Jaguar Missing Man Formation
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Jaguar Missing Man Formation
The title is a bit misleading as it is not the main point of this note. This is about a great friend of mine, Wyn Evans, OBE, Gp Cpt Rtd, who in a quiet, sunny corner of South Wales on Friday afternoon (18th) was laid to rest in a small Welsh Churchyard after a brave battle against illness. He was an ex Jaguar pilot and amongst his many achievements he stood in as Coltishall Station Commander for 9 months while the Station Commander was absent. He was the epitomy of a boy still not grown-up, rugby fanatic, mischievous, fun to be with, a loving husband and father. I am proud to have known him.
The service was uplifting, poignant, and magnificent with a warm heartfelt oration, but was movingly concluded by an overfly at low level by a missing man formation of Jaguars. (Thanks to those involved)
Goodbye Wyn, it was a privilege to know you and thoughts and condolences to Ann and family.
He sounds like a hell of a chap.
Why not write an obit like that for John Nicholls given elsewhere on Mil Aircrew - I'll bet many would be interested to read more details of his career.
Why not write an obit like that for John Nicholls given elsewhere on Mil Aircrew - I'll bet many would be interested to read more details of his career.
Gentleman Aviator
Sadly couldn't make the funeral but had been privileged to know Wyn for many years. Concur wholeheartedly with the idea of the Peter Pan of the fast-jet world, who never lost his enthusiasm for flying despite getting to exalted rank. After previous brushes with the "Big C", he was delighted when I last saw him (earlier this year IIRC) that he's just got his flying cat back and was going to go AEF-ing at Saints.....
Not just a rugby fanatic, but a useful RAF fly-half in his youth. He remarked to me after Jeff Young's funeral a year or so back that he (Wyn) had just overlapped with JY (Wales & Lions hooker) in the RAF team .... I think Jeff's last match was Wyn's first....
A top RLO for Wales too, as anyone who got involved in Crashexes at Valley or Saints would testify. Not sure the Staish at Saints ever got over the busload of journalism students from Cardiff that Wyn provided to ask tricky questions (and produce a video and "newspaper") after a disaster exercise.....
Very useful Welsh speaking mate too for us incomers who were baffled by Druid bureaucracy in a strange language......
Not just a rugby fanatic, but a useful RAF fly-half in his youth. He remarked to me after Jeff Young's funeral a year or so back that he (Wyn) had just overlapped with JY (Wales & Lions hooker) in the RAF team .... I think Jeff's last match was Wyn's first....
A top RLO for Wales too, as anyone who got involved in Crashexes at Valley or Saints would testify. Not sure the Staish at Saints ever got over the busload of journalism students from Cardiff that Wyn provided to ask tricky questions (and produce a video and "newspaper") after a disaster exercise.....
Very useful Welsh speaking mate too for us incomers who were baffled by Druid bureaucracy in a strange language......
I went through Valley and Brawdy with Wyn - met him many years later and he was just the same as ever.
A great loss indeed - he was a really great guy and a typical RAF fighter pilot of those days. He will be very sadly missed by all who knew him.
I recall on one occasion when he went into some shop or other in Angelsey; the occupants immediately switched into Welsh and made some rude comments about the RAF. Mistake, BIG mistake. For Wyn was fluent in Welsh and gave them a one-sided debrief about their attitudes towards their RAF customers!
RIP, old mate.
A great loss indeed - he was a really great guy and a typical RAF fighter pilot of those days. He will be very sadly missed by all who knew him.
I recall on one occasion when he went into some shop or other in Angelsey; the occupants immediately switched into Welsh and made some rude comments about the RAF. Mistake, BIG mistake. For Wyn was fluent in Welsh and gave them a one-sided debrief about their attitudes towards their RAF customers!
RIP, old mate.
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Used to do a fair bit of work with Wyn when he was at Innsworth. Was a good friend to me on a number of projects which had their 'political' difficulties.
A charming man, good sense of hunour, no pretensions and certainly not the kind of man to flaunt his senior rank.
Very sorry to hear this news.
A charming man, good sense of hunour, no pretensions and certainly not the kind of man to flaunt his senior rank.
Very sorry to hear this news.
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Wyn "The Druid" as he was affectionately and privately known to us non commissioned peasants, was my OC Ops/Harry the Staish at Colt during the mid 90's. A lovely humble man who would make a point encouraging and developing his troops, he put his reputation on the line for me by writing to OASC badgering them to allow me to apply for a commission even though I was lacking an O level, an act I will never forget.
God bless you Sir and rest in peace.
L-H
God bless you Sir and rest in peace.
L-H
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I'm sorry to intrude on the obits to someone who was obviously a top man - but, as he was also Welsh, he'd want Dylan Thomas quoted correctly
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Wyn Evans
>ACW599 - most definitely a 'lad', most definitely not a 'gap'!<
He certainly was a top lad. On our crew-room wall was the UWAS version of the student progress chart, known as the Ladship Progress Chart. This had such gems as "Independent Falling-Over Check", "Splash of Merit" (don't ask) and the politically highly incorrect "Bring Six Tarts To A Party". Wyn was one of the very few who had pretty well every square ticked. And to add to his other accomplishments, Wyn was entitled to wear the Mumbles Run Tie.
>Such a great guy, what a real shame he's gone.....<
Dreadful news. But if there's a crew-room in heaven, you can be sure that Wyn will be the life and soul of it.
He certainly was a top lad. On our crew-room wall was the UWAS version of the student progress chart, known as the Ladship Progress Chart. This had such gems as "Independent Falling-Over Check", "Splash of Merit" (don't ask) and the politically highly incorrect "Bring Six Tarts To A Party". Wyn was one of the very few who had pretty well every square ticked. And to add to his other accomplishments, Wyn was entitled to wear the Mumbles Run Tie.
>Such a great guy, what a real shame he's gone.....<
Dreadful news. But if there's a crew-room in heaven, you can be sure that Wyn will be the life and soul of it.
