A FORMER SAS colonel and Second World War hero has died at the age of 100.

Taunton-born John Llewellyn Waddy saw action at the Battle of Arnhem and was wounded and taken prisoner of war by German troops.

In later life he was an adviser for and enjoyed a walk on part in the film A Bridge Too Far, which told the story of the bloody battle.

John, who was born in June 1920 and served with the Somerset Light Infantry in India after he joined up in July 1939.

He then volunteered to join the Parachute Regiment and saw action in Italy in 1943.

He was then part of the 1st Airborne Division with 4 Para at Arnhem.

After the war he saw action in Palestine and the Malayan emergency and was mentioned in dispatches.

He became a director of the SAS and was a military advisor.

He died on Sunday.

John, the son of Lt Col Richard Waddy, DSO, and his wife Llewellyn, was educated at Wellington College and then as a cadet at Sandhurst.

He sailed for India the day that war was declared on Germany.

There was little action in India, so he volunteered for a new British parachute battalion in August 1941, qualifying for his wings on the day Japan attacked Pearl Harbour.

He was posted to Italy, where he found an Italian 179mm Howitzer, which he used to scatter Germans gathering to counter attack.

John was promoted to acting major before sailing back to Britain and Operation Market Garden.

The Allies planned o use airborne forces to secure key bridges over rivers and canals in the Netherlands, opening a route into Germany.

John was dropped at Arnhem and he later recalled that his Dakota plane was so near the ground he could see the faces of the German gun crews below.

He and his men came under small arms fire at the plane's doors and heavy fire as they parachuted onto Ginkel Heath and were later strafed by a German fighter and encountered German Panzer tank troops.

John was shot in the groin by a sniper as he took on a twin barrelled German 20mm flak gun.

He was only saved by a Rhodesian soldier who carried him back to Company HQ, where he was operated on on a hotel billiard table.

Then in aid stations he was hit in the left foot by a mortar round shell fragment and another hit caused facial and shoulder wounds.

Once recovered he was taken to Stalag VII-A where he stayed until liberated in April 1945.

John he was impressed by the kindness of the German medial staff and guards, with one nurse saving his foot from being amputated.

He went on to hold a series of command posts at home and overseas and won the OBE in 1963.