FORMER Oxford tutor Captain Dom Alberic Stacpoole, who became a monk after a distinguished military career, has died aged 82.

Capt Stacpoole was a senior tutor at St Benet’s Hall, the educational establishment founded in 1897 so that monks of Ampleforth Abbey in North Yorkshire could take degrees at Oxford University.

He would later serve as Acting Master of the Hall.

John Stacpoole – Alberic was the name he received on joining the monastic community – was born in Belfast in 1931 and was educated at the Bar Convent, York, and at Ampleforth College.

In 1950 he went to the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst.

He was to have a distinguished military career in which he saw service with the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment (West Riding) 1st Battalion in Korea.

He was awarded the Military Cross in 1953 for his courage and leadership while commanding an assault pioneer platoon in the Korean War.

He was wounded by shrapnel during a three-week action in which his patrol created a network of fortifications that recalled the First World War’s Western Front.

Soon after returning home from Korea, Capt Stacpoole became adjutant of the 2nd Parachute Regiment in Cyprus, and was once involved in hunting down Eoka terrorists. He later served in Egypt and later in West Africa as ADC to Major-General Ken Exham.

After resigning his commission, he considered a career in politics and also working as a missionary.

But 10 years after his military career ended, he joined the monastic community. Father Alberic, as he became, taught in Ampleforth College and for a time was acting housemaster in St Wilfrid’s, which is attached to the college.

On two occasions he spent time in Oxford as Acting Master at St Benet’s Hall, a Permanent Private Hall of Oxford University.

He also spent some years as parish priest of Our Lady and St Chad, Kirkbymoorside, and St Mary’s, Helmsley.

Father Alberic was a prolific author and correspondent, editing more than 30 issues of The Ampleforth Journal between 1967 and 1980. He was co-editor of the 1972 publication The Noble City of York and his other works included Vatican II by Those Who Were There.

He was also well-known in ecumenical circles and from 1980-1992 was general secretary of the Ecumenical Society of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

He died in his 53rd year of monastic life, and the 43rd of his priesthood. A funeral mass took place at Ampleforth Abbey on October 11, followed by burial.