FORMER president of Bournemouth Cornish Association, Reginald William Charles Lugg, has died at the age of 99.

Reg was born in Dorset in 1917 and had three sisters, Margaret, Dulcie and Beryl. At a young age he moved to Cornwall, and it was this county that he will always be associated with, where he enjoyed his youth and played cricket for Tintagel. When he was 22 the Second World War broke out and he joined the RAF.

"He was a navigator on a three man plane, the Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter, which was one of the most successful aircraft in the war, being used in the Battle of Britain and in numerous flights over Germany. Reg took part in four tours which was a remarkable total of over 160 flights," said Les Rendell, a friend of the family.

In 1945 Reg married Elizabeth Gard who lived in the nearby village of Trevalga and they were together for 70 years until she died in 2016 at the age of 95. They had two children, Valerie, who died in her late twenties whilst working in the USA, and son Trevor who died in December last year.

Reg stayed in the RAF after the war. In 1956 the family moved to the Poole area and Reg was employed as a carpenter at Bluebird Caravans before joining Wessex Co-operative where he worked his way up eventually becoming Estates Manager with the responsibility for refitting shops in Bournemouth, Poole and Swanage.

"Cricket and later lawn bowls were a great part of Reg's life. His record for Tintagel shows that he once played against England internationals Tom Graveney and Tom Goddard and he was coached by another England player Phil Mead. He was described as 'the steadiest batsman in the Tintagel team' and there is still a photograph of him with the team in the Tintagel clubhouse," said Les.

Reg took up bowls when he was at the Co-op and played for his employers for a number of years until the Co-op grounds closed. He then went to play for Vickers at Moore Avenue, Bournemouth, and then to Branksome Park Bowling Club in 1976 where he remained a member until his death. There he held the posts of club captain, president twice and life past president. He also qualified as a National Bowls Umpire in later years.

Reg and Beth were members of the Bournemouth Cornish Association, one of the strongest Cornish exile clubs in the country. He served a two year term as president twice - in 1972 and 1973 and then again in 1986 and 1987. Beth became a Bard of Cornwall for her work in the association and was famous for her Cornish pasties.

Reg died on March 16 at Lindsay Nursing Home in Bournemouth and his funeral was held at Poole Crematorium on April 11.