Mourners’ tribute to a real-life war hero Mar 24 2005
By Jassim Kanani, The Evening Chronicle
A decorated commando who dodged bullets and bombs in nearly every major battle of the Second World War has died at the age of 83.
Regimental Sgt Major Ron Hayes MBE DCM, of Roseberry Crescent, Jesmond, passed away last Saturday.
A veteran of Dunkirk, Normandy, Sicily and the North African campaign, Ron joined the Army at just 13 and served in the forces for a total of 27 years.
During 1936 he came to Newcastle with the Royal Horse Artillery 6th field regiment, which was based at Fenham Barracks.
In 1940, Ron became part of the British Expeditionary Force and was evacuated from France at St Nazaire during the Dunkirk evacuations.
In Normandy in 1944, Ron was a member of the commando unit charged with holding Pegasus Bridge until reinforcements arrived.
Last June he spoke to the Chronicle as part of the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landings and said he knew nothing of the operation until the night it happened.
Ron went on to win the Croix de Guerre, one of France’s highest military honours, for his work during the Normandy campaign.
He then fought in Korea and was awarded the MBE for putting down a riot in Nigeria when stationed there between 1948 and 1950.
He retired from the forces in 1961 when he returned to civvy street and ran the Old George pub and Balmbra’s in the Bigg Market.
Ron later went on to become plant manager of concrete firm Tilcon where he finally retired in 1983.
He became president of the Jesmond British Legion, a post he held until his death.
Today, his family laid to rest the military hero at West Road Crematorium, Newcastle. His son-in-law, Don Cowper, 51, of Rowlands Gill, said: "He was just a genuinely nice guy. Dad never saw glory in war. He always told me the glory was in the friendships you made.
“He was a generous man who would do anything for anybody.”
