As a fresh faced 19-year-old, he didn't think twice about signing up with the 11th Batallion Lancashire Fusilers when war broke out in 1939. Nor was he discouraged from fighting on the frontline when he suffered shrapnel wounds to his hands and above his eye.

Mr Browning, 88, from Mereside, said: "I was in Malta for the three years the bombing was going on. The Germans were dive bombing and I got hit with shrapnel. It was terrifying at the time.

Mr Browning faced further testing times when he was shot at by enemy troops in Italy. But his fighting spirit was duly rewarded.

He said: "I was in hospital for two weeks in hospital after suffering a bullet wound to my leg but then went back to my usual frontline duties."

On finishing his service in 1947, Mr Browning moved to London to return to civilian life as a carpenter before moving to Blackpool 25 years ago.

He said: "I go to all the parades and I'm looking forward to being at the Veterans' Day parade this Friday."