Neighbours and the RSL are rallying around a decorated World War II veteran who was saved from a fire that killed at least one of his dogs and destroyed his Brisbane home.
The 99-year-old - known locally as Bob and a recipient of France's highest military honour - was battling to get down the stairs of the Salisbury house about 7pm on Sunday when neighbour Simon Royston ran to help.
Mr Royston helped the veteran to safety before returning to try to save his two dogs. But one of the Maltese terriers died in the fire and the other is missing.
The modest home was destroyed but fire crews managed to recover five of six war medals awarded to Bob, who's full name is Arthur James Robert Jackson, according to a neighbour.
The fate of a certificate, acknowledging him as a recipient of France's Legion d'Honneur, is not known.
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It used to hang on a wall of the fibro cottage he'd called home for 45 years, and where he'd lived for many years after the death of his wife, neighbour Melissa Lucas said.
"This man had the Legion d'Honneur, France's highest military honour, bestowed to him as a liberator of Europe," she told the ABC.
Ms Lucas said Bob would be devastated by the loss of his dogs, Oscar and Peppy.
Mr Royston found Bob standing at the top of the stairs with fire raging behind him.
"He was battling to come down the stairs. His eyes were watering and I think he'd been trying to battle the blaze by himself for a little while before shouting out for help," he said.
Ms Lucas said Bob didn't have any children and lived alone with his dogs after the death of a carer.
"Since that time - that was about 18 months ago - the other neighbours in Bob's street and the street behind have been showering him and helping him," she said.
The RSL has reached out to Bob and will help find him emergency accommodation and provide any other support, RSL Queensland's veterans services manager Robert Skoda told AAP.
"We can hopefully rebuild his life around him," he said.
Neighbours are setting up a Go Fund Me page for the veteran.
