A ROYAL Navy engineer from Blaina was awarded a prestigious medal for 30 years of service to Queen and country.

Lieutenant Alan Powell, 48, joined the navy aged 17 after thinking the inside of a mine “looked like hard work”.

Three decades on he has been awarded the ‘Clasp’ – a medal only given to members of the navy who have achieved more than 30 years’ service and recognises their “impeccable” dedication.

Lt Powell, a father of four and former pupil of St Albans RC Comprehensive School in Pontypool, said his long career with the navy had allowed a “plain shy Valleys’ boy” to see the wonders of the world, and turned him into a “confident, cultured and educated”

man.

After starting his career as an apprentice engineer, Lt Powell rose through the ranks and toured all over the globe.

He has sailed in the Mediterranean and Baltic regions, and been on board during multi-million-pound drugs hauls in the West Indies.

He went to Australia with HMS Ark Royal in 1989, and was in Sydney Harbour with hundreds of other nations’ warships for the country’s bicentennial celebrations.

He travelled to the Falkland Islands, and served during both Gulf wars.

Now back in the UK, Lt Powell is currently based at MoD Corsham in Wiltshire, where his role sees him work on IT projects that support maritime operations across the world.

He said it had been a “great honour” to receive the Clasp award for a career that had given him “too many memories to count”.

Lt Powell, who will retire in two years’ time, added: “No two days’ serving have ever been the same.”