TRIBUTES pouring in for old soldier Gordon Moore, who has died at the age of 92, included a letter from a member of one of Britain's most influential families.

Mr Moore, who became known as Swindon's number one Royal British Legion poppy seller, was driver to Major Edmund de Rothschild of the Royal Artillery TA for a large part of World War Two.

They saw service together with the RA 77th Field Regiment in France, Italy and North Africa. Both were wounded and they kept in touch afterwards.

Mr Moore, who lied about his age to join up when he was 16, died at the Brinkworth home of his daughter Diana Davis, 62.

He never forgot his wartime service, during which he was taken prisoner of war and spent weeks in a German army hospital recovering from injuries.

His wife Eve was sent a telegram reporting him missing, believed killed.

The Last Post will be sounded and a Royal British Legion guard of honour will be present at the committal at Kingsdown Crematorium following a funeral service at Holy Rood Roman Catholic Church next Wednesday.

For many years, until ill health prevented him, Mr Moore was a familiar sight behind his tray of poppies in Regent Street in the days leading up to Remembrance Day.

"Over the years he collected about £55,000 for the Royal British Legion's work with ex-servicemen and their families," said Mrs Davis.

His work inspired Major de Rothschild to send him a personal cheque for £500, which he added to the Swindon poppy appeal total.

Mr Moore was hoping to attend a service reunion at the de Rothschilds' home near South-ampton this summer. Instead Mrs Davis, 62, and her daughter Amanda Whitfield, 42, have been invited to go in his place.

He and Eve, who had two children, lived in Summerhouse Road, Wroughton, for 40 years. Their younger daughter, Christine, died of cancer 12 years ago at the age of 40. Mrs Moore died two years later.

Besides Mrs Davis he leaves three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

As well as his work for the Legion Mr Moore was an enthusiastic member of the Boy Scout movement and was a cub master for many years.

He also sang with the Swindon Gilbert and Sullivan Society and was a member of the Holy Rood Church choir.

The service at Holy Rood on Tuesday May 17 will start at 11am. The cremation at Kingsdown will be at 1pm.

Mr Moore is the second noted Swindon poppy seller to have died recently. Geoffrey Gambrill, 80, of Wroughton, died last month.

He was well known for collecting for the Royal British Legion outside McIlroy's department store.

Shirley Mathias