THE life of an 'unsung' Wirral war hero is being celebrated at Wallasey Central Library tomorrow (Saturday, June 1).

Award-winning BBC TV producer, Ged Clarke will give a much-anticipated free talk on Albert Richards, who grew up in Wallasey and was Britain’s youngest war artist.

Ged told The Globe: "To mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, we celebrate the short but dramatic life of this unsung hero of World War II.

"Unlike most war artists, Albert actually saw action on the front line.

"A serving soldier, he parachuted behind enemy lines on the morning of D-Day and took part in one of the most daring operations attempted on that historic day.

"He then followed the advance across Europe, sketching and painting as he went. But tragically, Albert was killed just two months before the German surrender. He was just 25.'"

Ged first found Albert’s story while working on a BBC documentary about war art.

Since then, he has discovered lots more about the young man whose story seems to have been overlooked.

Albert was educated at Manor Road infants & junior schools then at Wallasey Central School (now Mosslands).

He left at 15 to join Wallasey School of Art in Central Park, Liscard. A self portrait he did here hangs at The Walker Art Gallery.

Albert won a scholarship for the Royal College of Art in 1939. However he was called up early in 1940.

Several of his paintings were done while on leave (including one of the Mersey Ferry - the Royal Daffodil which was sunk in the May Blitz of '41. This painting is now in the Walker - though not on view.) The Williamson has one called A Searchlight Battery in New Brighton.

Tickets for the tomorrow's talk at Wallasey Central Library, which starts at 2.30pm, are from http://wirrallibraries.eventbrite.co.uk or ring 0151 639 2334