Lieut-Cdr Tom Dowling Royal Navy

A man of many parts; submariner boatbuilder, artist. He joined RNC Dartmouth in 1938 aged 13. His published book “Journal of a Midshipman” (Propagator Press ISBN 978-1-86029-817-2) is an illustrated account of his midshipmans time in HMS’ Valiant, Beaufort,Uganda and HMCS Athabascan, it also gives a brief account of the rest of his career. He became a submariner and his last Command was HMS Astute (1960 version) before taking voluntary retirement. He built what was probably the first all fibre glass sailing catamaran in Malta and sailed her home He studied art and one or more of his pictures regularly appeared in the Royal Academy Annual Exhibition over many years He never married.