It was one of the legendary tales to come out of the Second World War.

A humble British soldier called Billy Dickinson apparently met German Commander Rommel and British supremo Montgomery on the same day - and had tea with them.

Now Billy’s family, who live in Australia, have come forward with more details about the remarkable man from Meltham. They said reports of the meeting were a surprise to them but Army record checks proved he had been in the area.

The tale revealed in the Examiner last month recounted how Billy was a driver in the desert campaign and ran out of fuel in his jeep in the desert.

After a while a party of German troops came over the hill, led by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, The Desert Fox, himself.

They surrounded Billy and set up camp, and Rommel then invited him into his temporary headquarters for a chat.

“You must be hungry British soldier,” he said, and Billy was treated to a German sausage and a beer!

Billy described Rommel as a perfect gent. After a short while someone came to the tent with a message and Rommel said ‘the British are coming so we are leaving’ and they moved out.

The British arrived, led in person by Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, Commander of the 8th Army.

Montgomery got to hear of Billy’s experience and invited him into his caravan for a chat about it, treating Billy to tea and sandwiches.

Billy’s granddaughter Maxine Levy lives in Perth, Western Australia, and was delighted to read the news.

She said: “Poppa died nearly 27 years ago and it was thrilling to read about him. It was a piece of our family history.

“He had joined the Army in late September 1939 and apparently was the first man from Meltham to enlist after war was declared.

“He served as a Despatch Rider, travelling by motorbike or jeep with papers for commanders and was often on his own in the desert.

“We have checked Army records and know he served in the Royal Corps of Engineers and with Montgomery’s 8th Army Corps in North Africa, as well as France, Belgium Holland and Germany.

“He was a very lucky man and other than shrapnel wounds and burns on his leg, he had no serious wounds and was demobbbed in February 1946”.

Billy married in March 1946 and he and his new wife Jean came to live in Meltham. He worked at Meltham Co-op and then in the offices at David Brown Tractors, where he stayed up to his retirement.

He was a keen golfer and became captain of Marsden Golf Club.

He died in December 1988.