THE family of a North-East soldier has been honoured, nearly 60 years after his death.

Sunderland-born Lance Corporal Eric Elliott died following a road collision while serving with the Royal Military Police in Perak, Malaysia, in April 1951.

He was returning from a routine mail collection from the Army headquarters in Kuala Lumpur by motorcycle when he was hit by a truck in what is believed – but has never been proven – to be a deliberate attack, and died of his injuries.

More than half a century on, his family has been presented with the Elizabeth Cross, an honour awarded to the next of kin of servicemen and women who have died on operations or as a result of an act of terrorism, in recognition of their loss and sacrifice.

Lord Crathorne, Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, presented the cross to LCpl Elliott’s brother, Brian, his brother’s wife, June, their daughters Michele Douglass and Sharon Goldstraw, and LCpl Elliott’s great-nephew, Rhys Elliott, at a private ceremony in York, last weekend.

Brian Elliott, who lives in Redcar, Cleveland, remembers the day he was told his brother had died.

He said: “The presentation was extremely emotional, but it brought back very fond memories. I will cherish this cross always.”

LCpl Elliott was born in Monkwearmouth, Sunderland, in October 1931, one of ten children. He joined the British Army at 19 as a National Serviceman, enlisting into the Royal Military Police on May 11, 1950.

In the same year, as a newlytrained policeman, he was posted to 17 Gurkha Division Provost Company Royal Military Police, based at Ipoh, in Perak. His beat was one of the largest in the area.

The crash which killed him happened on April 23, 1951.

The Elizabeth Cross was introduced in July last year – the first time the name of a reigning monarch had been given to a new award since the George Cross was instituted in 1940, by King George VI, for brave acts by both civilians and the military.

It consists of a cross made of hallmarked silver, carrying the rose of England, the Scottish thistle, the Irish shamrock and the Welsh daffodil.

The centre bears the crowned cipher of the Queen and it is backed by a representation of a laurel wreath.