THE last wish of a decorated Newport D-Day veteran has been granted – after his medals were returned to Wales from his home in Canada.
Lyndon Sheedy, CStJ, CD, ADC from Crindau had a decorated career in the Armed Forces and regularly returned from his home in Canada to Newport and France to pay his respects on D-Day.
Mr Sheedy died aged 96 on August 14, 2020, and wished for his medals to be returned to the Royal Regiment of Wales Museum in Brecon – formerly the South Wales Borderers Museum.
On September 30, 2021, his sister Joan Reynolds – herself a veteran who served in the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) attached to the Royal Artillery on anti-aircraft guns - and Lord Lieutenant for Gwent, Brigadier Robert Aitken presented his military and civilian medals and awards along with two pictures to the museum’s curator Amanda Rosewarne. They were joined by Ms Reynolds' friends Ivan and Sue Beatty.
Mr Sheedy was born in Crindau on July 31, 1924 and he joined the 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers in 1942 and was posted with the A Company to secure prime minister Winston Churchill’s residence Chequers.
On D-Day – June 6, 1944 – he was posted to Normandy with the 2nd Battalion and the Gloucesters and Essex regiments. At 7.30am, he landed on the ‘Gold’ beach in Normandy. He was later wounded and returned home for treatment.
He later served with the 1st Battalion South Wales Borderers in Cyprus, Gaza and in Palestine during the uprising. He also served in Sudan and Eritrea.
Mr Sheedy spent the last period of his British Army career as permanent staff instructor at the Regimental Depot in Brecon. He left the British Army in 1952 with the rank of sergeant.
In 1953, he joined the Canadian Army as a corporal and was transferred to 2nd Battalion Canadian Guards. The following year he was promoted to sergeant. In 1956 he was posted to N.A.T.O, West Germany as platoon commander and on return to Canada he carried out garrison field and ceremonial guard duties on Parliament Hill.
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He was promoted to warrant officer in 1965 and served as company quartermaster. He then returned to N.A.T.O West Germany at brigade headquarters where he served as administration warrant officer.
Mr Sheedy returned to Canada to Bordon, Ontario and served as senior warrant officer of the Basic Infantry Training Division. In 1972 he was transferred to Combat Arms School as an instructor and then to Mechanised Commando where he was platoon warrant officer.
In 1974 he was commissioned as lieutenant and requested leave from the Canadian forces. As a civilian, he was then employed by the United States Embassy in the Department of State Administration in General Services. His role was to coordinate and supervise staff set ups during presidential, secretary of state and other VIP visits.
He was awarded the United Stated Government Citation Medal for outstanding performance and on retirement in July 1989, he was presented with a certificate for dedicated service to the United States of America Government by the US ambassador to Canada, Edward N. Ney.
Following his retirement, Mr Sheedy dedicated his time to the community, spending 17 years with the Order of St John – where he was described as personifying the principles of the Order and was recognised as a ‘rare individual who performed extremely well demonstrating leadership and determination of the highest standard.’
Mr Sheedy was given a number of accolades by various organisations and nations for his service. He was given the French National Order of the Legion of Honour – the highest national order of France. He was presented with this by the French ambassador to Canada at the French Embassy in Ottawa.
He was also presented with a medal from the mayor of Caen in France – a place he visited annually. This presentation was made in his home of Newport by Madam Marie Lambert-Prou.
He was elevated to officer and then to commander in 1983 in ceremonies at Christchurch Cathedral in Ottawa. In July 1991, he was appointed aide-de-camp to the Governor General.
For 32 years he was a carer for his wife Jean who suffered with MS. He also cared for another lady who lived in the same apartment complex for 11 years.
Not only did Mr Sheedy have a long, outstanding career in the Armed Forces and government, he was also an author and an artist. He painted landscapes and wrote about his life and experiences in his book Under Five Flags, a Soldier’s Oddyssey.
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