Edward (Teddy) Findlay Gueritz
(8 Sep 1919 – 21 Dec 2008)

I met Edward Gueritz only once, when my wife and I were seated at a small table with him and his wife at the buffet following the funeral of my Aunt Frances, his first cousin, in Oxford about 10 years ago. They were both very charming, and it transpired that they had become close friends of my sister-in-law and her husband, the Hatt-Cooks. Once again the extraordinary connectedness of things is apparent.

I knew who he was of course, but had no very clear idea of his CV, so to speak. He was eight years younger than John Gueritz, with whom my father had been so close, and there had never been any personal family contact. He of course had virtually no previous awareness of us, but effortlessly concealed this.

And then, almost four years ago, Sonia and I were contacted by our Normandy cousins James and Claude, suggesting that we should meet at Salisbury Cathedral for Edward's memorial service. A memorable and very well-attended occasion, and his son Guy spoke very vividly about him, and I began to realise the full extent of Edward's qualities, abilities and achievements.

There is no need for me to expatiate on these, because they are documented so thoroughly in the various links below. It is almost unbelievable that one man could accomplish so much in one lifetime. And that it all came so naturally, effortlessly even. But yet remain such a verray, parfit, gentil admyrall.

Click here for his obituary in the Daily Telegraph or here for a transcription.

There were of course numerous other media tributes:

www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/news/headlines/4023534.Rear_Admiral_Gueritz_dies_at_89/
or click here for a local copy.

www.thisisannouncements.co.uk/5882300?s_source=clna_zzzz
or click here for a local copy.

www.directart.co.uk/mall/profiles.php?SigID=731
or click here for a local copy.

There is of course a lot of overlap in the contents of these links, but I think that each does contribute something extra as well in every case.