True gent with vital role in rig fire rescue

DAD always had an affinity with water: he messed about on oxford’s River Thame as a schoolboy and sailed the world as a radio officer in the Merchant Navy. But he realised a life at sea was not ideal if he wanted to start a family.

That decision led him into the Coastguard service and thrust him into the heart of the world’s worst oil disaster, helping to co-ordinate the rescue of workers who escaped the inferno that engulfed the Piper Alpha platform.

Although he had plenty of experience of the might of nature’s elements at sea, nothing could prepare him for the magnitude of the tragedy on July 6, 1988, that claimed the lives of 167 men. only 61 men survived and the disaster had a profound effect on dad.

Born in oxford, he went to Magdalen College School and studied radio and maritime engineering at Southampton University where he met the love of his life, our mum Dee, a nursing student.

They married in 1962 and after eight years in the Merchant Navy dad left to spend time with mum and start a family. He worked for Marconi Marine in Falmouth then in 1975 he joined HM Coastguard full time.

Progressing through the ranks he moved from Cornwall to Sussex and Shetland, where he was station officer for three-and-a-half years.

To us, dad’s job always seemed more adventurous compared to other dads’ jobs. He seemed like a hero to us and we were proud that he helped save lives.

In 1983, we moved to Aberdeen where he became the district controller. After the Piper Alpha disaster he headed the National offshore Industry Liaison team, established to focus on working with the oil and gas sector, training and exercising offshore emergency teams.

A man of strong Christian faith he was heavily involved in St Columba’s Church in Aberdeen’s Bridge of Don.

Quiet and modest, he was a gentleman in the true sense and a very proud grandad, telling sea stories with his grandsons James, Lewis and Connor and taking them to play on ‘Grandad’s Beach’ – the beach at Donmouth. He died at home surrounded by his family and his library of maritime books.

DaViD fOSter, born april 20, 1938, died November 27, 2017, aged 79.