PRINCE Andrew has paid a moving tribute to William Stone in a book of the First and Second World War veteran’s memoirs.

Mr Stone, who lived in Watlington and died aged 108 in January, wrote his life story and Hero of the Fleet: Two World Wars, One Extraordinary Life – The Memoirs of a Centenarian, is being published early next month.

Prince Andrew, himself a Royal Navy veteran, paid tribute to him in the foreword, writing: “Who could not have been moved by the sight of William and his two fellow World War I veterans, laying wreaths at the Cenotaph on 11 November 2008, to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Great War Armistice?

“The last time that William was to do so.

“As the last man left to have served the Royal Navy in two world wars, William’s passing closes a chapter in our proud maritime history. He was the last embodiment of all this period stood for, in our history and memory.

“Born into an unremarkable position in society, he left upon it a remarkable legacy and lived an extraordinary life.”

Mr Stone lived in south Oxfordshire for more than 20 years.

Mr Stone’s daughter, Anne Davidson, 70, said her family was delighted with the book.

She said: “My father probably wrote most of the material for the book in the 1980s.

“He kept a diary all his life, until he was 106 when he had fall and broke his hip, and after that he got me to do it for him.

“The publishers arranged for all William’s notes to be put together and then added background details.

“Before he died, my father knew the book was going to be published and he would have been thrilled to see it.

“The book also contains interesting social history and shows how life has changed between 1900 when he was born and 2009 when he died.”

Mr Stone lived with his wife Lily at sheltered accommodation in Love Lane, Watlington. Mrs Stone died aged 87 in 1995.

Mrs Davidson added: “William was quite a figure on the streets of Watlington.

“He would be out shopping at 8.30am in the morning – even when he was 105.”

Admiral Sir Jonathon Band, the First Sea Lord, also paid tribute in the book’s epilogue, writing: “I think Bill in most respects typified jolly ‘Jack Tar’, the archetypal British sailor.”

Iain MacGregor, associate publisher for Mainstream, said: “It is fitting that after the personal stories of Harry Patch, the last Tommy on the Western Front, and then Henry Allingham, who was the last member of the original RAF, have been told, we should now be publishing the memoirs of the last serviceman to serve in both world wars.”

Hero of the Fleet is published by Mainstream, price £17.99.