Conwy war hero died of deep vein thrombosis

Sep 30 2008 By Judith Phillips

A FORMER super-fit Army physical training instructor who swam in the sea every day until he was 80 died because of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) after breaking his ankle in a fall in his kitchen.

Larry Romaine, 93, of Old Mill Cottage, Hendre Road, Conwy, was a Second World War hero with medals gained in the retreat to Dunkirk and in Italy, who went on to train commandos and then became a medical sales representative after leaving the Army.

An inquest in Llandudno on Tuesday was told that at the end of February after fracturing his ankle he was treated at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd and then Llandudno Hospital before being discharged on April 3. But a few days later, his daughter Vanessa Romaine said he became unwell and died.

“He’s left a huge hole in the lives of all those who knew him,” she said.

A post mortem showed Mr Romaine had died because of a blood clot which had originated from DVT in his leg and then travelled to his lung causing an embolism.

“This was a sad end to the life of a very fit man who was clear minded to the end,” said assistant deputy North Wales central coroner Kirit Champaneria.