And Reginald Cale was in that elite band of war heroes.
He survived both world wars and fought in the Battle of the Somme.
Reginald, who was born in 1896, was given an array of medals for his bravery.
His grandson Ian, 55, of St Andrew’s Road, Stainburn, said: “He put his life on the line. I’m really proud to be associated with someone like him.
“There were a lot of heroes during the war and he wasn’t the only one, but he was one of the lucky ones.”
Reginald was a Second Lieutenant and later a captain in World War One and a squadron leader with the Royal Air Force in World War Two. He died in 1968.
Ian added: “I knew about the medal, but as time went by I got to know about the Somme and I realised what it had been all about and what a horrific experience he had gone through.”
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