Tributes to navy captain Elvin after his death aged 99

Long-standing Chichester resident and former county councillor Robert Henry Peter Elvin has died aged 99.
Robert Henry Peter Elvin died on January 27Robert Henry Peter Elvin died on January 27
Robert Henry Peter Elvin died on January 27

A Royal Navy officer in the Second World War, he served as a West Sussex county councillor in the early 2000s and died on January 27.

Born in Portsmouth on October 27, 1918, Mr Elvin joined navy as an engineering cadet in 1937 and served as damage control officer on HMS Renown during the war, playing a key role in developing procedures.

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After the war he was posted to Gibraltar, where he met his wife Margaret, marrying in 1947.

He served in Malta before promotion to commander and served on HMS Superb.

He was promoted to captain in 1960 and took command of HMS Caledonia, and later served in Portsmouth and Sheffield.

He retired from the navy in 1970 and was operations director at Spillers foods and in 1975 became senior lecturer at Portsmouth Management Centre.

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His family home from 1953 to 1977 was in Strettington, and he lived in Malaga until, after the death of his wife in 1998, he lived in Chichester.

He is survived by two sons Patrick and Clive, four grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Younger son Clive said: “Peter Elvin had many friends in the Chichester area and in Spain where he lived for a number of years. “He was a member of the Six Villages Choir and a regular worshipper at St Pauls church and Boxgrove Priory, where he was also churchwarden.

“He lived at Heather Court in later years where he was a well liked and an active member of the community.

“He played snooker as a member of the City Club until he was 98.”