Commander Francis Stanley (‘Frank’) WARD Royal Navy

It is with deep personal sadness that I must report the death of Frank Ward last night at Countess Mountbatten House in Southampton where he spent the last few days of his life. Aged 56, he was diagnosed with bowel cancer earlier this year and underwent ten painful sessions of chemotherapy. Despite this, he approached his inevitably early fate with little fuss and carried on with normal life as best he could. However, none of us expected such an abrupt conclusion as this.

Now is not the time for a detailed eulogy about our very own ‘Silver Fox’ but Frank qualified on the 1977 LMCDO Course and was also a PWO(U). He served in all manner of MCD and other warfare jobs and was the last Head of the Minewarfare Training Section at HMS Vernon before it finally closed its gates. Perhaps most notably, he was the first Commanding Officer of HMS Sandown, the lead ship of the Sandown Class minehunters. After a long stint with the Saudi Minehunter Project, he retired from active service and assumed responsibility for coordinating Naval Service charities as a pseudo-civil servant. He was appointed General Secretary of the Royal Naval Association (RNA) at the beginning of this year and only retired when his illness proved too debilitating.

Frank was a highly regarded Honorary Secretary of the MCDOA for several years and remained an active committee member to the end. He was also a passionate General Secretary of the RN Birdwatching Society (RNBWS). More recently, he was Chairman of Trustees and Honorary Secretary of Project Vernon, the campaign to erect a monument at Gunwharf Quays to commemorate the Minewarfare and Diving heritage of HMS Vernon which formerly stood on the site.

Frank was always at the centre of MCD matters, both professionally and socially. He was someone who got things done and led others to achieve great things too. It is difficult to imagine our community without him. We offer his wife June and his daughter Claire our sincere condolences. I can provide contact details for anyone who wishes to get in touch. Funeral arrangements will be published when known.

In Frank’s own words, “Farewell, Shippers”.

For further information and many tributes from friends and former colleagues, please see the entry for 27 Dec 09 on the ‘Latest News’ page of the MCDOA website (www.mcdoa.org.uk).

Rob Hoole