Tributes paid to Sunderland WW2 war hero Len Gibson who has died aged 101

  • Video report by Julie Harrison.

A WW2 hero who survived the infamous Burma Death Railway and taught Eurythmics star Dave Stewart how to play the guitar has died.Len Gibson, from Sunderland, endured forced labour and malnutrition as a Japanese prisoner of war and recently made headlines for his fundraising work for a cancer charity.The former Lance Bombardier died in hospital on Saturday aged 101 - just days before the release of a memoir detailing his life.Len's book A Wearside Lad in WWII is set to become available on August 3 with all proceeds going to the Daft as a Brush Cancer Patient Care.

Brian Burnie, founder of Daft as a Brush charity, was a friend who says he was an incredible man. 

Sue Winfield OBE and Lord Lieutenant of Tyne and Wear awarded Len with a British Empire Medal in 2019 and paid tribute to him on Sunday.

Sue added: "I first met him when he was awarded his BEM which was much deserved."It was a delight to see him at his recent birthday celebration in Herrington Country Park, where although he was the start of the show as usual he made sure he shared the spotlight with the children from his former school, which clearly meant a lot to him and to them."He will be greatly missed and we will ensure his legacy lives on."

Credit: ITV Tyne Tees

Len was with the 125 Anti-Tank Regiment Royal Artillery in 1942 when his ship was bombed by Japanese planes and he lost his beloved banjo.After making it to shore, he was captured and as a prisoner of war was forced to work on the infamous Mergui Road building the Death Railway in Burma until liberation in 1945.Whilst receiving critical hospital treatment following his return home to Sunderland, Len met nurse Ruby who was to be his wife for 70 years before she passed away in 2014.Speaking at a belated birthday celebration in May, Len reflected on life by saying: "When I was a prisoner of war on the Mergui Road there was a time when I thought it was so bad I was in hell."So I have experienced hell, and to be here today is heaven."I think what has kept me going all these years is a British spirit and I love music.

Following his time in the military, Len went on to forge a career of his own in teaching and music where he inspired a number of young people including his young neighbour Dave Stewart.Also speaking at the event, Dave paid tribute to his old mentor by telling him: "I just wanted to thank you so much for inspiring me when I was a young kid."I was such an admirer of you and your family and it's inspired me and helped form the foundation of the fact that I wanted to be a musician."