FORMER Winchester MP, Rear Admiral Sir Morgan Morgan-Giles, has died aged 98.

He represented the city from 1964, when he contested a by-election following the resignation of Peter Smithers, until 1979 when he was succeeded by John Browne.

Sir Morgan joined the Royal Navy in 1932 and was mentioned in despatches four times. In 1941 he was awarded the George Medal for "gallantry and undaunted devotion to duty" during bomb and mine disposal work in Egypt.

At the end of the war during which he was recruited by Fitzroy MacLean to run arms to Tito's partisans in Yugoslavia, he was awarded a DSO for "courage, outstanding leadership and devotion to duty."

From 1964, on the benches at Westminster, such feats saw him greeted by Labour cries of "Send a gunboat"; the genial Sir Morgan duly steamed into action on behalf of the Royal Navy. He condemned the decision to withdraw East of Suez "as a sop to the left wing"; advocated a British intervention with the Americans in Vietnam; and supported a fifth Polaris nuclear submarine.

Although he moved away from the area in later years, Sir Morgan kept close links with Winchester where several members of his family still live. His son Rodney farms at Old Alresford.

Current Winchester MP Steve Brine said: “I was very sad to hear of the passing of the Rear Admiral who, even today, is a hard act to follow in this job. I still find people who remember him in Winchester and speak fondly of his tenure as the local MP.

“During my time as candidate we were in contact from time to time and he was among the first to congratulate me when I was elected in 2010. He served his country with distinction before and during his time in Parliament and will be sorely missed. My thoughts are with his family at this time.”