A former Second World War pilot believed to be to the last surviving Fleet Air Arm pilot has died.

Ian Templer, who was aged 100, flew several aircraft during the Second World War, but the one he most fondly remembered was the Swordfish.

Ian, who lived in the Bridport area since 2009, had been living at the Hyde Residential Home, Walditch, where he celebrated turning 100 back in June on Father's Day (Sunday, June 17).

After war was declared in 1939, Ian served as a meteorology assistant in the Orkney Islands from 1939 until 1940.

Following this, he was a naval airman trained as a pilot with the 14 Elementary Flying Training School at Elmdon and the Seven Standard Flying Training School at Peterborough from 1940 until 1941.

It was after 1941 that Ian piloted the Swordfish for the first time, an aircraft he firmly remembered up to his death, with one of his flights seeing him pilot the Swordfish from Egypt to Malta.

At his birthday celebrations in June, his family arranged for Lieutenant Commander Mark Jameson from the Royal Historic Flight, who flies the only remaining operational Swordfish at Yeovilton to visit him.

On Lt Commander Jameson's visit, Ian's youngest daughter, Briony, noted how her father's face 'lit up' when Mark told him who he was an his involvement with the Swordfish aircraft.

The family organised for Ian to visit Yeovilton and the Swordfish in July, a trip which eldest daughter Sally commented as 'excited' Ian.

Sally said: "We were really holding our breath on the trip, he was poorly before his birthday, but did recover, and between the end of July, and was well enough to go.

"He was wheeled around in his wheelchair and is was really thrilling, we are so pleased he managed it.

"They put on a display on for him, he was talking to the cadets and senior pilots who were very pleased to meet him and fascinated by some of his stories.

"It was a very uplifting day for him.

"He has lots of memories of the Swordfish in the war.

"It was an extraordinary thing to fly."

One senior pilot in attendance for Ian's visit, Commander Ian Gray, commented to Briony, who visited Yeovilton with Ian, how he felt 'privileged' to have met him.

After the war, Ian returned to work for Dunlops in the midlands, where he worked until his retirement age at the age of 64.

After retiring, Ian and wife Pam returned to the south of England to be nearer to their children, moving to Dorset in their 90s.

Ian leaves three children, Briony, David and Sally, three grandchildren and four great grandchildren.