Former Melksham police sergeant Raymond Lawrence died peacefully at the Royal United Hospital in Bath on May 18, aged 77.

He was born in Torpoint, Cornwall, in 1931, which was where he started his enduring love of all things nautical. During 1943, following a raid that demolished their home, the family moved to Cirencester and it was at this time that he first joined the Sea Cadet Corps. He was always very proud that he did his bit for the war effort when sea cadets were used as messenger boys.

On leaving school he was apprenticed by his father to a builder where, apart from learning bricklayers’ skills, he was taught the ancient art of dry stone walling. He always loved working with stone, but he was never a happy brickie.

On completion of his apprenticeship he joined the Royal Marines in 1952 and served his two-year National Service aboard HMS Illustrious.

On leaving the service he resumed his building career until breaking his arm badly. He had time then to reflect and decided that he would prefer to do something more worthwhile with his life. He joined the Wiltshire Police Force in 1958, rising to Sergeant in eight years.

He also rejoined the Sea Cadet Corps as an instructor, serving first at the nearest unit to Cricklade, where he was stationed with the police, at the Cotswold School.

On being transferred to Calne, Mr Lawrence joined the Chippenham Unit in 1966 where he served for the next 42 years, rising to the rank of Lt Commander (SCC), and spent eight of those years as Commanding Officer, during which time he grew the unit from 17 cadets to nearly 100.

He was very proud of everyone at the unit and especially enjoyed taking cadets off shore sailing and watching members of the unit band perform in the Massed Band of the Sea Cadet Corps at the Royal Tournament on two occasions.

He was very pleased when young people managed to achieve their ambitions to join the Navy, or other service, and as a lover of the Royal Marine Bands was particularly please that two members of the unit joined that service, where they still serve today.

Mr Lawrence spent the last 15 years of his police service as sergeant in Melksham, where he was known and respected by many in the community.

He retired from the force in 1985 and, while still serving at the sea cadet unit, then also enjoyed travelling with his wife, making trips to the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand among others.

Mr Lawrence will be remembered as a quiet, kind, caring man who spent his life trying to help others and guiding young people to be respectful and useful members of the community.

He will be sadly missed by all who knew him, and especially by his wife, Trisha, children Sarah, Simon, Claire and Beverly, grandchildren Tom, 19, Lucy 14, Jacob, 11, and Isabelle, 10, brother John and sister-in-law Hilary, sisters Mary, who lives in Australia, Margaret and Pat and her husband Graham as well as his extended family in the UK and Australia.

The funeral service will be held on May 29 at 3.15pm at West Wiltshire Crematorium in Semington. Donations in his memory can be made to The Chippenham Sea Cadet Unit.