Obituary: Fred Kaye MBE, former President and pension welfare officer of Bathgate's Royal British Legion, 84

Mr Kaye was born in Dublin and served in the Irish Army before moving at the age of 19 to join the Royal Air Force in England.

While stationed in Benson, Oxfordshire he worked in the RAF as a mechanic and aircraft repairer. Most prominent of his tenure at the RAF was his service spent in India.

While at Benson, he met his wife Margaret who was also stationed there and the couple got married in 1950.

After the war they returned to Margaret's home town of Bathgate and while there, Mr Kaye opened up a tool shop, originally in premises on North Bridge Street before relocating to Muir Road.

The couple became proud parents when their daughter Janette was born. Janette now lives in Cyprus.

Mr Kaye dedicated a lot of his time to Bathgate's branch of the Royal British Legion.

Colin Darvock, who knew Mr Kaye through the Legion, described him as "a gentleman who gave so much of his time. Fred would work very hard, asking advice from doctors and liaising closely with Mrs Margaret Paterson who worked in Government offices to get financial help to those who best needed it".

Thomas Morrison, another friend Mr Kaye made through the Legion, remembered him fondly saying: "He was a joyful guy, laughing at his own jokes and Irish through and through".

Mr Kaye embodied the Royal British Legion's motto, "Service, not self" by giving up his spare time to host what he called "surgeries": sessions he put in place to help those seeking aid. As well as this, he was a colour bearer, carrying the Legion's standard for many years.

His work ethic was recognised on the Queen's birthday honours list last year as he was awarded an MBE for his service to the Legion. In November he and his wife Margaret travelled down to London to receive the prestigious accolade.

He also worked with the Soldiers, Sailors and Air Force Association and helped the blind at Linburn.

His wife Margaret had a sense of humour not unlike Mr Kaye's when she said of him: "I was his background. He just worked with the Legion, I won the war."

George Ross, general secretary at the Royal British Legion HQ in Scotland classed Mr Kaye as a "signpost narrator" as he was a great communicator.

Mr Ross added: "To replace Fred will be a very difficult task as his experience and depth of knowledge was incredible".

Mr Kaye died following a long battle with cancer. He will be sadly missed.