After a long, full life, Major Tom marches off into the sunset

10:39am Friday 11th April 2008

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ONE of Worcester's best-known old soldiers has marched off into the sunset.

Major Thomas Eric Averill, of Hanbury Park, St John's, known affectionately as Major Tom, has died at the age of 90.

In a colourful life he was a stalwart of the Dunkirk Veterans Association and a Worcester Rugby Club player.

Born on his parents' ranch in Canada in November, 1917, Mr Averill moved back to England with the family three years later and spent the rest of his life in Worcestershire, farming at Holt Heath and later in the agricultural seeds business.

Apart, that was, from his exploits during the Second World War with the 67th (Worcestershire) Field Regiment of the Royal Artillery.

The territorial unit was embroiled in the carnage of the Dunkirk evacuation, eventually lifted off the beaches by, most appropriately, the destroyer HMS Worcester.

For 30 years after the war, Major Tom organised trips back to this famous part of France for the Dunkirk Veterans Association.

He once said: "We always get a marvellous reception. People never forget."

Tom Averill was also one of the oldest surviving past playing members of Worcester Rugby Club and during the 1980s was groundsman at the club's Sixways pitch at Warndon.

He lived alone after his wife Mavis died in 1991, and when doctors banned him from driving because of increasing arthritis, he took to his bike and became a familiar figure around the area.

He said: "The trouble was I could only pull up on one side of the road. I needed to get my right foot down first, because the left wouldn't bear my weight. It was very embarrassing, I can tell you. I tended to wander around a bit until I found the right spot. People began to think I'd gone in the head. They must have thought Poor old begger, he's past it'."

After the bike, Major Tom switched to public transport, flourishing his bus pass with aplomb and waving his stick to greet the approaching driver.

But ill health finally did for him and after spells in and out of hospital over the past year, he moved to Henwick Grange nursing home in Hallow Road, Worcester, where he lasted only five days.

"Father wouldn't have liked a nursing home, " said his son Michael. "It wasn't him."

As well as his son, Tom Averill left a daughter Julia and their families.

His funeral service will be held at St John's Church, Worcester on Wednesday, April 16, at noon.