CSO William J "Bill" Clarke, ex BOAC & BA
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CSO William J "Bill" Clarke, ex BOAC & BA
It is with much sadness that I have to announce the death of former
Cabin Services Officer Bill Clarke on 12 October 2011, after a brave battle with illness.
Bill was born in Hong Kong in 1932 and joined the airline world in about 1953, as the catering manager for Hong Kong Airways who were operating DC3s at the time. When HKA was split between Cathay Pacific and BOAC he worked briefly for CPA but then came to Britain to join BOAC in 1959. After passing his cabin crew course in the same year, he became the very first coloured cabin crew for BOAC , something of which he was very proud, and one of only two who spoke Cantonese. He flew first on the Britannia fleet, then Comets, followed by VC10/B707 and finally B747 White Fleet before medical issues grounded him in 1983.
In later years he ran a small restaurant in Bournemouth, Dorset, with his wife Valerie.
Over the years he told me many stories of his airline life, including being on the wrong side of a cell-door in Moscow, arguments with immigration staff in Joburg, staying in royal palaces and close shaves with hijacks to name a few.
One of his proudest moments as was CSO was the turnround of a late B747 in Hong Kong. With 286 pax already on board and others joining, he radioed ahead to the station & speaking in Cantonese persuaded the ground crew that there was an opportunity to really impress their ancestors with their skill.
The result was that he and his crew, with a fresh tech-crew, had the aircraft moving again after just 27 minutes chock-to-chock, which British Airways claimed was the record time.
More than all of this, though, he was my dad.
Safe flight & soft landing Dad!
If anyone would like funeral details, please PM me.
Cabin Services Officer Bill Clarke on 12 October 2011, after a brave battle with illness.
Bill was born in Hong Kong in 1932 and joined the airline world in about 1953, as the catering manager for Hong Kong Airways who were operating DC3s at the time. When HKA was split between Cathay Pacific and BOAC he worked briefly for CPA but then came to Britain to join BOAC in 1959. After passing his cabin crew course in the same year, he became the very first coloured cabin crew for BOAC , something of which he was very proud, and one of only two who spoke Cantonese. He flew first on the Britannia fleet, then Comets, followed by VC10/B707 and finally B747 White Fleet before medical issues grounded him in 1983.
In later years he ran a small restaurant in Bournemouth, Dorset, with his wife Valerie.
Over the years he told me many stories of his airline life, including being on the wrong side of a cell-door in Moscow, arguments with immigration staff in Joburg, staying in royal palaces and close shaves with hijacks to name a few.
One of his proudest moments as was CSO was the turnround of a late B747 in Hong Kong. With 286 pax already on board and others joining, he radioed ahead to the station & speaking in Cantonese persuaded the ground crew that there was an opportunity to really impress their ancestors with their skill.
The result was that he and his crew, with a fresh tech-crew, had the aircraft moving again after just 27 minutes chock-to-chock, which British Airways claimed was the record time.
More than all of this, though, he was my dad.
Safe flight & soft landing Dad!
If anyone would like funeral details, please PM me.
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Thanks, Antonov. I certainly am!
In his Comet days he also used to fly a lot with a certain Carol Middleton!
In his Comet days he also used to fly a lot with a certain Carol Middleton!
Last edited by aluminium persuader; 19th Oct 2011 at 18:53.
