A 101-year-old war hero who named the Ebury Way after winning a Watford Observer competition has died.

William John Wallington – known as John or uncle Wally by his family – passed away peacefully in his sleep on the evening of October 12 with loved ones by his side.

John was born in a cottage at Batchworth Lock, Rickmansworth during World War One and brought up by his grandparents.

Although the cottage was subsequently demolished for bridge and road widening, he remained in and around Rickmansworth and Croxley Green until 2012.

After leaving school at 14, his first job was at WH Smith in Rickmansworth High Street where he won a national WH Smith writing prize.

John developed a love of music at an early age and was virtually self-taught on the piano, accordion and violin.

When WW2 broke out, he signed up for the RAF and was assigned to Bomber Command where he spent the war in operations and intelligence.

Both during and after the war the RAF gave John the opportunity to play in numerous bands as well as in local hotels and dance halls.

This resulted in him pursuing a career in music publishing in London where he owned various music publishing companies until he retired.

He was also a member of Watford Workshop Orchestra which led to a guest appearance with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

He married later in life to Mim, who already had two daughters, Angela and Celia, and later became a step-grandfather to Mim’s six grandchildren Gerda, Clare, Adrian, Nicholas, Ben and William.

He also saw new generations join the family, including step-great-grandchildren and even step-great-great-grandchildren.

John’s favourite hobbies included walking and cycling, which he did until he was well into his 90s.

He won a Watford Observer competition in the 1980s to name a newly opened footpath where the previous Watford to Rickmansworth Railway had been.

John picked “Ebury Way” as the Watford and Rickmansworth Railway was originally a business venture of the Whig politician, Robert Grosvenor, 1st Baron Ebury from 1801 to 1893.

In 2012, having been a widower for some years, John found it harder to live on his own so decided to move into residential care the Montrose Care Home in Watford.

He was very interested in all the staff and their lives and would wait at his bedroom door every morning at 8am for the staff changeover when he would shake hands with all the staff present.

He was particularly close to one carer, Karen Panks, and the two of them often enjoyed outings - often in Karen’s own time - to cafes and pubs for lunch or coffee.

John was “active to the end” however, after he turned 101 in August this year his health started to deteriorate.

A funeral will take place on Friday November 10 at West Herts Crematorium (North Chapel) at 12pm.