Humphrey Buxton died on January 27 at the Royal United Hospital in Bath, aged 83.

Humphrey Arthur Lichfield Buxton was born in Derbyshire on April 6, 1926. As a child he lived in Okehampton in Devon, where he gained his love for nature and horseriding on his beloved Dartmoor.

His father owned a garage where he also gained his lifelong love of cars, motorbikes and all things mechanical.

After working in various jobs associated with farming, he decided it was not for him and followed in his father’s footsteps by joining the Army in 1948, aged 22.

He had met his future wife Joan at Crewkerne in Somerset, where they were both involved in farming, and they married while he was doing his basic training with the Royal Signals.

He served in Korea from 1954, Cyprus from 1956, Germany from 1958, Catterick from 1961, Germany again from 1965 and Malta from 1967.

The journey to Korea involved a six-week trip by ship, during which the birth of his third child was announced over the Tannoy system. He did not see his son until 18 months later when the family was reunited in Cyprus.

By the time Mr Buxton left the Army in 1969 he and his wife had seven children. They settled initially in Corsham, then Semington and finally Trowbridge.

He worked in the security industry, for a time in the civil service in Copenacre, giving up work after developing Parkinson’s Disease in 1973. He continued his hobbies of writing poetry and short stories, woodwork and keeping as physically active as he could.

He leaves his wife, Joan, children Paul Buxton, 59, Ruth Billingsley, 58, Anthony Buxton, 55, Chris Buxton, 53, Jo Morton, 49, Mary Andrews, 48, and Andy Buxton, 45, 15 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

His family said: “In his long life he had amazed everyone with his strong courageous will and tenacity in fighting this cruel disease, which gradually robbed him of his mobility and strength.

“He never gave up the fight and will always remembered with love and affection.”

His funeral will be held at West Wiltshire Crematorium in Semington on February 6 at 11am. Donations in his memory can be made to the Parkinson’s Disease Society.