A SPECIAL ceremony at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose has seen Graham Warren presented with the Imperial Service Medal, after 32 years exemplary service as a civil servant working in the Air Traffic Control tower.

The medal is one of the UK’s highest commendations and awarded in recognition of long and loyal service within the Civil Service.

Graham Warren joined RNAS Culdrose in March 1982 as a Motor Transport driver. In 1984 he was loaned to Air Traffic Control (ATC) to work as the Airfield driver.

Graham’s duties over the years have been numerous and varied including escorting visiting aircrew around the station as well as looking after the runways arrestor barriers. It is estimated he's clocked up over 200,000 miles around the airfield perimeter tracks.

The Fleet Air Arm's West Cornwall base has changed dramatically in both appearance and occupancy over the intervening 32 years. Gone are Gazelles, Wessex and Jetstream aircraft. In their place are Merlins, Avengers and Hawks and the final days of the mighty Sea Kings which have dramatically reduced in numbers since he started.

Throughout his career, Graham has provided operational support to Culdrose as it supported aircraft and personnel through conflicts in the Falklands, Bosnia, the Middle East and more recently Afghanistan. He has seen 18 different “Wings” (The name given to Commander Air on the Station), countless ATC Officers and two Air Traffic Control Towers.

Presenting Graham with his medal was RNAS Culdrose's commanding officer, Captain Ade Orchard OBE.

The Imperial Service Medal is affiliated with the Imperial Service Order, which was awarded on retirement to clerical staff of the civil service throughout the British Empire for long and meritorious service. The medal was established on August 8 1902, by King Edward VII. It is presented to non-managerial civil servants who have completed 25 years service upon their retirement.

Never one to sit idly by, retirement will see Graham looking forward to spending more time with his wife Rosemary and walking his two dogs along Marazion Beach near Penzance.