Tony died on 24 December 2011 and he wrote the Obituary below:
‘After serving in minesweepers in Malta, mainly on the anti EOKA patrols off Cyprus, I specialized as an observer. Having trained in Malta and at Yeovilton I qualified in SEA VIXENs and served in 892 Squadron, HMS Victorious, in the Far East, including the Kuwait operation of 1961. Following the Lieutenant’s course at Greenwich I served in Malta as an instructor in the Observer School. At the end of 1964 I returned to Dartmouth as the Commanding Officer of HMS Brearley, an IMS used as a training ship mainly for Fleet Air Arm officers. In 1966 I qualified as an Electronic Warfare Instructor before joining 893 NAS (SEA VIXEN) in HMS Victorious and at Yeovilton where I became the Senior Observer of the squadron.
Immediately after promotion to Lieutenant Commander I was appointed to command HMS Bossington based in Singapore and then Hong Kong. This period in a ‘coastal’ mine hunter included visiting Australia, Japan, Philippines and Thailand.
I completed the Staff Course at Greenwich in 1971 and went as Fleet Exercise Planning Officer on the staff of CINCFLEET when I travelled to Thailand, Iran, America, and much of Europe.
I reverted to General Service and became the First Lieutenant of the commando carrier HMS Bulwark (1974-76) which included service in the Caribbean and Mediterranean as well as a refit in Plymouth. In 1976 I was ‘confirmed in the rank of Lieutenant Commander’ and sent as the Staff Officer to Mersey Division of the RNR at Liverpool. During this appointment I was also the Commanding Officer of the attached tenders, including HMS Crofton which I had helped to commission in 1958. This was followed in 1980 by an appointment to Norway as part of the Logistics Division of the NATO CINCNORTH near Oslo, a very interesting job which enabled me to take up cross-country skiing!
I returned to the UK in 1983 and became DSPO on the staff of FOSNI at Rosyth. This mainly involved exercise planning and included responsibility for Naval Control of Shipping. My last job in uniform was the Deputy Area officer for the Sea Cadet Corps covering 70 units throughout Scotland, Northern Ireland and North East England.
Finally after three extensions of service and as probably the most senior Lieutenant Commander in the RN I retired in December 1992.
Having bought a house half way between Edinburgh and Perth I remained in Scotland. Despite many efforts I was unable to obtain gainful employment and bowed to the inevitable and concentrated on retired life with particular emphasis on Golf. I have been much involved in the administration of our local club. Fortunately my wife also plays golf and we have travelled extensively, mainly in France in pursuit of our hobby.’