WARRANT Officer Ewen Garwood, or ‘Ewey’ to those with whom he served, was originally from Bournemouth and joined the Royal Air Force as a firefighter on February 4, 1986.

He served for a total of 28 years, seven months and 23 days at numerous locations, including RAF Honington, RAF Machrihanish, RAF Northolt and, probably closest to his heart, RAF Brize Norton and the Defence Fire Training and Development Centre at Manston in Kent.

He completed multiple operational tours in Cyprus, Iraq, Afghanistan and the Falkland Islands and he was awarded the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal on in February 2001.

A staunch AFC Bournemouth supporter, he could often be found on the terraces, and if not there he would certainly be telling you about their performances.

A keen cricketer, he was equally as passionate about the sport as he was AFC Bournemouth. He would often bring his humour to the crease and use it to ‘banter’ the opposition into submission.

Friends said he would forever be known as a true gentleman who stuck by his morals and was the utmost professional with a legendary sense of humour.

Royal Air Force through and through, he epitomised everything it is to be an RAF firefighter. It could not have been any more fitting that his final post was as the station warrant officer and chief instructor at the Fire Training School at Manston; a symbol of the high-quality individual he was.

One colleague, warrant officer Karen Driver, recalled a favourite story: “During one of his operational tours in Iraq, a Hercules aircraft had landed and stopped.

“Engines still roaring Ewey approached the loadmaster, who was hanging out of the front door of the aircraft.

“In typical Ewey style, he thrust his hand forward to shake the man’s hand.

“The loadmaster took this as Ewey wanting to take the mail bag he was holding and so he let go of it.

“All of the mail for the unit quickly disappeared down the side of the aircraft and went straight through the propellers, turning it into confetti. Ewey, cool as ever, just smiled and shrugged, while the rest of the fire crew rolled about the floor in hysterics.”

Ewen died suddenly in hospital in Canterbury on September 27, aged 50 and a day; his funeral was held at Saint Mark’s Church in Bournemouth. He leaves his wife Michele and children Haydn and Imogen.