Tributes to war veteran, 105, who lived 'extraordinary life'

Tributes have been paid to a World War Two veteran who has died aged 105.

Born in 1920 in Liverpool during the Spanish flu pandemic, Geoffrey Doyle served in the Royal Corps of Signals during the war.

His family said he was a person with "strong determination and conviction" and preferred to "dive in and do it, then ask for forgiveness later".

Doyle, who lived in Solihull, also enjoyed "many bars of Bournville dark chocolate, thick bread, Morecambe Bay shrimps and pork pies".

Age UK said the veteran lived an "extraordinary life" serving in the armed forces and was part of the Allied invasion of Italy in 1943.

He also survived a cancer diagnosis 15 years ago.

After the war, he was a mechanical engineer and worked in both South Africa and Spain, before moving to Solihull in 1963.

His son Francis Doyle said the key characteristic of his father’s personality was "extreme resilience" and that he preferred to make up his own mind.

But sometimes he would accidentally order items in bulk, "including a dozen Japanese watches, 5kg jars of boiled sweets and six cases of Vaseline", his son added.

Every year, Doyle would celebrate his birthday at Rowington Cricket Club, in Warwick.

Age UK Solihull had been supporting Doyle in living alone after his wife Sheila died in 2017.

They had been married for 67 years and had four sons.

The charity's Linking People Together Coordinator Tracey Grove, who worked with the 105-year-old, said: "It was a privilege to support Mr Doyle over the years. He was a true gentleman.

"He was always grateful, always interested in others and always ready with a story from his remarkable life.

"We all cared about him very much and he will be deeply missed."

His family said the charity had provided him with friendship and companionship and Doyle was often heard saying: "I've been very lucky in my life."