Major Charles Wilson, retired soldier and social campaigner, has died at the age of 78.

A well known and loved figure in the community, Major Wilson was probably best known in his latter years for his role as chairman of the island’s Royal British Legion.

Major Wilson was also an instrumental figure in the development of the island’s Army Cadet Force, having been its honorary colonel.

He was in the Lancashire Fusiliers Territorial Army, where he became a platoon commander and attended the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst.

Major Wilson never gave up campaigning for others, even taking on the fight to secure free TV licences for the over 75s, which was eventually adopted by Tynwald.

Originally from Middleton, near Manchester, Major Wilson moved to the island with his wife Ann, whom he met in a teachers’ mess hall when he was stationed in Germany, with the couple marrying at St George’s Church in Douglas in 1970.

Last year, when he was presented the Isle of Man Newspapers Lifetime Achievement Award, Major Wilson looked back on his long and distinguished military career, saying one of his highlights was when he held the title of ’Desert intelligence officer, British troops Sharjah’ and that his favourite overseas military deployments was in Oman.