TRIBUTES have been paid to an ‘inspirational’ war hero from Chard after he passed away at the great age of 96.

Arthur Helbert lied about his age as a teenager to sign up for the Second World War, and later received a Legion d’Honneur award for his service in the D-Day landings.

The decorated veteran also served the Royal British Legion for 50 years, and collected one of Chard’s Outstanding Service Awards in 2017.

Arthur died on February 2, and his funeral is at St Mary’s Church on February 21.

Charlie, one of his three children, described his dad as an ‘all time hero’.

“His fighting spirit took him through the Normandy landings and well into his 90s, and it never faltered,” he said.

“Even sat in his hospital chair, with the odds against him, his fighting spirit and wildly cheeky eyes were still both bright as ever.

“I have no doubt in my mind that he is finally enjoying a rest he has well deserved.”

Arthur was born in Bodmin, Cornwall on March 6, 1922. He joined the Royal Engineers in 1937, and served as a specialist electrician.

When D-Day came, which Arthur referred to as ‘the big show’, he took to Sword Beach and instantly got to work disabling beach obstacles.

As Allies retook Europe, Arthur toured frontlines building bridges in the place of demolished German ones.

He spent Christmas in Holland and saw German V2 rockets streaking across the sky, and then helped build the war’s biggest Bailey bridge to help forces cross the Rhine.

After the war, Arthur worked as an electrician and met secretary Beryl, before they married in 1947.

The couple moved to Taunton and brought electricity to all the farms surrounding the town who were running on generators. In 1963, they bought a house in King Alfred Drive in Chard which Arthur still owned 56 years later.

Charlie added: “No memory can surpass our visit to Bovington Tank Museum where I saw a 90-year-old transform into a young boy, as he stared at a T-34 medium tank.

“The only mainline allied tank he hadn’t encountered, he was in awe, and the way his eyes lit up and described it as ‘magnificent’ will never leave my mind.

“They do not make men like my grandfather any more, and to be associated with him is an honour in itself, but to have known him was something else entirely.”

Greg is Arthur’s eldest son.

He said: “He had a good innings” is the usual platitude people offer but in Dads case I’d disagree - 96 is more of a complete test series.

“He was proud of his longevity and hugely amused he got a bank loan at 94.

“He was a sterling example of service and sense of duty, from lying about his age to join up for the Second World War, to the civic service to Chard and nursing our mother through her long illness.”

Arthur’s daughter, Sarah Busby, said: “Dad was a family man, extremely dedicated to us all and providing the best for us growing up.

“He worked very hard during the week, but weekends, especially nice days during the summer were spent on days out, trips down to Charmouth trips up on to Exmoor or the Quantocks, or Lamberts Castle which would involve a picnic.”

Arthur was a member of St Mary’s Church Ramblers Club, the wine making club, CATS and CLOS.

As a member of Chard Light Operatic Society he met John Gudge in the 1970s.

It was a partnership that would later save the town’s RBL branch as the pair served as president and chairman - sometimes also filling other roles - for more than two decades together.

After Arthur died, John said: “You can’t talk about everything he managed in his 90-odd years in a short time.

“I hold that man in very high esteem. Any time I felt not able to carry on he said ‘hang on a little while longer, I have every faith in you’.

“Arthur was a very good man. He did his best to do everything right, and he wanted everyone else to too. He was an inspiration.”As well as three children, Arthur had five grandchildren - Laura, Charlie, James, Anastasia and Brook-Alicia.

Laura said: “He has helped me so much and always spurred me on to do well. Now I want to get my degree to honour that.

“I will always remember him being very kind towards all of his family, especially when my Grandma was ill – it couldn’t have been easy for him but he was very strong.

“He has had a huge influence on my life and I will miss him very much but I will always cherish the memories I have of him.”