War hero Paddy Leigh Fermor dies aged 96

Acclaimed war hero and British travel writer Sir Patrick Leigh Fermor died yesterday at the age of 96.

Known for his Second World War exploits behind enemy lines in Crete, he is understood to have returned to Britain from his home in Greece following a grave illness.

The writer had reportedly requested to return to England ahead of his death.

A Renaissance character who tramped across Europe in his teens, his books detailing his exacting journey became widely-read and well-loved works.

Although frequently praised for his lyrical writing, Leigh Fermor's accounts also provided a remarkable understanding of the regions he visited.

His own daring feats during the Second World War, when he led a group of British officers and Greek guerrillas to capture the German general in command of Nazi-occupied Crete, have filled the pages of history books.

The author, known as Paddy, went on to settle in Greece in the 1960s in a house he designed and built near the southern village of Kardamyli.

Author and historian William Dalrymple paid tribute to the writer and said his death marked the "end of an era".