of veteran war correspondent Michael Nicholson, who has died aged 79.
Mr Nicholson reported on the fall of Saigon in 1975, the Falklands War, the Balkans conflict, the Gulf War and the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
He joined ITN in 1964 and was the network’s senior foreign correspondent between 1989 and 1999.
In 1992, following the Falklands campaign, he was appointed OBE and the Royal Television Society named him TV journalist of the year for the third time.
Mr Nicholson married Diana Slater in 1968, and is survived by her and their four children and three grandchildren.
He was known for smuggling an orphaned girl out of Sarajevo while reporting on the conflict and bringing her back to the UK, where the couple adopted her.
He met nine-year-old Natasha Mihaljcic while he was working on a story about children being trapped by shelling in the Bosnian capital in 1992.
The book he wrote about his experiences, Natasha’s Story, was the inspiration for the 1997 film Welcome To Sarajevo.
Mr Nicholson, who lived in Grayswood with his family for more than 30 years before moving to Easebourne last year, was a well-known figure in the community and a key supporter of Haslemere Museum.
He gave many fascinating talks about his experiences as a war correspondent to raise funds for the museum and had served as a patron ambassador for the last five years, since the scheme started, to help raise its profile.
Museum chairman Melanie Odell said: “We will miss Michael very much and extend our sympathies to Diana and the family. Our thoughts are with them all.
“Michael was always an enthusiastic supporter of the museum and gave hours of his time on fundraising lectures and attending many of our events.
“Michael took his role of patron seriously and gave his time and advice generously. He raised considerable funds for us.”
Grayswood-based friend Pauline Lamb recalled many happy memories from Mr Nicholson’s years in the village.
“Michael moved here when he was still working and was away a lot to start with,” she said. “He always held a punch and mice pies Christmas Eve party and invited the village and the then vicar Geoffrey Curtis.
“Michael and Diana had close links with Grayswood Infant School and invited the children to play in their wood and pick apples.
“In the centenary year of All Saints Church, Grayswood, in 2002, he was the auctioneer at an auction of promises to raise money for the church and did it with great aplomb.
“In 2012, the Friends of All Saints held their first fundraising open gardens day and Michael and Diana opened their house and garden and served teas.”
News of Mr Nicholson’s death, while on a cruise with Diana, came as a shock to another friend from the village – David Glaser.
He said: “I would just like to add that Michael always had time for everyone and took a real personal interest in people’s lives and concerns.
“His professional life was so involved with all the big issues of the world, while in his private live he really cared about the people around him and the things that mattered to them, however small they might have seemed to him.
“He was always really happy during his many walks around the village to stop and chat with people and swap stories and concerns. I think he really enjoyed and relished the stability and continuity that Grayswood life offered, such a contrast to the ferocity and turbulence of his professional life.”