Alan Bunnage (16 Feb 1926 - 18 Oct 2020)

Alan was born in Bermondsey, County of London on the 16th February 1926 to parents Edward and Blanche. The family including his sister Olive, two years his elder, moved to Somersham Road, Bexleyheath. Alan started experimenting with radio receivers and transmitters; an interest that went on to shape his life and career and influence the careers of his children.
On leaving school he studied at Dartford Technical College and at the age of eighteen joined the Royal Corps. Of Signals and was stationed in the Far East including India. Alan put his inventive nature to good use by converting the earpiece from a pair of headphones into an electrical gramophone pickup so that Benny Goodman and Count Basie records could be played over the camp Tannoy system. Alan was very proud of his service time and in later years recounted his adventures to the other members of the Winchester branch of the Royal Signals Association.
Alan’s sister Olive assisted their parents with activities at Saint Peter’s Church in Bexleyheath and Olive’s friend Joyce Warner also helped. Alan met Joyce at Saint Peter’s Youth Fellowship whilst on leave from the Royal Signals. Later Joyce visited him in hospital after a serious motorcycle accident and their relationship blossomed. Joyce’s father Harold commented that, with a broken leg, he was unable to get away!
Following the Royal Signals Alan joined the Marine Radio Laboratory at Siemens Brothers in Woolwich and serviced ships radio transceivers.
Alan and Joyce bought their first house in Belvedere, Kent and married at Saint Peter’s church on the 31st March 1951, their seventieth wedding anniversary is next March. They chose the 31st March because of the married tax advantage.
Alan used his radio and electronic skills to build a television from army surplus equipment. Joyce and Alan watched the Coronation of our Queen in June 1953 on a green radar screen.
Sons Paul and Mark were born in 1955 and 1957. They remember helping their father in the garden and on the allotment on the marshes near Belvedere railway station. Alan was always a keen gardener and gained great satisfaction from growing vegetables for his family. Every home has had a greenhouse and vegetable plot.
After a move to Dartford in 1960 to a house with a large garden for vegetables, Paul remembers his father helping him build a crystal radio set and of his father building a brick coal bunker. Alan’s keen practical skills have been passed to his sons. In 1965 Alan and Joyce had a third son John.
By 1967 Siemens Brothers had been absorbed by first AEI (Associated Electrical Industries) and then GEC (General Electric Company). By this time Alan was working on the development of early electronic telephone exchanges. GEC planned to close the Woolwich site and offered Alan a move to Coventry or Portsmouth. The family had enjoyed holidays on the Norfolk Broads and canals and so Alan chose Portsmouth.
After the move to Bedhampton 1968 he commissioned a fishing boat to be built near Locksway Road in Portsmouth. A family discussion produced the name “JOMAP” from the family’s initials and the boat was launched in March 1971. Joyce remembers how she was seasick before they left the mooring and Mark recalls many enjoyable fishing trips with his father in Langstone and Chichester harbours.
Alan became involved in the Manor Trust at Bedhampton and was asked if he could provide a public address system and subsequently background music. With his usual enthusiasm and skill he built one for the following fundraising garden party and then continued to do so for more than 40 years.
In 1986 Alan retired and he and Joyce moved to Rowlands Castle. They journeyed to Australia to visit distant relatives. Alan and Joyce became involved with the local amateur dramatics society and he built the electronics to provide sound effects, lightening flashes and telephones ringing. Alan became a tree warden and he and Joyce helped with the village summer fair bookstalls and jumble sales in the parish hall. At jumble sales he had a box marked “Not For sale” which contained his tester and tools for the electrical items to be checked before sale.
In 2001 his children and their families organised surprise fiftieth wedding anniversary party in the parish hall. Alan and Joyce thoroughly enjoyed seeing old friends and family from all over the country.
Alan always enjoyed spending time with his family, his grandchildren and great grandchildren and he was always interested in what they had achieved. Alan will be sadly missed by all his family and friends but his influence on their lives will continue.

A Tribute to Dad read at his graveside by his youngest son, John.

I have been reflecting on Alan’s life since his passing and amongst the many happy and sad memories I have come to realise that throughout his life Alan has fought many battles. But not with weapons or his fists - he used
words, information, intellect and his Inner Spirit.

As you have already heard he was in the Royal Signals helping to send information back from the Far East to help his comrades. That was his war, a war of words he helped to win.

After the war he battled back to health from a life threatening motorcycle accident - becoming something of a medical miracle in the process and when in the recovery ward he won Joyce’s heart as his reward!

As his career progressed Alan used his electronics skills to help protect others with his often secret work on ship defence radar systems and I probably shouldn’t say this but I suspect he would count helping to raise his three sons as another battle!

When Alan and his wife, Joyce, moved to Rowland’s Castle to live out their retirement years together all seemed peaceful until it was diagnosed that his body was succumbing to bowel cancer and cruelly he also had a stroke. But he soldiered on, using his faith to help regain some mobility.

Sadly the final blow came when dementia started to take its toll on his memory and facilities but even then his spirit still kept his heart beating. He used his last words and movements to make us smile, and often joked with his dedicated carers.

To them I say, Thank you, on his behalf.

Alan did not lose any battles in his life. He never gave up. His mortal body has succumbed but Alan’s spirit has not been defeated, it has just moved on to a better place in our hearts and minds.

Finally....
It is perhaps appropriate that he his body has been lain to rest almost exactly one hour and one day after the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month as there will only ever be ONE Alan Robert Arthur Bunnage.