A PUB landlord whose grandfather was one of just 16 men from his battalion to survive the First World War has been handed commemorative beer bottles bearing the face of his brave relative.

Steve Rolls, landlord of The Allied Arms pub in St Mary’s Butt’s in Reading, was handed the Tommy Atkins Traditional Ale created by West Berkshire Brewery to mark the outbreak of the First World War.

Steve’s grandfather, George Rolls, worked as a stable lad at Pounds Farm in East Garston before signing up to fight in the 5th Battalion the Royal Berkshire Regiment.

Steve, 60, said: “He received new boots and a pay increase to seven shillings a week.”

George trained in the trenches at Ploegsteert but was quickly fighting on the front line.

Steve said: “They suffered their first casualties and the reality of war really started to set in.

“He went on to fight in the Battle of Loos and the Battle of the Somme. His battalion was called in on the second or third day.”

Steve’s grandfather was wounded three times during the war but survived — one of just 16 men out of 1,000 in his battalion to return to England alive.

He worked as a verger at St Michael’s Church in Bray after the war and went on to marry Gladys. They had two sons and several grandchildren before he died aged 82 in 1972.

Steve, who runs the pub with his wife Maya, son Simon and his partner Renee, said: “George was an absolute gentleman and I am very grateful to him, so this is a lovely way to remember him.”

Commemorative beer bottles were created for three other men who served in the Royal Berkshire Regiment and were handed to their families at the Allied Arms on Thursday.

Stanley ‘Blanco’ White volunteered aged 19 in 1914 and joined the war after a month of training.

He returned home in 1917 after sustaining a leg injury and his family now live in Goring.

George Bosley volunteered aged just 17.

He was injured and taken prisoner by a German officer for the duration of the war, and his family now live in Pangbourne.

George Cox and his brother, William, from Frilsham, were killed in action.

They feature on the war memorial in Yattendon Church, just yards away from West Berkshire Brewery.

George’s family now live in Newbury.