The Association has learned of the death of Cdr Rex ‘Dick’ Turpin MBE RN on 22 February 2019.
Commander Rex ‘Dick’ Turpin, MBE, RN (Retd.)
Commander Rex ‘Dick’ Turpin, MBE, RN (Retd.) ‘Crossed the Bar’ on Friday 22 February from cancer in his 94th year. He passed peacefully and pain-free in his own house as he had wanted.
He is survived by his three children, his six grandchildren, and his six great-grandchildren – his wife, Peggy, having passed three years ago.
‘Dick’ Turpin, as he was known throughout his service life and beyond, volunteered for the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm at the age of 17 1/2 in 1943, although he could not be immediately accepted because of his age. After passing the interviews and medical, he reported to HMS Vincent shortly after his 18th birthday and received his ‘Wings’ in 1944.
Apart from World War II he served in Korea and Malaya, having specialised in helicopters. He was posted to a host of RNAS stations in the UK over many years, to aircraft carriers (notably HMS Bulwark) as well as overseas postings in the USA, Singapore (twice), and with SHAPE in Mons, Belgium.
Dick received much recognition for his helicopter rescue exploits during the February 1953 North Sea floods which struck the Netherlands. Once the rescues were finished, he flew Queen Juliana over the devastated parts of her country.
He was honoured and privileged to have been the personal helicopter pilot and flying instructor of H.R.H. The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and accompanied H.R.H. on the 1956/57 voyage of the Royal Yacht Britannia.
After leaving the Royal Navy he became the Chief Emergency Planning Officer for Cambridgeshire until retirement.
He was an officer and a gentleman with an outstanding sense of duty to his country and his community – a parish counsellor, a deliverer of ‘Meals on Wheels’, a bell-ringer for the local church, and hardworking raiser of funds for good causes.
His funeral will take place at 12 noon, on Thursday 7th March at Longstanton Church, Rampton Road, Cambridgeshire.
Clive Turpin, elder son.
From References
London Gazette 2 June – Birthday Honours List 1962
Lt Cdr Rex TURPIN awarded MBE invested 13 November 1962