AN OXFORD soldier who spent more than a year in a German prisoner of war camp has died, aged 88.

Former Grenadier Guardsman Harry Salmon spent 14 months in Stalag IV-B, near Dresden, after being caught during the Battle of Anzio in 1944 as 40,000 Allied troops stormed three beaches during Operation Shingle.

After his capture, Mr Salmon was placed in a makeshift prisoner camp in an Italian film studio before being transferred to Stalag IV-B, one of Germany’s largest POW camps, which held around 30,000 Allied soldiers.

Although his partner Liz Wellstood said he didn’t like to talk about his war experiences he always told her he was “treated well” by the Germans.

And in a diary in which he kept notes of significant dates of his experience of the war, he marked his release date on April 13, 1945 with the simple words – “Relieved by Yanks.”

Mr Salmon was born in Nuneham Courtenay in May 1921 and married his wife Edna May in 1942 a year after joining the Grenadier Guards.

During the war his wife lived in Harpes Road, Summertown After becoming a widower Mr Salmon spent his last 15 years living with Mrs Wellstood in Eden Drive, Marston.

A proud ex-serviceman, he attended all the Royal British Legion repatriation ceremonies outside the John Radcliffe Hospital where he would sport his four war medals as he paid tribute to the sacrifice made by British soldiers killed in Afghan-istan.

In fact, it was at a repatriation ceremony in Headley Way six weeks ago that Mr Salmon collapsed. He died on Tuesday, October 6.

Before his funeral on Friday his coffin passed by former soldiers who had lined up to meet the body of Lance Corporal James Hill, who was killed in Helmand Province, Afghanistan Mrs Wellstood, 76, who lost her husband Bill in 1992, said: “Harry was a gentleman. He was a very, very proud man.

“He wouldn’t go anywhere at all without wearing a collar and tie even through the summer. I just loved him, he was everything to me and he taught me a lot. I will never forget him.”

She said Mr Salmon would celebrate every April 13 to mark the date when he was freed from the prisoner of war camp.

A keen football and cricket fan, Mr Salmon played snooker and Aunt Sally into his 80s and attended bingo nights at the Marston RBL Club in Hadow Road every Friday.

Chairman of the Oxford city group of the RBL Jim Lewendon said: “His family were absolutely chuffed with his send off and all the lads were pleased because he feels like one of ours.

“He was a very pleasant bloke and he never missed a repatriation. That’s why it was so kind for the police to let him through after we saluted our fallen soldier.

“He was proud to be a Grenadier Guardsman and he was very well liked and a lot of people will miss him.”

Mr Salmon is survived by two children, four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.