A HIGHLY regarded serving member of Hampshire Constabulary for more than 30 years, George Martin had reached the rank of superintendent before his retirement from the Force in 1986.

George, who was known to many family and friends as John, had been involved in policing industrial action for the miners’ strikes, IRA terrorism and the Jubilee Fleet Air Arm Review, attended by The Queen and Lord Louis Mountbatten.

He was also instrumental in turning the site of Victoria House in Hamble, part of the Royal Victoria Hospital in the Crimean War, into a police training school.

One of five children, he was brought up in the Bitterne and Woolston areas of Southampton and was evacuated to Poole during the Second World War.

He returned to the city at the age of 12 after his mother was widowed and became the family breadwinner, living at various locations in the city as well as in Bournemouth over the next few years. Leaving school at the age of 14, John worked in the aircraft factory, took on a milk round and became a footplate fireman on the railways.

It was in 1955 that he passed his entrance exams for the Southampton City Police Force, which later amalgamated with the Hampshire and Portsmouth forces to become Hampshire Constabulary.

He was much loved by his wife of 60 years Ann, daughter Christine Cummins, son in law Mike and grandchildren Leah and Ben.

The green-fingered grandfather from Locks Heath always had his own allotments, latterly at Sarisbury Green.

He was also a self-taught dinghy sailor and member of Warsash Sailing Club and enjoyed walking holidays and regular rambles with Ann and other members of the Meon Ramblers.

John passed away on June 11, aged 92.

His funeral will take place at Portchester Crematorium on Tuesday June 30 at 11am. Due to current restrictions, the service is by invitation only but is also available via webcast.

Donations can be made to local cancer charity Wessex Cancer Trust or Sightsavers, an international charity working to prevent avoidable blindness.

Enquiries should be directed to AH Freemantle Funeral Directors of Titchfield.