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Tributes have been paid to the man thought to be the very last Royal Navy veteran to serve at the D-Day landings after he died of natural causes, aged 97.

Born in Wandsworth, London, John Lockwood left school to serve as a Signalman in the Royal Navy during the Second World War.

There, he worked on two battleships - HMS Malaya and HMS Kingsmill - and earned three medals for his service.

While stationed on HMS Kingsmill, he was present at the D-Day landings in Normandy.

After the war, he took up a job as a clerk at Lloyd’s of London and married wife Marjorie Thurlow, with whom he had two daughters: Anne and Carole.

The family moved to Bognor Regis in early 1984.

John died on April 6, at Aronel Cottage Care Home in Bognor Regis.

Grandson Christian Lockwood, 35, said: “He was our hero. I never once heard him raise his voice or lose his temper. He was incredibly kind, witty, generous and loved our family to pieces. He was completely devoted to his wife of 68 years, Marjorie.”

Marjorie passed away in January last year. Just before his own death, he was heard to comment “Marjorie is coming to collect me.”

“He led a very, very good life and was hurtling towards being a centenarian. He just wanted his wife back,” commented Christian.

Tributes paid to D-Day veteran who died in his Bognor Regis care home