John Turner died in June, 2008, just three weeks after being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia.

John’s wife Barbara writes: “After Pangbourne John worked his apprenticeship with the South American Saint Line, moving later to Ellerman City Lines. While working for Ellerman he had a forced stay of several months in Aden due to a boiler blowing up and was persuaded during this time to become an Aden pilot. We were married in 1961 and I joined him out there where our elder son was born. In 1964 we moved back to the UK as the political situation in Aden deteriorated.

“John then joined Trinity House Pilots, working out of Harwich. He retired early and we proceeded to live a full and happy life, sailing and camping and indulging our four grandsons. In May, 2008, he was diagnosed with leukaemia and after three weeks in hospital came home and died that evening. John is deeply missed by all of us who knew and loved him dearly.”