A GUARD of honour was formed as a mark of respect at the funeral of a Darlington ex-serviceman yesterday.

Jack Tomlinson, 85, of Quaker Lane, died in his sleep at home last Tuesday.

Born in Stretford, Manchester, Mr Tomlinson was a promising footballer in his youth and had trials with Bolton Wanderers.

He trained as a butcher, but joined the Royal Tank Corps in the 1930s.

The storeman who issued him with his uniform at the Bovington Army Base, in Dorset was the legendary Lawrence of Arabia.

When the Second World War broke out, he was sent to France, fought his way to Dunkirk and was eventually rescued from the beaches.

As a sergeant tank commander, he was involved in desert fighting as one of Monty's Eighth Army against Rommel's Panzers until he was captured during the struggle for Tobruk.

Having escaped a German PoW camp, he was recaptured a few miles from the Swiss border and taken to the Auschwitz concentration camp, where he remained until the end of the war.

He returned to butchery when he got out and moved with his family to Darlington in 1950. He was a long-serving and popular member of the 428 Bradford VC Mess, Darlington, an ex-servicemen's club.

But he was affected by the PoW camp experience for the rest of his life. His daughter Janet Mortimer said he still shouted and sang in German in his sleep.

Allan Newman, a mess colleague, said: "He was just a great bloke and it was a pleasure to know him.

"It was a pleasure to sit, the both of us with our pipes, and just have a chat. He enjoyed his life right to the end."

Mr Tomlinson's coffin was draped in the Union flag and a guard of honour formed by members of the 428 Bradford VC Mess at his funeral at Darlington Crematorium.

He is survived by his wife Gladys, daughter Janet and son John.