A WELL-known Malvern man who enjoyed a distinguished career with the Royal Navy has passed away aged 89.

Rear-Admiral Rodney Sturdee died peacefully at his home on Castlemorton Common earlier this month.

Admiral Sturdee was born in London in 1919 and followed his father Barry into the navy in 1938.

In 1939 he was in the south Atlantic as a midshipman, first helping survivors of an earthquake in Chile and then serving in the Battle of River Plate, the first major naval battle of World War Two, where his ship the HMS Exeter was badly damaged by gunfire.

In 1945 he was awarded the DSC by King George VI for “skill, perseverance and great devotion to duty” while serving in arduous minesweeping operations along the west coast of Italy.

He met his first wife, Marie-Claire Amstoutz, who was working at the French Embassy, in 1953 and they married in Mulhouse, Alsace.

A distinguished naval career saw the couple travel around the world before Mr Sturdee was granted the prestigious role of Flag Officer Gibraltar from 1969 until his retirement in 1972.

After leaving the navy Admiral Sturdee enjoyed a second career as the bursar at Malvern Girls College until 1985. He also served as president of the Worcestershire branch of the Royal British Legion and Malvern Sea Cadets.

Marie-Claire died in 1995, and in 2001, at the age of 81, he married his second wife Joyce, herself a widow, who he had first met 20 years earlier.

Mrs Sturdee said her late husband was a generous, helpful and kind man, and would be remembered by everyone who had known him as a “real gentleman”.

She added that he had taken kindly to country life after moving to live with her and her daughter Emily on Castlemorton Common.

“He became totally absorbed in a new way of life, developing a profound love and understanding of animals, who in turn loved him, and he cared deeply for all forms of animal welfare,” she said.

Admiral Sturdee was always interested in poetry, writing verse throughout his life from the age of 17, and in his retirement he spent several years researching an extensive family tree.

Admiral Sturdee is remembered by his wife and children Dominique, Christopher and Emily. A service of thanksgiving will be held at Malvern Priory at 2pm on Friday, December 4. No flowers, but donations can be made to The Brooke Hospital, 30 Farringdon Street, London, EC4A 4HH.