Tributes paid after death of Geordie D-Day hero and 'extraordinary character' Billy Ness Billy Ness was just 19 when he parachuted into France in the first minutes of June 6 1944 Get the latest North East news and updates delivered straight to your inbox Invalid EmailSomething went wrong, please try again later. Subscribe When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Your information will be used in accordance with ourPrivacy Notice. Thank you for subscribingWe have more newslettersShow meSee ourprivacy notice Tributes have been paid to a Geordie D-Day hero and "extraordinary character" after his death at the age of 96.