A retired Royal Navy commodore has been recognised for 35 years service in the Queen’s birthday honours list.

John Keegan was Commodore Maritime Reserves, based at Royal Navy headquarters on Whale Island, Portsmouth until he retired in February.

He was awarded an OBE for his outstanding commitment to the UK throughout his diverse and selfless career.

The 54-year-old father of two from Weybridge said the award was as a complete surprise but he was delighted to be recognised.

He said: “Since the age of six or seven, I had always wanted to join the Royal Navy.

“It was a visit to a Portsmouth navy days that fired my early ambition and my enthusiasm for the service.”

Commodore Keegan joined the Royal Navy in 1977, passed out of Britannia Royal Naval College and graduated from the Royal Naval Engineering College.

His sea service included four destroyers and a number of aircraft carriers and he also served on the staff of Flag Officer Sea Training.

On land he served in the procurement executive, as the senior student on the Royal Naval staff course, the Ministry of Defence, as the senior naval officer for defence analysis, and as the contingent planner for the Royal Navy’s Fleet Commander.