His Leamington family have paid tribute to Mr Kalas, who fought for his homeland, the former Czechoslovakia, during the war and fought his way across France to England.

Josef Kalas arrived in Leamington as a soldier in 1941, where he met the love of his life Joan Garnett of Chandos Street, before continuing to fight for his country.

Five years later, after the war ended, Mr Kalas did everything possible to return to his wartime sweetheart in Leamington. And he became the first political refugee to be allowed back into the UK.

Mr Kalas died at Warwick Hospital on August 6.

Remembering him, his son Michael said: "He was full of life and during one of his last visits to hospital he was teaching one of the nurses to do the waltz. He adored his family and had a lot of friends."

Some were friends in high places - Mr Kalas was on the Pope's Christmas card list.

His son added: "He sent letters to many contacts, one of which was a bishop and a friend of the Pope at the Vatican. Pope John Paul II read the letters and began sending my father Christmas and Easter cards."

Mr Kalas was from Brno in the former Czechoslovakia. He fought for his country, serving in France and North Africa.

He was a member of the Czech Resistance and kept a diary of his experiences. Fearing he would not survive the war Mr Kalas befriended a French family who agreed to send his diaries to his family in Czechoslovakia once the war was over.

Mr Kalas and some fellow soldiers fought their way across France via Dunkirk to England in 1941.

After the war he married Joan Garnett and they had their first child Michael, before living in the then Czechoslovakia for a short time to care for Mr Kalas's mother.

After returning to Leamington the couple had two more children, Zora and Peter. Mr Kalas worked for his father-in-law Joseph Garnett's haulage company and East Midlands Electricity Board before retiring at the age of 60.

He was a keen stamp collector and historian - he wrote to people all over the world about his interest in Europe from 1700 to 1950.

Michael Kalas added: "He adopted England as his country, he spoke and thought in English and would only speak Czech if it was absolutely necessary."

Mr Kalas's funeral was held at St Mary Magdalene church in Lillington on Wednesday.