A FORMER Bolton Evening News reporter who went on to play a vital role in the Second World War has died.

Eric Hall Morland, aged 81, died suddenly in France.

Mr Morland, who was born in Tonge Moor, was educated at Bolton School and then joined the BEN as a trainee journalist.

But as a reservist he was called up on the first day of the Second World War.

He joined the Loyal Regiment but was soon transferred to the Royal Signals Regiment based at Catterick, Yorkshire, as the youngest member of a team specially formed to modernise the Army's antiquated methods of teaching military signals.

He travelled round the world three times during the war upgrading Army signals training in Africa, India, Australia and North America.

Mr Morland managed to secure his first job after the war in an unusual way.

During the war, on a train from London to Catterick, he overheard two older

men sharing indiscreet information and views.

Plucking up his courage as a younger man, but mindful of his duty as a lieutenant, he challenged the two senior men and threatened them with a citizen's arrest.

One of the men was Charles Peat, of the respected national firm of chartered accountants Peat Marwick Mitchell.

Mr Peat was so surprised and impressed, he later walked the length of the train to find the young officer with the gutsy, direct Lancashire approach.

They became lifelong friends and, at the end of the war, Charles Peat offered and funded Mr Morland taking his articles as a trainee chartered accountant with the firm in London.

After qualifying, he chose to leave the profession and move to industry, mainly in trade and merchanting.

He was then based either in London or New York but carried on travelling around the world to work in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, the Soviet Union and Asia.

Mr Morland was a keen cricketer and bowled for a variety of sides including Henley Cricket Club.

In 1952 he married Agnes Whowell, from Bury.

Together they raised three children: Nigel, an accountant, now working for the City firm of lawyers Ashurst Morris & Crisp; Julia Middleton, founder and chief executive of the charity, Common Purpose, she is married with five children; and David, a management consultant with KPMG Consulting in Canada, who is married with two children.