A former Territorial Army commander and Second World War veteran has died.

Deputy Lieutenant, Colonel Douglas McLelland, died after a long battle with cancer.

Known affectionately as Colonel Mac his distinguished military career earned him the title of Honorary Freeman of Croydon in 1993.

He was only the 35th person to earn the honour since the town received its charter in 1883.

Col McLelland joined the TA's anti-aircraft regiment in Guildford in 1938. With the outbreak of World War II he was commissioned into the 20th Battalion, The London Regiment.

He was then transferred to the 1st Battalion, the Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment, where he fought throughout Italy and Greece.

After the war he rejoined the TA rising to command a south London Royal Artillery Regiment in the early 1960s.

In 1996 after reaching the rank of Colonel, Deputy Commander Royal Artillery he left the TA and was awarded a CBE.

He was appointed one of Her Majesty's Deputy Lieutenants for Greater London and became Croydon's first Representative Deputy Lieutenant.

Col McLelland also worked as an area president for the St John Ambulance, and president of the 4th Purley Scout Group.