REAR Admiral Edward ‘Teddy’ Gueritz, a well-loved resident of Salisbury’s Cathedral Close, has died at the age of 89.

In a career that spanned nearly 40 years, he served with 121 Force in Madagascar in 1942, and with Assault Force S during the D-Day landings in Normandy in 1944.

He was First Lieutenant of flotilla leader HMS Saumarez in the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla when she was mined in the Corfu Channel in October 1946.

Then, after the Second World War, rose to become Deputy Director of the Royal Naval Staff College, and from 1965-66 was Captain of the Far East Fleet.

He also served as Director of the Joint Warfare Staff, and Admiral President of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich.

His final role was as Commandant of the Joint Warfare Establishment, Old Sarum.

The media valued his expertise as a commentator during the Falklands campaign, and he compiled naval questions for Mastermind.

For many years he was president of Salisbury Sea Cadets.

He died from heart failure on December 21 in Salisbury District Hospital, leaving a wife, Pam, son Guy and daughter Amanda, as well as four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

The funeral takes place on Friday at St Thomas’s Church, and there will be a memorial service at the cathedral in March.

  • For an in-depth report see the January 8 edition of the Salisbury Journal