AN RAF veteran from Barry who braved missions over Nazi-occupied Europe has died, aged 95, writes Martin Wade.

Fred Seal joined the RAF in 1943, leaving his job as a carpenter and went to Lord’s Cricket Ground in London which was used as a holding centre for RAF recruits.

Mr Seal completed his training in South Africa, and from there he travelled through Africa to Egypt and then to Italy.

From there he would play his part in taking the fight to Nazi Germany and its vital supply centres.

The flight sergeant flew from Tortorella in southern Italy with 70 Squadron, flying the long-range B-24 Liberator, an American heavy bomber.

His job on his 15 bombing missions was to aim up to 8,000lbs of bombs and drop them on targets such as railway marshalling yards and oil refineries in Northern Italy, Austria, Yugoslavia and Germany.

When peace came, Mr Seal’s trade was invaluable to the post-war rebuilding efforts and he worked on the construction of Aldermaston power station.

He eventually returned to Barry and helped to build Cardiff's Empire Pool and the Butlins holiday camp on Barry Island.

His daughter Belinda Brown said he wanted to better himself.

She said: "He went to Barry College and studied management and then worked for Glamorgan County Council."

He later became chief of works for South Glamorgan Council before retiring in 1985.

His neighbour on Castleland Street, in Barry, and good friend was also destined to serve on bombing raids for the RAF.

Gordon Yeo was an air gunner on the Dambuster Raid in 1943 and sadly lost his life.

Remembering his fallen comrades was important to him.

He went to visit Mr Yeo’s grave near where his Lancaster bomber crashed in the Netherlands and often returned to Italy to visit the graves of members of his squadron who never came home.

Mr Seal was keen to stay in touch with those who had returned from war and was a member of the Aircrew Association and the United Services Mess in Cardiff where many a reunion dinner was held.

He leaves his only child, Belinda, grandchildren Elizabeth and David Brown and son-in-law Richard Brown.

His funeral will be held at Adams Funeral Home in Barry on Wednesday, December 12.