"Commodore Richard Thorn, who has died aged 81, commanded Britain’s largest merchant fleet, operating 22 sophisticated Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships. From 1989 to 1994 the fleet under Thorn’s command supported warships of the Royal Navy and allied navies, providing fuel, ammunition, food, water and stores, platforms for Royal Navy and Royal Marine helicopters, and bases for Special Forces. Thorn was responsible to the Commander in Chief Fleet for the recruitment, training, employment, welfare and performance of his 2,500 British registered Merchant Navy officers and men. Though nominally a master in the Merchant Navy, Thorn – as well as his colleagues – had as much operational experience during and after the Cold War as many of his Royal Navy counterparts. Richard Montgomery Thorn, known as Dick, was born at Horsforth, Yorkshire, on August 25 1934 and educated at King Edward VII Nautical School , London, and the University School of Navigation, Warsash. He went to sea in 1950 to serve four years as an indentured apprentice in Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Company tankers, and a year with the Rex Steamship Company before joining the Royal Fleet Auxiliary as a third officer in the tanker Black Rover." http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/12052060/Commodore-Richard-Thorn-obituary.html
the life, places and people seen by Mr Thorn are truly great.....one of the many, many unsung heroes.....their part in the success of military operations is no less than the tip of spear IMO....