A FAMILY have paid tribute to their father who served on a minesweeper during Second World War.

Ronald Draper, known as Ron, died on November 11. He was born in Cardiff but spent most of his life in Newport.

The family describe him as a man full of love, smiles, fun and support. He loved life and company and his parting words were always “Keep Happy”.

He grew up with three brothers and one sister in Ely and times were tough for the family.

His daughter Avril Lane said: “He grew up with nothing, and when times were really rough they would get food from the Salvation Army.
“He joined the home guard in 1940 and learnt how to use a bayonet and kept rounds of ammunition at home in case of an attack.”

Mr Draper went to sign up to join the Navy in 1941 and was appointed to a ship, but because he was 17-years-old he needed his father’s permission. As his father refused to let him go, Mr Draper had to wait one year for him to turn 18-years-old before he could join.

He joined in 1942 and went on to serve as part of the 32-man crew on the minesweeper BYMS2205 during the D-Day landings in 1944. He was a leading steward and storeman on the ship and would tell his family about the dangerous work he did while carrying out minesweeping operations.

Ms Lane said: “He was still minesweeping after the war, and he said that he was doing the work on his 21st birthday, and they were still blowing up the mines to make the sea safe."

She added: “He had fond memories especially of the camaraderie.”

He had shell shock after the war and had a tick which meant he jerked his head, but that got less noticeable as the years passed.

Although he would have witnessed people dying he didn’t speak about his experiences.

His son Colin Draper said: “The only negative he told us was that he would be right near the big battle ships when they fired their guns and he said that was deafening.”

He met Sylvia Williams from Cwmbran at the fair in Barry.

They married in 1950 and they bought a house on Traston Road in Newport and later moved to the Beechwood area in 1970.

They had three children and went on to foster four more children, and one of those was Lorna Dickson who was fostered from the age of eight months and remained with the family and is still very close to her foster-siblings.

Mr Draper’s funeral will be held at the Holy Trinity Christchurch in Newport on December 5 at 10am and then on to the Gwent Crematorium in Cwmbran at 11am.