FAMILY and friends gathered for a service at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose to remember a former Royal Navy aircrewman from Teignmouth.

Warrant Officer Andy Burry died suddenly last year at the age of 59. He had only retired from the service in 2019.

With the Royal Navy ensign flying at half-mast, his wife and daughter unveiled a memorial stone at the air station and presented a trophy in his memory.

It will be awarded each year by Naval Flying Standards Flight to the aircrewman in Merlin Helicopter Force who has achieved excellence in anti-submarine warfare and upholding the navy’s core values.

It was an emotional day for Mr Burry’s wife Charlotte, who had travelled to Cornwall from Teignmouth.

She said it was good his memory will be remembered with the trophy, especially as he did so much to inspire and mentor others.

She said: ‘I was always in awe of him.

‘He had such a sense of being. He could talk to anyone and make them feel good about themselves.

‘Everyone describes him as being their best mate. He made everyone feel special.’

The event was organised by Phil Thompson, himself a former warrant officer aircrewman who served with Mr Burry and who now works for Ascent Flight Training, the company which has sponsored the trophy.

Mr Thompson said: ‘He was just a fantastic person. Andy and I were based at Culdrose together over varying periods of time during our career and we were great friends and we maintained that friendship after we had both left the service.

‘You can see by the turn-out how popular he was. I’ve been absolutely honoured to have been able to call him a true friend.’

Warrant Officer Aircrewman Diccon Griffith, currently serving with the Naval Flying Standards Flight, the same role once held by Mr Burry, said: ‘Our branch will forever be indebted to him.

‘His professionalism, dedication, and focus is what stood him out and made him special.

‘Although our careers followed different paths and I didn’t know him as well as some, Andy’s influence as a role model, for me, extended far beyond personal connections.

‘His leadership shaped the careers of countless aircrewmen, particularly those of us here at Culdrose.’

WO Griffith read out a letter at the ceremony, jointly signed by the Head of Fleet Air Arm Rear Admiral Anthony Rimington and Ascent managing director Tim James, which said: ‘Andy’s remarkable career, spanning over 30 years of dedicated service, left an indelible mark on the Fleet Air Arm community.

‘His unwavering commitment to excellence in anti-submarine warfare, his leadership as a squadron warrant officer, as a member of Naval Flying Standards Flight and as trials warrant officer at the Rotary Wing Test and Evaluation Squadron exemplified the very best of our service.’

Mr Burry’s daughter Jen and her partner Mike along with her sons Harry and George joined the ceremony, which also included former and serving Royal Navy personnel.

After the service in RNAS Culdrose’s memorial garden, the party retired to the Warrant Officer and Senior Rates’ Mess to swap stories and remember their friend.