SECOND World War veteran Harry Salmon has now been helping soldiers and their families for longer than he served in the Army.

Retired Brigadier Mr Salmon, 89, spent 36 years in uniform.

But this year he clocked up 37 years working for SSAFA – the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association – and 15 years selling poppies for the Royal British Legion.

Several years ago he was awarded an OBE for his work with SSAFA. He estimates he has helped about 4,000 families over the years.

This month, as usual, Mr Salmon delivered boxes of poppies to sellers in Launton, near Bicester, and will make a collection for the Royal British Legion in his nominated road.

He said: “I do it to keep the memory alive of those men who suffered and were killed in two world wars, and now in Afghanistan with all the injuries you hear about.”

Mr Salmon joined the Royal Artillery in 1939, as a Second Lieutenant, and fought in the Second World War in countries including Holland and Germany.

During his career, Mr Salmon also served in the Far East and Middle East and spent a year in the former Soviet Union as a military attache at the British Embassy in Moscow.

His final posting was as commander at Tidworth Garrison, on Salisbury Plain.

Now vice-president of Oxfordshire SSAFA, Mr Salmon, of Bicester Road, Launton, said: “I retired from the Army in 1975 and immediately joined SSAFA as a volunteer – I was living in Oxford at the time.”

Over the years he has dealt with everything from family problems to arranging financial support or just lending a sympathetic ear.

He said: “Having been in the Army one gets very fond of the set-up, and I just felt I would like to do something to continue the link with the services in that particular way.”

Mr Salmon also helps to organise fundraising events for SSAFA, including one this week in his home village.

On Armistice Day, November 11, he and colleagues will take part in a short service at Launton’s war memorial where he will read out the names of every villager who lost their life in war.

bicester@oxfordmail.co.uk