Tributes to Churchill's bodyguard

Neville Bullock, a former parish and district councillor for Billinge and Seneley Green, has been described as a “great bloke” who will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

As a former Royal Marine, Garswood native Neville became Churchill’s bodyguard at the tender age of 19, accompanying him during the Potsdam conference.

Fellow Garswoodian, Jim Stevenson, paid tribute to his old friend saying: “Neville always wanted to help others without making a fuss. He did a lot in his roles as parish and district councillor. He couldn’t have put any more into his life.

“He was a great bloke who would do anything for anyone. No one had a bad word to say about him. He would do anything for anyone and for the community.

“That’s one of the reasons he will be so sadly missed. I have just lost a great friend.”

One of the most popular stories from Neville’s time in his famous post, is when Churchill referred to him as a “bloody nuisance” for following orders so meticulously.

His link with Winston Churchill won the father-of-two and grandfather-of-three admirers across the globe.

Rudy Giuliani, the Mayor of New York at the time of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, was a personal friend who Neville visited at the twin towers just the year before the attack.

“He got a group of firefighters from St Helens and arranged for them to go out with a crew where six of the seven members were killed in 9/11,” explained Jim. “We organised a collection in St Helens and brought the only survivor over here to visit.”

Neville died of old age after battling a long-term illness just months after his beloved wife Margaret who he was married to for more than 60 years.