A SECOND World War hero who fought on D-Day and later became a vascular surgeon at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford has died aged 97.

David John Tibbs, who lived in North Oxford, landed on D-Day as a medic with the 225 Parachute Field Ambulance of the Royal Army Medical Corps and treated soldiers injured as they fought to liberate Europe.

Mr Tibbs, who trained at Guy’s Hospital in London before signing up, took advantage of a wartime measure that allowed doctors to qualify six months earlier than the normal five-year requirement, specifically to help the war effort.

He was assigned to 225 Parachute Field Ambulance and on June 6, 1944, he landed as a medical officer with the 5th Parachute Brigade of the famous 6th Airborne Division.

Mr Tibbs was awarded the Military Cross for his work clearing the parachute drop zone while under fire and received the Legion d’Honneur – the highest decoration awarded by France –in June 2016 for his actions.

After returning to civilian life he trained to become a vascular surgeon and worked at the John Radcliffe Hospital from 1961 until his retirement in 1985.

The doctor was instrumental in moving services from the Radcliffe Infirmary, as it was then known, from their central Oxford home to their current location in Headington.

David Tibbs was born on March 10, 1920, in Croydon to parents Mildred and Evan, who was a city trader.

He had two older brothers who have both passed away within the past 12 months; Christopher, aged 100 and Ian, aged 98.

Mr Tibbs attended Wallington County School in the London borough of Sutton, where he was school captain in 1937-38.

He married Patricia 'Paddy' O'Meara, a nurse at Guy's Hospital, in 1943 and together they had six children; Teresa, Nigel, Brendan, Deborah, Jocelyn and Jonathan.

Teresa was born on August 20, 1944, on the same day Mr Tibbs was shot by a sniper in France, which pierced his right shoulder and caused a severe haemorrhage.

Before taking up his position at the John Radcliffe Hospital he held various positions in London hospitals, including Guy's, before moving to be a lecturer in medicine at Durham University and working at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle.

During his time in Oxford he was president of the Oxford Medical Society in 1979 and a clinical lecturer at Oxford University.

He died at the John Radcliffe Hospital on August 16.

Mr Tibbs is survived by his second wife Marie Ames, who he married in 1968, his six children, 10 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Loved ones will gather for his funeral at St Peter's Church, Wolvercote, on Friday, September 15, at 1.30pm. Any donations are asked to go to the NSPCC.