HE was honoured in a ceremony to befit the hero he was.

The bells of Durham Cathedral could be heard throughout the city as about 1,000 people filed in to pay tribute to the courage of Captain Richard Annand, who died on Christmas Eve, aged 90.

The memorial service for the first soldier in the Second World War to be awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery was attended by Capt Annand's widow, Shirley, along with comrades, former soldiers and civic and military leaders.

At least 25 standards of Durham Light Infantry Association branches and the Royal British Legion were paraded through the cathedral as Capt Annand's medals were laid on the High Altar.

Addressing the service, Major General Robin Brims, Colonel of the Light Infantry, said Capt Annand was born in South Shields with "impeccable timing" on Inkerman Day 1914 -which commemorates the Battle of Inkerman, on November 5, in which the Durham Light Infantry was involved.

His father was killed at Gallipoli. He was last seen waving his sword and shouting: "Come on Collingwoods."

His body was never recovered, and Capt Annand, then six months old, was brought up to revere his father as the epitome of bravery. His ambition was to show himself worthy of his father.

His chance came at the age of 25 when, while serving as a second lieutenant in the Second Battalion of the DLI, his actions won him the Victoria Cross.

On May 16, 1940, his platoon engaged a German unit on a bridge over the River Dyle, near Brussels, Belgium.

When his men ran out of ammunition, he advanced over open ground under heavy fire and drove the enemy back with grenades, injuring more than 20 enemy soldiers. After having his wounds dressed, he resumed command of his men and continued the attack.

When his platoon withdrew, he found his batman was missing, so returned behind enemy lines and brought the injured man back in a wheelbarrow.

Although Capt Annand recovered from his wounds, he lost most of his hearing on a commanders' course and was medically downgraded as his battalion embarked for Burma. Maj Gen Brims said: "Dick was broken-hearted. He begged to be sent on a suicide mission in the jungle.

"But someone pointed out that as he could not hear, he would not be much use as a spy."

General Sir Peter de la Billiere, formerly of the DLI, who later led British Forces during the first Gulf War, gave a reading from The Pilgrim's Progress.

The service also remembered Capt Annand's unstinting work for disabled people, particularly as founder member of the British Association of the Hard of Hearing -now Hearing Concern.

Shortly before he died in hospital, he said to his wife: "Darling, God has been so good to me. I have a wonderful wife and had a full life. I am ready to go."

The Dean of Durham, The Very Reverend Michael Sadgrove, said: "When an old soldier hangs up his sword at the great age of 90, no one is going to say that death is wrong or cruel.

"We give thanks for a long, fulfilled life, and for an ending that brought it to a close with dignity."

Buglers from the 2nd Battalion Light Infantry, a successor regiment to the DLI, played the Last Post and Reveille.