A 99-year-old war veteran who served in a secret unit created by Winston Churchill has died from coronavirus at a care home.
Charles Wright, from Ipswich, Suffolk, was among a select few sent behind enemy lines during the second world war, before being captured and imprisoned for more than a year.
His family sadly announced he had died at Willows Care Home on Friday morning.
Charles’ death from Covid-19 comes amid alarming death toll figures in care homes, which are feared to be as high as 7,500.
Charles Wright, from Ipswich, Suffolk, has died at Willows Care Home from coronavirus, his family have announced
The war hero, known as Sonny to his friends, has been described as the ‘ultimate modern father’ and still working as a handyman well into his 90s.
His son Clive told the Ipswich Star that his dad would ‘do anything for anyone’ and was ‘still hanging doors in his 90s’.
‘It has been hard not being able to go and see my dad at the care home due to the restrictions, but I know he was not alone as the carers and staff there are incredible. I just hope he didn’t think we had abandoned him,’ he added.
The 99-year-old veteran from Ipswich, Suffolk, was among a select few sent behind enemy lines during the second world war, before being captured and imprisoned for more than a year
‘He lost lots of friends in the war, so for him to be that lucky and to survive is incredible.’
Charles, who was born in 1921, began his military career at age 15, joining the 161 field ambulance unit by saying he was 17.
He then served in the Second World War, being picked to join a secret unit formed by Winston Churchill to go behind enemy lines in Russia.
Charles, who was born in 1921, began his military career at age 15, joining the 161 field ambulance unit by saying he was 17
The operation took him to Norway, before he was moved to fight the Germans and Italians in the Siege of Malta between 1940 and 1942.
He was later captured as a Prisoner Of War on the Greek island of Leros where he was held for 18 months before being released to return home.
In 1946, he married his wife Ruby and the couple went on to have three children, 12 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.
Three years ago, he received a medal from the Norwegian government for his help during the war.
Three years ago, he received a medal from the Norwegian government for his help during the war
Ruby, who had Alzheimer’s disease, died four years ago and Charles became a resident of the care home last year.
His son added that knew his father had not been left alone, as the carers and staff at the home were ‘incredible’.
More than 7,500 care home residents are now feared to have died from coronavirus, according to new data.
Care England, the country’s largest representative body for care homes, said the number of residents dying from the illness far surpassed government estimates.
Charles was moved to fight the Germans and Italians in the Siege of Malta between 1940 and 1942, before being capture on Greek Island of Leros
Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) earlier this week showed only 237 care home coronavirus deaths had been recorded in England and Wales up to April 3.
The Daily Mail revealed on Wednesday that care home providers suspected at least 4,000 care home residents had died from Covid-19.
But Professor Martin Green, the chief executive of Care England, said yesterday the figure had likely now reached 7,500.
Speaking to the Telegraph, Professor Green said: ‘Without testing it is very difficult to give an absolute figure.
‘However, if we look at some of the death rates since April 1 and compare them with previous years’ rates, we estimate a figure of about 7, 500 people may have died as a result of Covid-19.’