A FORMER stalwart of the IW Caledonian Society, Edward (Ted) Mervyn Harrison, has died, aged 98 after a short illness.

He was born ion March 7, 1920, in Cardiff where his father was a baker.

In November 1938, he joined the RAF and, during the war, served in France, Burma and India. After the war, he had postings to Southern Rhodesia, Germany and Libya as well as parts of the UK.

He married Celia in 1948 and their son, Malcolm, was born in 1954.

He retired from the RAF in 1969 with the rank of squadron leader and worked as an audit manager for a catering company, travelling throughout the UK as well as Saudi Arabia, Algeria and Australia. It was while working in Scotland he met his second wife-to-be, Nancy.

On Mr Harrison’s retirement, the couple moved to the Island, where Mrs Harrison had served during the war, working on radar installations. In 1985, they joined the IW Caledonian Society and were committee members for several years, Mr Harrison serving as treasurer from April 1988 to April 2000 and Mrs Harrison writing newsletters and giving Burns night speeches. The couple were made honorary life members of the society in recognition of the support they gave the society.

Mr Harrison was also a governor of Cowes High School for several years.

Feeling their advancing years, the couple decided to move Scotland to be nearer Mrs Harrison’s son and daughter-in-law. They first moved to Ayr and then Largs on the west coast.

Among Mr Harrison’s interests were photography, reading and, earlier in his life, playing sports and sub aqua. He was also a keen gardener, though more interested in growing vegetables than flowers. Up until recently, he was still growing potatoes and beans in his small garden in Largs.He was also interested in genealogy and traced his family back to 1695.

Mrs Harrison died last year and Mr Harrison moved into Erskine, a care home for ex military. He died on May 18.

His funeral is at Greenock Crematorium on Tuesday. He leaves his son.