It was with great sadness that I read today via your newsletter of the death of Ray Lygo having missed it in the national press.
Few present at the reunion, like myself could failed to have been moved when, obviously frail but refusing all offers of help, managed to gain his feet to deliver a speech of characteristic vigour, insight and humour, giving as at all times, nothing less than he felt was expected of him.
Both Admirals present that night I think , perfectly represented an age when we seemed to effortlessly produce a succession of such men who can be compared in every respect, to the most illustrious of their predecessors, conducting themselves at all times, in finest traditions of the Service. In my time I grew used to being able to follow such men without question, found, that the biggest adaptation that I had to make in civilian life, was to discover that outside of the Services, people occupy all sorts of positions of rank and authority at every level – for no good or apparent reason. There seemed to be then (as is even more apparent today) no understanding at all of the essential and crucial differences between mere administration or management and leadership. Understanding that loyalty, trust and respect have to be earned. Both of these men were/are natural leaders – able to employ the same attributes that made them so successful in the Services, to go on and build significant second careers in industry. Speaking with undimmed authority, passion and energy it is by no means clear that John Treacher considers his contribution to be by any means over. Sadly these days few choose to listen to such a voice born of hard won experience. There can be no doubt that our nation will come to regret not doing so. ‘One thing we learn from history is that we learn nothing from history’

Admiral Sir Raymond Lygo was a man of demonstrable and proven courage professionalism and integrity, who demanded the highest standards of competence and probity from those about him but was, as was the measure of the man, the most demanding of these virtues in and of, himself.
He will be missed.