View Full Version : Air Chief Marshal Sir Douglas Lowe
rolling20
1st Feb 2018, 13:30
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2018/01/30/air-chief-marshal-sir-douglas-lowe-obituary/ Obituary in the Telegraph. If he flew his first tour on Stirling's, then he did jolly well. Amazing that he joined in 1940, was a Sergeant and rose to Air Chief Marshall. I must admit after Sir Michael Beetham I thought there were no more senior officers who started in WW2 still alive. Are there others?
Wander00
1st Feb 2018, 15:01
I had not realised he was still around until recently. RAF Cranwell Station Commander when I was a cadet at the Towers. ISTR ADC to the Commandant was one Dick Johns
rolling20
1st Feb 2018, 16:10
There is an interview online of him talking of his wartime experiences. It must have been damm cold in that room, as the schoolgirl interviewing him has extra long sleeves that cover her hands. When I once got a school prize from an x pupil who made Air rank, we were all inspected before we shook his hand. How times change.
Pontius Navigator
1st Feb 2018, 16:15
Rolling 20, which hand?
ian16th
1st Feb 2018, 18:36
Reading the obit, I see another commonality with Sir Michael Beetham.
They were both O.C. Valiant squadrons at Marham at the same time. Sir Douglas was O.C. 148 and Sir Michael was O.C. 214 Sqdn.
I wonder who was O.C. 207 at that time?
Archimedes
1st Feb 2018, 19:25
Sir Freddie Sowrey is still with us, I think (aged 95/96).
Chugalug2
1st Feb 2018, 20:21
Indeed he is Archimedes. He is Vice President of the RAFHS. The President is ACM Sir Richard Johns, Wander00. Was this the interview, Rolling?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GZnhDtAraU
rolling20
1st Feb 2018, 20:37
It is indeed Chugalug.
rolling20
1st Feb 2018, 20:40
Rolling 20, which hand?
Port I think Pontius
roving
1st Feb 2018, 21:46
Sir Peter Le Cheminant was a WWII pilot and he is still current and aged 97. He was my dad's boss in KL in the mid 1950's.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Le_Cheminant
rolling20
1st Feb 2018, 22:52
Sir Peter Le Cheminant was a WWII pilot and he is still current and aged 97. He was my dad's boss in KL in the mid 1950's.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Le_Cheminant
Amazing. I hope he has put his life story in print somewhere.
Archimedes
2nd Feb 2018, 07:02
Amazing. I hope he has put his life story in print somewhere.
He has:
The Royal Air Force: A Personal Experience ((Ian Allan, 2001)
Archimedes
2nd Feb 2018, 07:15
Wikipedia - that most reliable of sources... - suggests that AVM Deryck Stapleton recently celebrated his 100th birthday.
Fortissimo
2nd Feb 2018, 13:21
And Air Cdre Charles Clark, who was on the Long March.
roving
2nd Feb 2018, 16:40
Not to mention three regular contributors to the Brevet thread in their 90's, Danny being 96. All three have a photographic recall of their WWOO flying experiences.
Reading the obit, I see another commonality with Sir Michael Beetham.
They were both O.C. Valiant squadrons at Marham at the same time. Sir Douglas was O.C. 148 and Sir Michael was O.C. 214 Sqdn.
I wonder who was O.C. 207 at that time?
Nobody as successful, it seems.
OCs 201 - 220 Sqns (http://www.rafweb.org/Squadrons/COs/OCs_201-220.htm)
Wander00
2nd Feb 2018, 19:04
Have twice had the privilege of meeting AC Clark at RAFA events supporting the French unveiling new memorials.