Tributes have been paid following the death of a war veteran, who at 102, was Britain’s oldest surviving former Royal Marine.

Albert Joyner was a familiar figure at Keighley’s Poppy appeal and raised thousands of pounds for the Royal British Legion. His daughter Pam Ruppe spoke with pride about her dad, especially his fundraising in later years, and described him as a family man and perfectionist.

She said: “I’m told I am a bit like him – and he liked things done right and his way!”

Mrs Ruppe said her dad’s wartime exploits as a Marine meant her memories of him start from when she was between five and seven years old.

She said: “He was a very social man, right up to the end. He liked to be with people. He liked a sing-song, that stays in your memories.”

Mr Joyner was an apprentice tailor before he joined the Marines.

“His sewing skills stayed with him. He used to make money doing repairs for colleagues. In later years he made clothes for my mum. I loved sewing and I learnt a lot from him. I also love gardening and I learnt that from him.”

Talking about her dad’s ripe old age, Mrs Ruppe said: “He has been a pretty healthy man all his life and he was still quite strong at the end. He was like an old car that was breaking down.”

Mr Joyner joined the Marines in 1930. In 1932, while serving on HMS Dragon, he helped victims of a hurricane that devastated the Cayman Islands.

He served on the Arctic convoys during the Second World War, helping to deliver food and munitions to Russia.

He was also involved in the defence and evacuation of Singapore and supported the Salerno landings during the Allied liberation of Italy in 1943.

Mr Joyner, who lived at Herncliffe Nursing Home, in Keighley retired in 1956, holding the rank of Colour Sergeant.

He went on to become president of Bradford and District Royal Marines Association.

In 2011 he was presented with a citizenship award on behalf of the Keighley Town Council by then-Deputy Mayor George Metcalf.

He said: “It was a tremendous honour for me to present him with the award.

“Albert was a fantastic gentleman and soldier who always put other people first. Everyone loved him to bits.”

Keighley’s Royal British Poppy Appeal organiser Tommy Thompson said he would be hugely missed.

“He was a real stalwart. He was a popular, long-time member of the Legion and always supported the poppy appeal, raising a huge amount of money for the cause,” he said.

Last year he was awarded life membership of the association by the Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Khadim Hussain.

My Joyner, who had four grandchildren, four great grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren, died on Thursday.

His funeral – a military occasion – is at 1.30pm on Friday, March 28, at United Reformed Church in Riddlesden.