It's a little over three months since the Last Post rang out for the veteran, who had just celebrated his 111th birthday, but now a religious think tank is warning of the perils of rewriting the history of a man who was openly critical about the war and the way many choose to remember the conflict

The organisation Ekklesia is calling for a 21st-century makeover of Remembrance Day, to prevent events descending into what they say Mr Patch described as little more than "show business".

In the 38-page report, Reimagining Remembrance, every detail of the annual commemorations, from the laying of wreaths to the selling of red poppies comes under scrutiny and it concludes that the services and two-minute silences have been cheapened by a failure to back up words with action.

"We can remember well or we can remember badly," says co-director of Ekklesia Jonathan Bartley. "The case of Harry Patch highlighted how veterans and others have been effectively excluded from Remembrance down the years.

"For more than 80 years he refused to attend regimental reunions and avoided war films which appeared on television. His Remembrance Day was September 22, the day he lost three best friends and his own war ended.

"He also said that we should remember those on 'both sides of the line' and in his final years he visited war cemeteries, placing a wreath of poppies on one of the German graves."

As well as calling for a more inclusive approach to ceremonies, acknowledging conscientious objectors and those shot for cowardice and desertion, the report also includes a raft of suggestions which Ekklesia insists would more accurately reflect the realities of war.

While many will approve of the organisation's support of turning Armistice Day into a bank holiday, many of its other recommendations are likely to prove more controversial.

Words like "glorious" it says should be removed from Remembrance Day speeches, as should automatic references about all soldiers "giving their lives for the freedom we enjoy today". Instead, church leaders and politicians should be prepared to admit that throughout the history of conflicts, some British soldiers did "die in vain".

The report is not just a list of don'ts. The think tank also hopes to persuade churches which appoint bishops and chaplains to the armed forces to also support what they call the "unarmed forces". With environmental issues never far from the news agenda, Ekklesia would also like the "ecological damage" and the "millions of animals which were slaughtered" during the course of war to be recognised.

It's not the first time the organisation has found itself in controversial waters. Three years ago it labelled the wearing of red poppies as politically correct and cited the outrage which followed newsreader Jon Snow's refusal to wear one as a sign they had now become an "article of faith".

The Royal British Legion, which describes itself as the nation's custodian of Remembrance, was unwilling to be drawn into any row so close to this year's services. A spokesman said simply: "We hope the nation wears their poppies with pride. The two-minute silence has been observed since the end of the First World War, but its relevance remains undiminished.

"When we bow our heads in reflection, we remember those who fought for our freedom during the two World Wars, but we also mourn and honour those who have lost their lives in more recent conflicts.

Ekklesia says if the relevance of the ceremonies is to last another 90 years they must adapt.

"Many want to remember, but they are unable to join in the corporate recollection because of the values and politics that accompany the traditions," adds Mr Bartley.

"It is naive to believe that our remembrance has not been shaped by political perspectives and certain values about war. If we want future generations to remember, we need to acknowledge this, and adapt our traditions accordingly.

"This will mean deciding what we need to hold on to from the past, but also making tough decisions about what is unhelpful and should be discarded.

"Remembrance that does not tell the truth or match words with actions is cheap and fails to honour those who died."