Originally Posted by
Mercury Rising
I am very sad to report that Wg Cdr Bill McQueen who has been mentioned in this thread a couple of times, died at the weekend. RIP
Bill led the Mobile Met Unit through its most eventful and difficult days. As the Falklands war was kicking off Bill arrived at Ascension by air as a Sqn Ldr and was famously accosted by Captain McQueen RN who was sending "surplus" arrivals packing ."Only room for one McQueen here. The Navy can do the Met".
Fortunately for the RAF and Black Buck, reason prevailed, and we did the business as well as state of the art could provide. Bill was awarded an MBE.
Afterwards he ran the much expanded MMU [with the aid of the adjt, Pete Davies] during several crises including the Balkans, and Gulf War One.
Wg Cdr McQueen, by virtue of commanding the MMU and being here there and everywhere near the sharp end probably had more gongs than almost any regular officer.
This is a very incomplete obit because our careers were parallel and I am sure that others can fill in the gaps.