Royal British Legion stalwart Ernest Hardcastle, of Holyrood Drive, Minster, died at Medway Maritime Hospital on New Year’s Day. He was aged 88.

He had been ill intermittently since March 2014 having suffered a series of mini strokes and the onset of dementia.

A native of Neverton in the West Riding of Yorkshire, he came to Sheppey in 1964 to work as a plant engineer.

In his regular Army career, he had been responsible for the maintenance and movement of tanks. His late wife, Victoria, had served with the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force.

Ernie, as he was popularly known, discovered that his mother-in-law, Mary Isobel Smith, had been a wartime heroine with the French Resistance.

He and Victoria had enjoyed travel around the globe which promoted a love of photography and philately. He was also an avid reader and had an extensive library.

From 1993 until 2005, he was membership secretary for the Sheerness branch of the Royal British Legion and was also a friend of the now disbanded Sheppey branch of the Royal Air Forces Association (RAFA)

He leaves two sons, two daughters, three stepchildren and grandchildren. The funeral was held at the Garden of England Crematorium on Wednesday.

Donations, if wished, to the Frank Lloyd Unit, cheques made payable to Friends for Mental Health, c/o Bournes of Sittingbourne. Call 01795 424423 for more information.