We revealed how Southfields D-Day veteran Charles Lewer marked the 65th anniversary of the D-Day landing by returning to Normandy for a memorial service.

Corporal Lewer, 90, of Longfield Road, Southfields, was a member of the King’s Royal Rifle Corps – a regiment formed in colonial 18th century America and now known as the Royal Green Jackets – and one that is currently in combat in Afghanistan.

The former engineer, who was born and bred in Southfields, arrived at Juno Beach, one of five beaches targeted by the Allies, on June 7 (known officially as D+1) and was immediately thrown into action.

June was also the month that a former Wandsworth councillor was mourning the loss of her soldier son who was killed in Afghanistan as he reportedly tried to protect his platoon from a bomb blast.

Lieutenant Paul Mervis, the son of former Wandsworth councillor Margaret Mervis, died following a roadside explosion during an operation near Sangin, northern Helmand province, on June 12.

The 27-year-old was serving in the 2nd Rifle Battalion – known as 2 Rifles – and was on foot patrol in the northern part of Helmand, where the Taliban has a strong presence.

A Tooting family were the victims of an arson attack – a fire which devastated their home and eventually claimed the lives of two of their children.

Mother-of-four Rubina Masud, 53, and her eldest son, Zain, a 22-year-old city banker, were forced to jump out of a first-floor window as fire ripped through their Lessingham Road home just before 4.30am on June 21.

Her daughters, Nabiha 21, 15-yearold Maliha – who attends Burntwood School in Tooting – and son Junaid, 16, had to be rescued from the first floor by firefighters wearing breathing apparatus.

Daughters Nabiha and Maliha both died from their injuries after the fire.

• See the rest of our Year in Review here