Chadderton World War Two veteran Dougie will leave behind 'an incredible legacy'

World War Two veteran Dougie Farrington from Chadderton has died at the age of 97.

Members of the Royal British Legion (RBL) joined family and friends to pay tribute to Doug at his funeral, with standard bearers from the RBL’s Royton and Lees branches in attendance.

Doug landed on Gold Beach in Normandy 19 days after D-Day in June 1944 – he was just 18.

In an interview with the Royal British Legion in 2019, Doug said: “My Mum was very unhappy about me signing up, but I knew Hitler was evil, he wanted to make everyone slaves, and I didn’t like that.

"People should be free to do what they want and enjoy life.”

Doug was a first-class rifleman which earned him an extra threepence per week.

His battalion fought their way through Normandy and Holland to join the Battle of the Bulge which started on 26th December 1944 - his 19th birthday - which he spent alone in a slit trench on lookout for German parachutists

Doug said: “It was bitterly cold with 6ft drifts of snow and the Germans all had white suits, you couldn’t see them, and they were picking our lads off like flies, but we did the best we could.”

Doug was eventually forced to stop fighting when he was shot through his right leg on 13th February 1945 by a German paratrooper in the Reichswald Forest just over the German border after being separated from the rest of his division.

He crawled inside a pigsty, where he put on a field dressing and waited to be rescued.

Doug said, “There were casualties all over the place.

"I couldn’t walk, but the stretcher bearers came and rescued me.

"The surgeon told me if the shot had been quarter of an inch lower, I would’ve lost my foot.

"I told him, ‘I’m glad you saved it, I like a dance!’

In 1947 Doug left the Army after serving in Dusseldorf after the war ended and met his wife Alice at a dance.

The couple had two daughters, Anne and Fay, and a son called Melvin.

Alice died at the age of 85 after the couple had been married for 66 years.

Anne and Fay said: “Dad was such a character, he loved life, and he lived life to the full, especially in his later years.

"He made many good friends both at home and abroad and he will be sadly missed.”

Doug collected for the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal for 22 years.

He returned to Normandy on a specially chartered cruise ship with the RBL in June 2019 to take part in the charity’s D-Day 75 commemorations.

Stuart Steel, Membership Engagement Officer for the Royal British Legion, said: “Doug Farrington was a huge supporter of the RBL in Oldham and we were honoured to be able to take him back to Normandy in 2019.

“He was a bubbly and infectious character, and he leaves behind an incredible legacy.

"All our thoughts are with Doug’s family and friends today.”

Among his many medals, Doug was awarded the Legion d’Honneur, the highest French military honour, in recognition of his service.

He died on February 18, 2023, after a short illness and his funeral service took place earlier this week at Hollinwood Crematorium.

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