AN HEROIC Army Major who led the liberation of a Belgian village in the Second World War is being honoured by the community he risked his life fo

Major Jack Watson of Scarborough was sent with his men to the sleepy village of Bure to flush out the Germans in what would prove to be a bloody battle.

Major Watson was a company commander with the Paras’ 13th (Lancashire) battalion tasked with liberating Bure and a neighbouring village taken by the Germans during their devastating offensive in eastern Belgium in December 1944.

Having to contend with heavy snow and withering machine-gun and mortar fire, the Paras suffered 28 casualties even before they launched their attack on January 3.

Major Watson rallied his troops and pressed on with the assault regardless of personal danger.

There was fierce hand-to-hand, house-to-house combat in the village and it took three days to clear every building.

The Germans called up their powerful Panther tanks, and at one point Major Watson, just 50-yards from one tank, drew attention to himself so that his gunners could get a better shot at it.

The Paras lost 68 men in the action, and Major Watson – who died in 2011 aged 94 - was awarded the Military Cross for his gallantry.

The citation stated that without his efforts the British assault might well have failed.

After the war, Mr Watson organised veterans’ trips to the village, which will honour his memory on March 24 inaugurating a new square to be called ‘Place Major Jack Watson MC’.

The ceremony will be attended by two veterans and Major Watson’s four daughters and grandchildren.