Royal Navy warrant officer and keen Plymouth sportsman dies aged 80

A LONG-standing Royal Naval warrant officer and keen sportsman has died aged 80.

John Edgar Mardy Davies died peacefully in his sleep at his home in Stoke.

After completing a five-year dockyard apprenticeship as a Fitter and Turner at Devonport Dockyard, Davies joined the navy as an Engine Room Artificer in 1954, aged 21.

Among other accomplishments, Mr Davies competed in the 1979 Fastnet race with his brother’s yacht, the Corker.

The race saw 15 lives lost but the keen sailor helped save his crew and their boat from capsizing.

It had always been his ambition to join the navy and he signed up initially for 12 years but extended his service until his retirement in 1988.

He rose through the ranks to become a Warrant Officer, serving just short of 34 years, and was awarded a First Clasp to Long Service and Good Conduct medal in November 1984.

Throughout his naval career he was mostly given the highest ratings for conduct and efficiency which were “VG” and “SUPR”, standing for very good and superior.

During his career, Davies attended a Divisional Officers’ course with Prince Charles in Portsmouth, who he spoke to between lectures and liked, and also attended a course with Prince Andrew.

In 1956, he managed to get close enough to take a photo of Prince Rainier III and Grace Kelly on their wedding day while the ship he was serving on, HMS Dalrymple, was in Monaco on official business.

He enjoyed the Navy because it gave him a good life and he literally travelled the world, going everywhere – from America, to Australia.

John Edgar Mardy Davies was delivered by a midwife at home in Northesk Street, Stoke, on August 24 1933.

He was the son of Phyllis Margaret and William John Mardy Davies, who lied about his age to get out of the coal mines and into the Navy during World War One.

He married Norma Davies, an Architect, on August 18 1962, at St Mary’s Tamerton Foliot, Plymouth. They met at a dance in the early sixties and remained married for about 16 years. Mr Davies leaves behind one brother, Geoffrey Davies, and two children, Hugh Scott Davies, born September 12 1965, and Fiona Thorburn Davies, now Novo, born April 27 1967.

He also had two grandchildren, Josh Novo, 16, who has already decided he wants to join the Navy, and Layla Novo, 13.

He attended Public Secondary school in Plymouth from the age of 11 to 15, where he planted his roots as a keen sportsman.

A young Mr Davies represented his school every year in rugby and cricket. He captained the First XV in rugby and First XI in cricket and also played water polo for Devonport Royal Swimming Association.

He was a very self-disciplined man and he took everything he did very seriously. He played rugby mostly for Plymouth Argaum but also for Plymouth Albion with Vice President Chris Uren. Mr Uren was a fly half while Mr Davies was a scrum half.

He also played rugby for most of the ships he served on and represented the Royal Navy on one occasion.

He also enjoyed walking and joined Plymouth walking club, the Ramblers, in the mid-1990s which he continued until 2012.

Mr Davies was also a very keen Freemason and in 2011 received a certificate for 50 years of service.

John Davies was a well-liked and respected man who was disciplined by nature and military life suited him. He lived a very regimented but simple, modest life.

His funeral was conducted by the Reverend Alen McCulloch, a retired Navy Minister, at Weston Mill Crematorium on Wednesday February 5.