The widow of a D-Day veteran who “rarely spoke” about the horrors of the Second World War has discovered a diary he wrote recounting his experiences.

Traumatised by his experience on the Normandy beaches, Edward “Ted” Salthouse never really spoke about his time in France as many of the memories were too painful.

However, following his death three weeks ago, his widow Lily has discovered a diary he kept, documenting his thoughts from the Second World War.

Now, Lily hopes that by highlighting his diary she can help shed more light on the part he played in an event that changed the course of history.

Speaking from her home in Epsom, 81-year-old Lily, who met Ted after the war, revealed he was only 18 years old when he stormed the beaches of Normandy on June 6, 1944 along with thousands of other Allied troops.

She said: “What they did was so unbelievably brave. They were only babies themselves, so it makes it all the more special that they risked their lives in this way.

“Sometimes he would see a reference in a film, or on the TV and he would be overcome by the emotion of it. He lost many friends on the beaches so it was really hard for him.”

More than 425,000 Allied and German troops were killed, wounded or went missing during the Battle of Normandy, and Ted’s division, the E Troop, No 45 Commando, also suffered appalling losses.

In his account, Ted described seeing comrades fall at his side and how, as the company stepped off the boat into a hail of German gunfire, his Sergeant was struck in the neck by a sniper.

As an unarmed Ted struggled ashore, dodging shells and stray bullets, he was forced to pick up a rifle from a fallen soldier, something that Lily says particularly affected him in later years.

“He had to take the weapon, but I think it was the feeling of leaving the soldier unarmed that was hard,” she explained.

After the war Ted moved back to his home town of Mitcham, where he got a job as a print worker. It was here that he met Lily, who describes meeting Ted as a “wonderful moment”.

She said: “When the soldiers returned they were treated as heroes – everyone was talking about Ted when he joined.

“It was a love at first sight that never ended. Ours was a perfect marriage.

"He was a man in a million."

They then moved to Epsom, where they had two children, later growing to three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Ted became a regular at the local gold club.

The couple returned to Normandy in 2005 for the 50th Anniversary of the battle, meeting up with many of Ted’s former comrades and taking time to pay their respects to the fallen.

“It was so moving to see all the graves. It really hit home just how many people died that day,” Lily added.

Against all odds, Ted was reunited with his sergeant, who survived despite his wounds, recognising each other immediately, despite not having seen each other for more than 50 years.

Ted was struck down with cancer of the bone marrow two years ago, and despite seven operations in 14 months, it was a battle too far for the veteran.

Lily describes how Ted, in his final days, showed bravery reminiscent of his feats on the beaches of France.

She said: “He never complained once and was always cheerful and upbeat. The nurses loved him and two of the ambulance drivers even came to the funeral.”

Despite his experiences on the beaches of France, Lily says that Ted never showed any anger towards the German soldiers who fought against him so many years ago.

She said: “He always said how they were mother’s sons too.

“He hated war and what it did to the soldiers and their families. Whenever he saw a news report about Iraq or Afghanistan he became very angry.

“For Ted, war was something that he had to do, he didn’t choose it.”