THE heartbroken family of a Korean War veteran have paid tribute to a man friends have called “an officer and a gentleman”.

Retired Lieutenant Colonel John Kinchenton, of Augustine Way, Andover, died on August 3 in the Countess of Brecknock Hospice after a short battle with stomach cancer at the age of 83.

“He was a wonderful husband and father, he adored his girls and was so proud of them,” wife Christine Kinchenton said, “we had 17 years of happy, healthy retirement.”

Father to Helene and Hannah, Mr Kinchenton was diagnosed with the inoperable stomach tumour just three weeks before he died – and only three months after Helene got the all clear from cervical cancer.

“It was a shock, he had never been ill in his life,” Mrs Kinchenton said describing his sudden illness.

“He was really fit, we used to go to the gym a couple of times a week, we did a lot of walking with the dogs. We went to Gibraltar for his 83rd birthday in March and we walked up to the top of the rock and back down, there was no sign he was ill.”

Mr Kinchenton was born Martin Alfred Sydney Kinchenton in Gosport in 1932, becoming John when he joined the Royal Engineer Regiment as a Sapper in 1951.

His wife said: “On the first day there were two Martins, and his corporal at the time said ‘you will have to be called John’ and he has been John ever since, all through his army career.”

He was then deployed to Korea in 1952.

“He didn’t talk about it because it was just so awful,” the retired teacher added.

Rising through the soldier ranks, Mr Kinchenton had a series of postings around the world including Australia, Singapore, West Africa and Hong Kong, where he has a road named after him.

He was commissioned as an officer in the early 1970s, obtaining the only place at the time for an officer who had worked his way up.

While posted to Dortmund in 1976 he met Christine, who was a teacher at a forces secondary school there. They married in 1978 before a posting to St Helena where Helene was born.

Mr Kinchenton retired from the Royal Engineers as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1985 when the family moved to Andover from Barton Stacey.

He began working for Guide Dogs for the Blind as estates manager, joined the Andover and Winchester Branch of the Royal Engineers Association and was church warden at St Georges Church in Enham Alamein for 20 years.

The family have received more than 50 letters of condolences from friendswho called him “an officer and a gentleman”.

Mr Kinchenton is survived by wife Christine, 36-year-old Helene and Hannah, 35, who is an MOD police dog handler“He was just Pops,” said Helene, who works in financial services.

“He had a wicked sense of humour and the most amazing laugh.

“His passing has left a huge hole in our hearts and life.”

A memorial service is to be held at St George’s Church, Enham Alamein, on Friday, 11 September at 2pm.

All donations will go to the Countess of Brecknock Hospice.