ONE OF Scotland’s best-known war heroes has died at the age of 85.

Bill Knaggs, from Stanley in Perthshire, was shot down by the Germans during the second world war.

He was disguised as a deaf and dumb French worker and stayed in a number of “safe houses” in occupied territory.

Mr Knaggs later chronicled his incredible escapade in a book ironically titled The Easy Trip.

The name was taken from the last words spoken by the RAF intelligence officer at the squadron briefing before the fateful raid.

Born in Edinburgh, Mr Knaggs was schooled in the capital before his family moved to Lytham St Anne’s.

He joined the RAF and was 22 when he was shot down while in a Lancaster on a bombing raid over Normandy in 1944.

One of only two crew to survive, he spent six nights making a daring escape to Rouen where he was picked up by the French Resistance.

Not speaking a word of French, he was then disguised as a deaf and dumb worker and was transferred unwittingly by the Germans in a convoy to Paris.

After a short stay in a number of safe houses in the French capital, the Resistance took Mr Knaggs to Ermont, a small village north of Paris.

He stayed there until armoured units of General Patton’s army liberated the area.

Mr Knaggs latterly became president of the Aircrew Association’s Tayside branch and a member of the RAF Escapees Society Speakers Panel.

He was well known as speaker and was much in demand at schools, libraries and public meetings where his fascinating tale continued to inform and astonish in equal measure.

Speaking last year he said he had written The Easy Trip as he wanted to “remind the public” of the tremendous help given to evaders by ordinary folk in occupied territories.

The book tells the story of Mr Knaggs’ exploits from the time he was shot down until he arrived back on British soil.

Later involved in the wine industry, he was also a member of the Scottish Wildlife Trust and spent time as a warden at the Loch of the Lowes.

He retired at the age of 60 and spent the last 23 years living in Stanley.

His sister Margaret yesterday described him as “a real gentleman” who lived life to the full.

A service will be held at Perth Crematorium on February 1, thereafter at Huntingtower.