 He died in Cavan in August 2006.Having taken flying lessons while at school, when World War II broke out, he joined the Fleet Air Arm in 1940, mainly flying obsolescent Fairey Swordfish bombers (known as "stringbags") from merchant aircraft carriers, merchant ships with an added flight deck used to escort merchant convoys on the Atlantic.He was commissioned in 1941, and later commanded 'P' Flight of 836 Naval Air Squadron.