The Gaunless Valley’s last known Second World War veteran has died, aged 102.
Victor Brown, who earned the 1939 War Medal, the 1939-45 Star and the Burma Star with Pacific clasp, died on January 14 after a short illness.
He had been a resident of Evenwood Gate for 99 years.
Mr Brown was born at Staindrop on May 29, 1923, but his family moved to Evenwood when he was aged one, after his father John got a job at the Randolph Colliery.
In 1944 he married Gwen Pugh while on leave from war service.
Kevin Richardson, from Evenwood, Ramshaw and District History Society, interviewed Mr Brown shortly before he moved to Sussex after his celebrating his centenary.
He said: “He was aboard HMS Sussex from 1942 to 1946, seeing action in the Western Approaches, D-Day and the Far East.
“We believe Victor is the only remaining serviceman to have witnessed action in the Second World War living in our local area of Evenwood, Ramshaw and Evenwood Gate.”
After the war he worked as a bricklayer.
Robert Linsley, also from the history group and a former joiner said: “I was on the same sites doing different things. He mainly worked for local builders.
“He would work local – Catterick, Bishop Auckland area and Barnard Castle.
“A bricklayer gang consisted of two bricklayers and a hod carrier who serviced the bricklayers – it was known as a two and one gang. A hod was a thing you put over your shoulders to carry bricks in. But it’s changed now, everything is on a forklift.”
Mr Brown was also well known in the darts and domino league, playing for the Sun Inn team.
“He liked a bet on the horses,” added Mr Linsley.
An announcement of Mr Brown’s death on the history group’s social media site attracted a lot of comments from people who knew him.
Patricia Hamilton wrote: “There are many happy memories of our lives together in our little village of Evenwood Gate – what times at the Old Brown Jug, street parties and wonderful neighbours.”
A number of others described him as a “proper gentleman”.
Mr Brown is survived by his son Michael, daughter-in-law Susanne, grandchildren Amanda and Kimberley, great-grandchildren Willow, Maddy, Andrew, Luke and James, and great-great-grandchildren Lucas and Ava-Rose.
