The Association has learned of the death of Lt Cdr Edward Mervyn ‘Paddy’ Dowzer on 16 January 2022.
Lt Cdr Edward Mervyn Paddy Dowzer
16th March 1936 – 16th January 2022
Edward Dowzer, known to virtually everyone as Paddy, but some as Mick, was born in Southern Ireland in 1936. He moved to Belfast aged 16½ and at just 4ft 11 inches tall, he crossed to Liverpool in 1952 to fulfil an ambition to join the Royal Navy.
He trained as a Radio Electrical Mechanic in the Fleet Air Arm. The Royal Navy was his life until his retirement at the age of 50. During his busy 34 years he fulfilled the saying ‘ Join the Navy and see the world’. This included a two year exchange to the Australian Navy and he was awarded the General Service Medal for his time in Borneo during the conflict there.
He was very good at his job and his diligence along with other fine qualities led to his selection for promotion to Officer Rank and in 1968 he was commissioned as an SD AV. He had married Joanna, whom he met at RNAS Culdrose in 1967 and as a newly-wed asked for a position in the South of England. He was promptly appointed as OIC of the Tain Bombing Range in NE Scotland.
He spent two years at Tain and it was here that he started playing golf at the local nine hole golf course.
From here, he went to sea in HMS Ark Royal. At their son Paul’s christening on board, guests had such a good time they thought the ship was moving even though it was firmly alongside in Plymouth.
He was serving on HMS Hermes when it was re-routed to help with the evacuation of British Nationals from Cyprus.
Paddy’s high level of interpersonal skills and trademark charm ideally suited him to recruitment activities and he served as the Royal Navy Schools Liaison Officer in the London region. This was followed by the Royal Navy Presentation Team on his promotion to Lt Cdr in 1978.
From late 1980 Paddy was the First Lieutenant at HMS Rooke in Gibraltar during the period when the border with Spain was closed and during the Falklands War. The reality of war was brought home to the family after watching Uganda turned into a hospital ship over a weekend and seeing scarred ships returning to Gibraltar.
Return to the UK was a job at RNAS Yeovilton and a final job in London before retirement at 50 after a very full and varied 34 years.
A second career beckoned and with his wide range of skills, he became a Regional Organiser with the Arthritis Research Charity or ARC for short. Having always played hockey in the Navy, he joined the Mid-Sussex Hockey Club. Over the years as the speed lessened and the hits got longer, golf loomed larger and the ‘Dull Toads’ ex-hockey player golf group was formed.
A major celebrity golf charity event for ARC was organised and played at Cottesmore where he became a full-time member. He retired from ARC in 1999 after a triple heart by-pass and Cottesmore very much became his second home. In fact, his wife Joanna thinks she saw more of him when he was away at sea, especially when he became the Club Captain in 2000, Vets Captain in 2007 and then very honoured to be President of the Club.
His last visit to the Club was in November for the Royal British Legion Golf Poppy Appeal. He started this event in 2000 and was more than pleased when it became a permanent fixture in the Cottesmore calendar.
Gerry Hunt recalls:
I knew Paddy from 1970 – so some 52 years. He was quite some individual – an infectious personality, with his soft Irish lilt, his impish charm, his smile – he could make you feel special and you knew when he approached you with that twinkle in his eye, you would be drawn in and that he was going to amuse you with some aside, or quip. Paddy fitted perfectly into the culture and comradeship of Naval life – in fact he fitted in everywhere.
He was a staunch and loyal friend and fun to know – his mischievous sense of humour put people at their ease; he had a knack of drawing people to him and generating genuine respect. People of all persuasions liked Paddy – he was definitely one of nature’s popular men.
Paddy continued his Naval Association after retirement having joined the Sussex Association of Naval Officers (SANO) which met in hove on a regular basis and where Paddy made quite an impact and was extremely popular.
Words by Joanna Dowzer and Gerry Hunt