Veteran soldier and longstanding political commentator Larry Burchall has died at the age of 75.

According to a report on Bernews.com, operated by his daughter Patricia, Mr Burchall passed peacefully in his sleep on Saturday night. In a statement with her brother Laurion Burchall, she said: “We are devastated by the loss of our father. He was our biggest supporter in all we did, defined the term ‘leading by example’, and it was truly a privilege to have him for a father.”

Added Paddy Burchall, his wife of 46 years: “Many people knew him for different reasons, but for me he was a wonderful caring husband and father.”

Prior to his writing career Mr Burchall was a soldier with both the Royal Bermuda Regiment and the British Army. He originally joined the Bermuda Militia Artillery in 1961 and became the first black Bermudian Sergent Major.

He later went on to become the training officer for the Regiment, and was credited with masterminding the Regimental Honours Parade for Her Majesty the Queen, for which he received the Royal Victorian Medal as a personal award from the Queen.

Mr Burchall retired from the Regiment in the 1980s and focused on his writing career, becoming a regular newspaper columnist for the Bermuda Times, the Worker’s Voice, the Bermuda Sun and Bernews.

More than just write about politics, Mr Burchall became directly involved, assisting the Progressive Labour Party as a strategist and campaign co-chairman during the party’s 1998 victory and serving as the chairman of the Bermuda Housing Corporation for several years.

He also used his writing skills to pen several books, including Behind the Shield, Rise of the Faceless and Fine as Wine.

Long-time friend and occasional collaborator Sir John Swan said he was shocked by Mr Burchall’s passing, calling his death a great loss for the country.

“He was an architect of Bermuda’s economic information who provided the public with an understanding of the issues that most definitely affected Bermuda, that helped guide the decisions and ideas that moulded Bermuda,” he said. “He has left his mark, no doubt about it, in a very contributing way.

“He was an avid researcher and gatherer of information. I worked very closely with him; we did a lot of joint work together, and I got to know him as a quiet, thoughtful individual who always wanted to make sure that things were right. There was nothing frivolous about him; he had that military background that gave him great discipline.

“People highly respected him from all walks of life, who called upon him when they needed to understand where Bermuda was and where it was going. I will miss him enormously — I read everything he wrote, and I have never found fault with any of it.”

Fellow political commentator and former MP John Barritt said Mr Burchall will be dearly missed, saying: “He had an uncanny ability to see through to the heart of matters and express them in a way that we readily understood. That’s a gift — one that he shared with everyone.

“I used to bounce ideas off him on a regular basis. He understood not just local politics, but the people in local politics, and he would tell it like it is. Invariably, there was truth and accuracy in the way he said it. He did his homework. His brain was always engaged before he put the pen in motion.”

Condolences were also expressed by the PLP with David Burt, party leader, describing Mr Burchall as a champion for the island and a servant of the people.

“Not enough will be spoken or written about one of Bermuda’s most highly regarded sons in the coming hours and days, and for our party, now is not the time to make that valiant attempt to eulogise our lion,” Mr Burt said.

“Now is the time for respectful remembrance of a soldier whose battlefield was the hearts and minds of his countrymen; and who saw victory as a united, prosperous, and empathetic Bermuda.

“Brother Burchall was a stalwart soldier, a disciplined and thoughtful man and a deeply sensitive Bermudian. He will be deeply bereaved by the party, and the loss of his perspective and guidance will be a colossal loss that we will endure.

“Whether it was his service in the Bermuda Regiment, in politics, or in the media, Larry excelled in all that he did.”

Michael Dunkley, the Premier, described Mr Burchall as “one of the most dynamic Bermudians of his time” and a man who dedicated his life to the island.

“As a writer, soldier, journalist, publisher and public advocate, Mr Burchall’s heart always beat for Bermuda first,” Mr Dunkley said. “Few Bermudians have been as indispensable to national discussion as Mr Burchall.

“His commentaries in recent years on the need for fiscal reform to restore financial health to Bermuda’s public purse was appreciated in the corridors of government and among Bermudians concerned for the future wellbeing of the island. It was a testament to his tenacious character that he never stopped banging the drum for better performance, greater accountability and transparency in public affairs.

“Mr Burchall never stopped working for a better Bermuda, and that is a legacy we can all take to heart.”

Mr Burchall was also remembered by the former commanding officer of the Royal Bermuda Regiment, honorary Colonel Eugene Raynor, who praised him for his long and dedicated service to the island.

“He is very well known by a few thousand soldiers who went through the Regiment over the period and I’m sure they will all agree he served them well and got the best performance out of them,” Col Raynor said.