RNAS Culdrose has bid a sad farewell to Kim Dooley, affectionately known as 'Aunty Kim,' after her 46-year Royal Navy career.

The Senior Rates and Warrant Officer's Mess was filled with sailors and civilians from the Helston base, all eager to say goodbye to Kim when she officially retired last week.  

Kim joined as a ‘wren’ (a member of the Women’s Royal Navy Service) in 1978, training as a writer – part of the branch in charge of administration and logistics.

A packed Senior Rates and Warrant Officer's Mess to say goodbye to 'Aunty Kim' A packed Senior Rates and Warrant Officer's Mess to say goodbye to 'Aunty Kim' (Image: Royal Navy) She served at various establishments including HMS Drake at Devonport and was first posted to RNAS Culdrose in 1982. She also spent time at the shore station in Hong Kong and a deployment to Norway.

Leaving the Navy as a petty officer in 2000, she joined the Civil Service and has worked at squadrons at RNAS Culdrose including as a staff officer of 829 and more recently 814 Naval Air Squadrons, the Merlin helicopter unit known as The Flying Tigers.

At her farewell reception on November 13, Kim said: “I’ve been close to tears today, but I’ve managed not to cry.

“This is now the right time for me to go but I will miss it and the people. It’s the people who have made both my naval and Civil Service careers so worthwhile.”

The commanding officer of RNAS Culdrose Captain Stuart Irwin praised her contribution to defence and presented her with an award recognising her hard work.

The commanding officer of RNAS Culdrose Captain Stuart Irwin praised Kim's contribution to defence The commanding officer of RNAS Culdrose Captain Stuart Irwin praised Kim's contribution to defence (Image: Royal Navy) The commanding officer of 814 Naval Air Squadron, Commander Ed Holland handed her an oak sculpture (made from a tree recently removed from RNAS Culdrose) with a plaque listing highlights of her career.

He said Mrs Dooley would often act as a mentor to trainees on the squadrons and has, in her career, helped two junior officers who have each gone on to do rather well – Admiral Sir Ben Key, now First Sea Lord (head of the Royal Navy), and Admiral Keith Blount, NATO’s Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe.

Cdr Holland added: “For so many years, Kim has been an important part of Merlin Helicopter Force and the Fleet Air Arm, and she has made a lasting impression on all who have known her.

“We are all the better for having Aunty Kim in our lives.”

Mrs Dooley, a Church of England minister from Cornwall church, Breage, celebrated her 65th birthday on the day she left RNAS Culdrose.

Having spent much of her career organising travel arrangements for others, Mrs Dooley added that she and her husband David were now looking forward to retirement and seeing something of the world together.