A tribute has been paid to a former County Durham air cadet commander who died this week.
A tribute has been paid to the former Durham Northumberland Wing Air Cadets commander, John Scott, who passed away this week.
The former squadron leader's was honoured by his former cadet force who said they were "devastated" to announce his passing.
They said their thoughts were with John's family and urged others to share their memories of the "warm" and humourous commander.
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A Durham Northumberland Wing Air Cadets spokesperson said: "As a Wing, we are devastated to have to announce the death of our former Deputy OC Wing, Sqn Ldr (Ret'd) John Scott.
"John will be remembered by many for his steadfast commitment to our organisation, his calm demeanour in difficult situations, and his warm smile and sense of humour.
"Our thoughts are with his wife Karin, son Michael, daughter Sarah and son-in-law Nick.
John was a long-serving officer of the Durham Northumberland Wing, joining in the 1980s as a CI at 1407 Newton Aycliffe Squadron ATC.
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He progressed through to being squadron commander there and served for many years, winning the Wing’s Lindisfarne Trophy for the Best Squadron in the Wing, and being presented with a Lord Lieutenant’s Certificate for Loyal and Meritorious Service in 2004.
In 2005, he was posted on to Wing Staff in 2005, initially serving as a sector commander, where he supported many squadrons and staff in County Durham.
The wing said he was key to its winning of the Sir Roger Austin Sword.
He had been forced to retire from the RACAF and his role as chief of staff due to illness, and has suffered from Type 1 Diabetes for many years.
After this, he served the Civilian Committee at 234 (City of Durham) Squadron ATC, where his son Michael held a role as a squadron commander.
Many paid heartfelt tributes to John online and provided accounts of his "lovely" and "inspiring" character.
In a social media post, one resident said: "This is such sad news. A true gentlemen and a genuinely nice guy who will be missed by many across the wing.
"John, Karin and Michael have been dominating my thoughts since I heard this sad news."
Another resident commded John and said: "John was an inspiration to many within the organisation and encompassed everything the RAF Air Cadets stands for.
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"Our thoughts are with Karin and her family. Rest in Peace Sir your duty is done."
Adding to this, another resident said: "I feel so lucky and honoured to have had John as my mentor and guiding light for nearly 20 years.
"He epitomised RISE, was an absolute gent and worked tirelessly for the wing making many personal sacrifices for the greater good. His legacy will endure."
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