A Sussex judge who rose to the rank of Lord Justice of Appeal has died, aged 84.

Sir Francis Purchas, who died on Tuesday, was a decorated war hero who had a glittering legal career.

He was born on June 19 1919, the son of Captain Francis Purchas, one of the instigators of the Steyning walking races.

He was educated at Summerfields, Marlborough, and Trinity, Cambridge.

He served during the Second World War on Eisenhower's staff in North Africa as a cartographer; winning the Africa Star, and in Europe, where he won the Italy Star.

He was called to the Bar in 1948 and started his career as a common law barrister on the South Eastern Circuit.

He took Silk in 1965, and was Deputy chairman of East Sussex Quarter Sessions from 1966 to 71, Recorder of Canterbury from 1969 to 71, and Recorder of the Crown Court from 1972 to 74.

Sir Francis was appointed a Judge of the Family Division of the High Court in 1974, at the age of 54.

He became a Bencher in 1972, and was Leader of the South Eastern circuit from 1972 to 1974.

Purchas acted for the 433 children born deformed after their mothers took thalidomide.

In 1973 he agreed on his clients' behalf to the £20 million final settlement with Distillers, the drug manufacturers, then asked the media to respect the privacy of "those families now so gravely suffering the affliction of one of the greatest tragedies of our time".

In 1977 he became Presiding Judge on the South Eastern Circuit, and sat at Lewes Crown Court in the trial of a daughter found guilty of aiding and abetting the attempted suicide of her mother.

In another case, Purchas jailed a father for three years for driving himself and his son off a seaside cliff in an unsuccessful suicide attempt.

In the Family Division, he granted a divorce to a Greek woman on account of her husband's preoccupation with tennis and skiing.

In 1982 he was promoted to the Court of Appeal, and quashed £20,000 libel damages awarded to Welsh rugby star JPR Williams.

In the Nineties, he called for the Lord Chancellor to lose his role as head of the judiciary and for the Lord Chief Justice to take over responsibility for judges' numbers, salaries and pensions.

Outside the courtrooms, he enjoyed opera and golf and latterly became an avid internet surfer.

He is survived by his wife Patricia Milburn and their two sons, two sons, Christopher and Robin, who both also practice law.