Retired soldier Clive Smith, known as Biffo, has died aged 53, after suffering a heart attack on a fishing trip in Dorset.

Mr Smith was born in Ealing in 1959, and attended Bylands Boarding School in Basingstoke. At 16 he joined the Army and served for 22 years, achieving the rank of sergeant in The Royal Hampshire Regiment and completing tours of duty in Germany, The Falklands, Kenya and Northern Ireland.

He spent the last few months of his career at Bulford Barracks, to help amalgamate the Queens Regiment and the Royal Hampshire Regiment into the new Princess of Wales Regiment. He then moved to Summerdown Walk in Trowbridge and worked as a clerical officer at Wiltshire County Council and then British Rail before retiring.

He set up the Royal Hampshire Regimental Club, organising annual meetings for soldiers of all ranks. He took it upon himself to attend as many funerals of ex-Royal Hampshire Regiment soldiers as possible, carrying the regimental standard to “make sure they all get shown the proper respect.”

Despite suffering from spondylosis, a back condition, he would use his time resting at home on the computer, organising the annual reunions.

He was an avid collector of stamps and military memorabilia, and spent a large amount of time on his family tree.

He was a well recognised member of his community, living in Summerdown Walk for 28 years, and was always on hand to help his neighbours.

Neighbour Sara Curtis said: “Clive will be sadly missed but never forgotten. The atmosphere on our estate will never be the same again as Clive was always helping with the children.