One of Bermuda’s longest-serving soldiers stayed with the Royal Bermuda Regiment well past retirement age out of a love of service.

Colour Sergeant Cedric Tweed was hailed as “an outstanding soldier” in the House of Assembly by Lieutenant-Colonel David Burch, a former commanding officer of the RBR.

Colonel Burch told MPs on Friday that he found Sergeant Tweed in the regiment in 1977 when he joined – and left him serving in the Regiment in 1997.

Sergeant Tweed told The Royal Gazette in 2007, when he was awarded the Queen’s Certificate and Badge of Honour for his long service: “It was something I love – I’ve been doing it all my life practically.

“When Bermuda wanted volunteers, I signed up in 1951. I enjoyed being in the forces all these years.

“I was born in Bermuda; this is my country, so I did the best I can.”

The RBR did not exist when Sergeant Tweed enlisted: he joined the Bermuda Militia Artillery, which ultimately merged with the Bermuda Volunteer Rifle Corps in 1965.

During his career he served in almost every capacity available at Warwick Camp before retiring reluctantly in 2003.

Deputy Premier Walter Roban called Sergeant Tweed a “patriarch” of a prominent family in the North Village area.

Mr Roban told MPs Sergeant Tweed was brother and uncle to two activists – the Reverend Kingsley Tweed and the Reverend Nicholas Tweed.

He was married for 70 years to Cornelia Tweed, who died in 2016. The couple had ten children.

Mr Tweed traced his military roots to the discipline instilled by his parents John and Helen, and his exposure as a young civilian to British soldiers at Prospect.

“They say I’m up in age now, 77, and I’m going to have to go,” he told the Gazette when he retired from service.

“It’s going to break my heart, but I have to do it.”

• Cedric Alphonso Tweed, one of Bermuda’s longest serving soldiers, was born on March 4, 1925. He died in December 2022, aged 97.