Second World War veteran who saw action in Dunkirk and Arnhem dies aged 105
A Second World War veteran who fought from Dunkirk to Arnhem has died aged 105.
Former soldier Raymond 'Ray' Whitwell was born in 1919 and lived in Malton, North Yorkshire, before being conscripted into the Armed Forces when war broke out in 1939.
He joined the Royal Army Service Corps (RASC) and later worked with the airborne, which led him to see action in France, Belgium, North Africa, Sicily, Italy and Arnhem.
When asked about the part he played during the war, Ray previously said: "The role of the RASC was to supply the division with all it needed, but with no supplies, we could not do that.
"We were then used as infantry soldiers and given a position on the Oosterbeek perimeter to defend and stop the enemy when they attacked.
"We fought our own little battle in the woods for nine days, defending the perimeter.
"We had no food in that time, but while we were drawing water from a well a sniper shot at us and his bullets made holes in the bucket.
"After that, getting water took a long time, and was very dangerous, we could have been shot dead at any moment.
"I got back across the river Rhine, and back to Nijmegen, where we had sleep and food."
After he joined the army, Ray was first deployed to Belgium where he worked as a lorry driver, delivering fuel to the frontline.
In May 1940, he took part in the defence of Dunkirk which fended off the advancing German army, allowing thousands of troops to escape to England.
He continued to serve with the RASC during the battle of Arnhem in 1944 and served in the headquarters of the 1st Airborne Division.
After the conflict, Ray returned to his pre-wartime occupation and ran his own successful business as a seed merchant. He died on 20 November 2024.
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