A VETERAN Royal Navy bomb disposal expert from Lymington has died aged 100.
Boyd Salmon, who was a resident at Court Lodge Care Home, was just 17 when he joined the navy, serving on the Atlantic convoys and at the base on Gibraltar.
He went on to be commissioned as an officer in 1944 and was part of the Enemy Mining Section.
Boyd Salmon at the Lymington D-Day 80th anniversary celebrations at the town quay (picture: Jason Ludlow)
The elite unit was responsible for clearing harbours, ports and shorelines of unexploded ordnance left by retreating German forces.
A Royal Navy spokesperson said: “We have lost one of the last links with brave men who sought to make post-war Europe safe with the passing of Boyd Salmon at the age of 100.
“Mr Salmon was one of the last surviving members of specialist Royal Navy teams of bomb disposal /mine warfare experts neutralising the vast quantities of unexploded ordnance which littered former battlegrounds.”
Sub Lieutenant Salmon – who was involved in clearing ordnance from Sword Beach at Normandy as well as the Dutch island of Walcheren – previously admitted that he signed to RMS duties before he knew what the acronym stood for: render mines safe.
Mr Salmon was invited specially to the Lymington D-Day 80th anniversary celebrations (picture: Jason Ludlow)
In 1945 he was on a Dutch beach when a mine exploded just feet away causing severe abdominal injuries, leaving a large scar and embedded shrapnel. After hospital treatment he convalesced with fellow officers at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight.
Leaving the navy in 1946, Mr Salmon studied engineering and became a chartered engineer, his profession until retirement.
He and his late wife Jacqueline had two daughters, Nicola and Anita, as well as multiple grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Boyd Salmon on his 100th birthday with Court Lodge kitchen assistant Paul Badcock, left, and chef Philippe Perrin.
Home manager at Court Lodge, Rebecca Hannam, paid tribute to Boyd: “We shall miss him”.
She said: “We extend our sincere condolences to Boyd’s family. We are all saddened by the death of such a truly lovely gentleman. He came to live at Court Lodge in 2020 and it has been a pleasure and a privilege to care for him and support his family ever since.
“Boyd loved spending time in conversation with fellow residents and he appreciated many happy hours in the garden here. He was also active in community activities outside the home such as D-Day commemorations, Remembrance Day and other occasions with the Royal British Legion.”
As reported in the A&T, last year he celebrated his 100th birthday with a helicopter flight over Southampton Water, the Solent and the New Forest coastline.
It was one of several treats arranged by his family, with help from team members at Court Lodge.
Two visiting naval officers presented Mr Salmon with life membership of the Royal Naval Association, and at Lymington Royal British Legion he was invited to join an official D-Day 80th anniversary parade in June.
Back at the home, the birthday party featured afternoon tea with fizz and a nautically themed cake specially baked by Court Lodge chef Hannah Judd to highlight Boyd’s love of sailing.
Boyd Salmon was treated to a helicopter ride to mark his 100th birthday
Last year he was also surprised with replacement wartime medals after his originals were lost.
Ginge Fullen, a former navy clearance diver, arranged for replacements to be presented to Boyd after learning of his loss while researching a book chronicling the branch’s history.
Mr Salmon visited Horsea Island in Portsmouth, home of the Defence Diving School, accompanied by daughter, Nicola.
They watched current recruits undertake training before being shown current equipment used for bomb disposal exercises.