THE PEOPLE of West Oxfordshire came out in force to pay their respects to a Second World War veteran today.

St Mary’s Church, Witney, hosted the funeral of Patrick Churchill, who was one of the first to storm the Normandy beaches on D-Day.

The decorated war hero died aged 94 on June 28 and almost 150 wellwishers gathered for the service and a tribute at the war memorial on Church Green.

Dozens of passers-by stood in respectful silence as the Last Post was played to honour the much-loved Witney resident.

Mr Churchill’s son, Frank, gave a eulogy during the service and spoke of his gratitude that so many turned out to honour his father.

He said: “It was a wonderful service made special by all the friends that dad came to know over his lifetime and all my friends that came to support me.

“I thought it was a fitting send-off for dad and thank you to the people of Witney who turned out to send him a farewell.”

Mr Churchill landed on Juno Beach on June 6, 1944, and his tank was the only one to make it off the beach unscathed.

In 1964, he married German Red Cross nurse Karin Busch, who survived the Dresden bombings in February 1945, and the couple lived in Garsington before moving to Witney.

Mr Churchill returned to Normandy every year including, in 2014, with then Prime Minister and Witney MP David Cameron on the 70th anniversary of D-Day.

His wife Karin died in January, aged 87, but Mr Churchill still made his annual pilgrimage to the beaches weeks before his death.

Today’s funeral was taken by the Reverend Simon Kirby, with Witney Town Council’s Chris Holliday joining Frank Churchill in giving a eulogy.

Hymns included I Vow To Thee My Country and Abide With Me, while there were performances from bagpipes and buglers and soprano Emma Brown.

After the service, mourners and Witney residents stood shoulder to shoulder at the war memorial for the committal, Last Post and Reveille and final blessing.

Duncan Enright, a long -term friend of the Churchills and leader of West Oxfordshire Labour group, attended the service and paid tribute to the D-Day veteran.

He said: “It was really nice to see so many people from different parts of his life – his neighbours, people from the local pub, his family and friends.

“It felt really fitting to combine the military side of his life but also his life in Witney.

“We’ll miss him.”