The first Bermudian soldier to join the British Army after the end of the Second World War has died aged 87.

Arthur Tatem enlisted with the The Royal Welch Fusiliers at the age of 18 and travelled the world before returning home to Bermuda in 1953.

Mr Tatem, who died last Wednesday, was also a familiar face at the Bermuda Historical Society’s museum in Hamilton where he had volunteered for more than a decade.

His son George Tatem told The Royal Gazette that his father always wanted to make a difference in the community.

Mr Tatem said: “He gave us a much better life than he had. He had a hard upbringing and was bounced around from pillar to post.

“His family have a lot of respect for what he ended up being.

“The Army was a big part of him and he lived a very disciplined life. Everything had to be a certain way — he was very meticulous.

“My father was very personable. He was very giving and always wanted to be helpful and make a difference in the community.”

Mr Tatem was born in 1930, the oldest of eight children and lived mostly with his great-grandmother, Clara Tatem, in Hamilton until he was about nine.

After that he lived with his mother, Dulcie Tucker, at a variety of homes on the island’s North Shore from Government House Gate to Dock Hill to Friswells Hill.

In August 1948 he joined the British Army and went on to become a corporal in The Royal Welch Fusiliers and the Wiltshire Regiment.

He obtained his Army 2nd class and 1st class certificates of education and later a City & Guilds qualification in telecommunications.

Mr Tatem returned to Bermuda in 1953, and two years later married his wife, Dorothy.

The couple went on have two sons, George and Michael.

At the age of 28 he was hired by the National Cash Register company of Bermuda and remained there until he retired aged 65.

Andy Bermingham, president of the Bermuda Historical Society, said Mr Tatem was “one of the society’s most dedicated and devoted volunteers”.

He added: “In 2007 the museum needed urgent renovation and upgrade, which required professional help, but more importantly it required someone to do the hard work of painting and restoration of artefacts.

“Arthur became that help at the age of 77. He worked tirelessly for four months, and due to his keen interest in Bermuda and its history, he subsequently volunteered for museum duty every Wednesday.

“He did this for a period of ten years, while juggling his museum work with caring for his wife Dorothy, who had faced many years of poor health.” Mr Tatem was also an accomplished watch repairer and took great pride in looking after the Society’s own collection, especially the historic 1787 Blatchley clock.

Mr Bermingham said: “Countless visitors and residents have passed through the museum doors to be greeted by Arthur’s warm welcome and anecdotes of faces and places long gone.

“He was immensely proud of the fact he had made his way in life having left school at 14 to help his family financially.

“He was also very proud to be the first Bermudian since the end of the Second World War to join the British Army, an adventure that took him around the world.

“Arthur had his own set of rules and was a very precise person. He liked to entertain children and he kept hidden away in the museum a hoard of British copper pennies. Each child received his special gift.

“Arthur cared deeply about Bermuda and he played a wonderful part in its life, right to the very end. He will be greatly missed by us all and at the Bermuda Historical Society.

“Wednesday will continue to be Arthur’s day.”