Bermuda, America and North Africa.

He met his wife, Lance Corporal Iris Edwards from Vauxhall, back home and they settled in Clapham, where they raised two children, Jim and Margaret.

After leaving the Navy, Hugh had a number of jobs, working as a policeman, cocktail barman serving royalty and stars, an off-licence manager and resident caretaker.

For decades, Hugh refereed football matches, sometimes twice a week, cycling there and back, no matter what the distance or weather.

The caretaker job brought Hugh and Iris to Worthing but she was soon diagnosed with lung cancer and sadly died just two days before Hugh's retirement date.

Hugh was well known for his undaunting help with sport and charities and on February 2, 1999, he received a Worthing New Year's Honour, presented in the mayor's parlour, for 40 years' service and commitment as a football referee and his interest in developing youth sport. He passed away on February 24, 2004.