Pte Bell... left his cover with the most magnificent and complete disregard of his personal safety

Mr Bell's military citation

The soldier served as a private in the Royal Scots in North Africa and then Italy.

Aged 29, he was honoured for his role in an attack on the formidably-defended Vincigliata Castle near Florence in Italy.

He had leapt into action as his comrades came under heavy fire.

His citation states: "Pte Bell, seeing that the greatest danger lay in the fire which was coming from the castle itself, left his cover...

" ...with the most magnificent and complete disregard of his personal safety, [he] dashed across the bullet-swept ground and fired his gun at point-blank range into the windows and slits of the castle...

" ...he was successful in silencing at least one of the enemy automatics."

'Real character'

Mr Bell had just �120 when he died at the residential home he had lived in for eight years.

A regional newspaper set up a fund to pay for full military honours, and a local undertaker offered to provide his services free of charge.

He used to say he was Robert the Bruce, and he would sit with a tartan scarf on

Marie Murray, home manager

A woman who lived in West Pelton later offered a free burial plot.

Ms Murray added: "He used to talk about his life in his army and his friends... but he never discussed the medal."

Barbara Ratcliffe, the secretary of the Derwentside Branch of the Soldiers Sailors Airmen and Families Association said: "As far as he was concerned, he was not a hero.

"He joined up voluntarily and did his bit."

Ms Murray told BBC News Online that many people wanted to help in any way they could.

She said:: "It shows that the public really do care about their war veterans, we are delighted about that.

"When he didn't have a drink he was very quiet, but he used to say he was Robert the Bruce, and he would sit with a tartan scarf on and bang his stick, he was a real character," she added.

There were pipers at the funeral in Chester-le-Street cemetery on Monday.

A serving major from the Royal Scots attended the service, and the coffin was draped in the Union Flag as a bugler played "The Last Post".