THE only man to have commanded both the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the region's Green Howards regiment has died aged 93.

Colonel Michael Roberts joined the North Yorkshire regiment as a second lieutenant in August 1933.

By 1938, he was serving on operations in Waziristan and by the outbreak of the Second World War he had been promoted to captain.

In 1948, he was appointed commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, The Green Howards, fighting against the communists in Malaya until 1952.

A decision was then taken to reform the 2nd Battalion, which had been disbanded after the Second World War and Lieutenant Colonel Roberts took command.

His subsequent Army career was wide-ranging, including time at the School of Combined Operations and at the War Office. He was awarded the OBE in 1956.

In 1999, Col Roberts' son Patrick followed in his father's footsteps and became commanding officer of the 1st Battalion.