Last Post for Normandy veteran Hilda, 100

Hilda Clements, from Shrewsbury, was in the Military Police and arrived in Normandy a few days after D-Day. She was involved in patrolling and escorting female enemy prisoners.

On her 99th birthday in 2019 she was awarded the Legion d'Honneur, France's highest order of merit, in recognition of her service.

Her funeral was held at Emstrey on Tuesday. Bugler John Henry Plumridge of Shrewsbury, who is husband of Mrs Clements' niece Cheryl Plumridge, and fellow bugler Tom Jerry, played the Last Post and Reveille, honouring Hilda's wishes.

John said: "Hilda had been saying to me for the last few years 'Don't forget you are going to play the Last Post and Reveille at my funeral'."

A flag bearer from the Royal British Legion also attended, in compliance with social distancing.

Mrs Clements, nee Letch, the widow of Charlie Clements, died at Lymehurst Rest Home in Shrewsbury.

She had been a local member of the Normandy Veterans' Association until the association disbanded in 2014, the 70th anniversary year of the landings.

In chats with her aunt over the past few years Cheryl was able to learn something of Hilda's wartime service.

Hilda Ellen Letch was born in West Ham on July 3, 1920, and became an air raid shelter warden during the Blitz in 1940.

Cheryl said: "She told me of one night when everyone came back up to find part of the street where she lived had been bombed and a young family had lost their lives in the raid.

"Hilda continued as a warden until she enlisted at Harrogate with the ATS (Auxiliary Territorial Service) on July 31, 1942, aged 22 and continued her service until 1946 having reached the rank of Lance Corporal. Hilda told me she refused promotion on several occasions as she loved patrolling and didn’t want to get stuck behind a desk.

"During her time as a Red Cap (Military Police) Hilda served in many parts of Europe. She arrived in Normandy a few days after the D-Day landings, some time between June 10 and 15 with the 21st Army Group.

"She patrolled in Bayeux and Rouen before going to Brussels on August 28. Her mission then was to escort one female prisoner, who was German or Polish, back to Lincoln on a Landing Ship Tank (LST) and handed her over to the US Army. There were also 300 male German prisoners on board."

Cheryl cannot recall if there was anything special about the woman prisoner Hilda had escorted.

"Hilda and the other female redcap stayed at the American base then travelled to Southampton and waited for the next boat to take them back to France to continue patrolling in Normandy.

"The Americans didn’t have any female redcaps, so she worked alongside them and helped out when necessary."

Cheryl said: "During leave back at base in Shrewsbury, Hilda was out at a social event where she met her future husband Chas – Charlie to the rest of us. They were both having a drink in the Swan pub in Frankwell.

"They started chatting and romance blossomed. Charlie went off to Monte Cassino in Italy and Hilda returned to Normandy. They dated throughout the rest of the war and married on September 7, 1946, in West Ham."

They settled in West Ham and Hilda worked for 32 years as a GPO telephonist.

Later the couple, who had no children, moved to Basingstoke and then in 1997 moved into Richard Onslow Court, Shrewsbury.

"They soon settled in with the help of other veterans at the Royal British Legion Club and their new neighbours. They both helped out every year selling poppies and when Charlie had passed away, Hilda continued and regularly got asked about 'her husband's' medals and she would very proudly tell them that they were hers. She was extremely proud of her military background."

Increasingly frail, she moved into Lymehurst in January 2018, and being fiercely independent, Cheryl says Hilda never really liked not being able to care for herself.

"Hilda celebrated her 100th birthday in July last year and although there were restrictions on visiting at the time, the staff at Lymehurst made sure Hilda had a memorable day.

"It started with her card from Her Majesty The Queen arriving right on cue in the morning, followed by more cards and presents, a beautiful cake made by the chef followed by a room full of staff singing happy birthday and a presentation of some lovely flowers.

"I was allowed to visit inside that day and my husband John blew a couple of fanfares on his bugle outside her window, which she really enjoyed."

Cheryl added: "The pandemic made the last few months very difficult for everyone and we were robbed of precious time with Hilda, but she finally got her wish and the good Lord has finally taken her. I hope she is at peace and back with uncle Charlie at last.

"Stand down soldier, your duty is done."