Described by his children as a "pillar of life in Alnwick and the North East for many decades", Cliff Pettit has passed away aged 96.
He was born in 1925 at Green Batt House in the Northumberland town, attending Duke’s Grammar School.
When given the option in 1943 to pursue 'A' Levels or volunteer for service in the Second World War, he unhesitatingly chose the latter, his family said.
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His military training included time at Sandhurst, becoming one of the youngest officers in the British Army.
There followed a distinguished record of active service, including Operation Blockbuster in Holland and Germany as a platoon commander with the Cameronian regiment.
Aged 19 he had harrowing hands-on involvement in the liberation of Sandbostel concentration camp in Germany.
He was later selected to personally escort Field Marshal Albert Kesselring, one of Nazi Germany's most decorated commanders, to the Nuremberg war trials.
These trials held between November 1945 and October 1946 saw the prosecution of prominent members of the political, military, judicial, and economic leadership of Nazi Germany, who planned, carried out, or otherwise participated in the Holocaust and other war crimes.
"My father spent only about 18 months in the Army but during that time packed an awful lot in," said his son Michael.
"He spent the rest of his life thinking of himself as lucky and wanted to memorialise his fallen colleagues."
However Michael revealed it wasn't until in their 20s that he, brother John and sister Hilary began to hear details of their father's war time exploits.
"He would talk about his war experiences if he was asked but he was always careful what he said. He didn't want to put those experiences onto someone."
Hilary said their mother Lynette, better known as Lyn, preferred to talk about her husband's work in the community.
Post-war, Cliff qualified as a solicitor and was senior partner of Adam Douglas & Sons until retirement in 1990, advising several notable clients including the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland.
He served as chairman of several organisations including Alnwick’s Rotary and Cricket Clubs. He played a leading role in negotiating the Cricket Club’s move to much improved facilities.
An accomplished footballer and squash player, Cliff’s sports career extended into his 60s, and his cricket highlights included the dismissal of West Indies legend Rohan Kanhai.
A highly respected Clerk to the Magistrates for over 25 years, Cliff was invited to lecture nationally.
The family said many a local miscreant trembled at Alnwick Magistrates Court as Cliff ordered them to “stand up straight, take your hands out of your pockets, and tell nothing but the truth”.
In retirement Cliff became a recognised expert in military history and was consulted frequently by leading institutions including the Imperial War Museum in London.
He was personally noted in Max Hastings’ best-selling book Armageddon. In the 1990s he presented two series for ITV on the Somme and Gallipoli conflicts.
Michael recalled how a US General 'fact checking' details for the Band of Brothers TV series set in the Second World War contacted his father to verify information.
"The General later described how he could say that what my father told him was entirely true, reliable and had integrity. This really chimed with me about what my father was."
A great communicator, Cliff recently appeared with Chris Tarrant in his Extreme Railways series on Channel 5, talking with Chris about the Alnwick Camp in World War I.
Hilary said: "My father was a proud son of Alnwick and Northumberland who did lots of work for the community he loved."
Lyn passed away in 2016. Cliff is survived by his children John, Michael and Hilary, and several much-loved grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
