Son pays tribute following death of Alnwick community stalwart, Cliff Pettit

Cliff Petitt and right, as an Army officer in 1944.

Cliff Pettit was born at Green Batt House, Alnwick, in 1925 and attended Duke’s Grammar School. When given the option in 1943 to pursue A Levels or volunteer for service in the Second World War, he unhesitatingly chose the latter.

His military training included time at Sandhurst, becoming one of the youngest officers in the British Army. There followed a distinguished record of active service, including Operation Blockbuster in Holland and Germany as a platoon commander with the Cameronian regiment.

At 19 he had harrowing hands-on involvement in the liberation of Sandbostel concentration camp in Germany.

He was later honoured to be selected to personally escort Field-Marshall Kesselring to the Nazi war trials.

Post-war, Cliff qualified as a solicitor and was senior partner of Adam Douglas & Sons until he retired in 1990, advising several notable clients including the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland.

He served as chairman of several organisations, including Alnwick’s Rotary and cricket clubs, and played a leading role in negotiating the cricket club’s move to much improved facilities.

An accomplished footballer and squash player, Cliff’s sports career extended into his 60s, and his cricket highlights included the dismissal of West Indies legend Rohan Kanhai.

A highly respected clerk to the magistrates for more than 25 years, Cliff was invited to lecture nationally. Many a local miscreant trembled at Alnwick Magistrates Court as Cliff ordered them to “stand up straight, take your hands out of your pockets, and tell nothing but the truth”.

In retirement, Cliff became a recognised expert in military history and was consulted frequently by leading institutions including the Imperial War Museum in London. He was personally noted in Max Hastings’ best-selling book Armageddon.

In the 1990s he presented two series for ITV on the Somme and Gallipoli conflicts.

He recently appeared with Chris Tarrant in his Extreme Railways series on Channel 5, talking to Chris about the Alnwick Camp in World War I.

Cliff is survived by sons John and Michael and daughter Hilary, and several much-loved grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

His funeral is at 12pm on Monday, March 14 at St Michael’s Church, Alnwick.