91 Year Old Spitfire Pilot Needs Your Help

[cazatou]

Xenolith

I was merely complying with the preferences of the Thread Moderator who has previously stated a preference for Chambers Dictionary.

[Without Care]

Caz,

Try 'merely complying' with the moderator's post #107.

WC

[VIProds]

Received a letter from John Howell OBE MP, who's constituancy covers RAF Benson. John says that he thinks that there is not much that he can do, but has written to RAF Benson. Our local MP has confirmed that he has received my e-mail, but as yet nothing else.

I have been 'phoning around the local flying clubs to see if anyone would take Alec & myself down to Benson, but without any luck.

Thanks to JOE-FBS suggestion, I have now started a new thread on the Private Flyer Forum & hope that this might bring some better success.

[Tankertrashnav]

Who was that footballer a few weeks ago who reckoned the troops should be paid as much as footballers? Perhaps he could put his hand in his pocket and spare about an hour's pay - that ought to cover return flights for Alec and his wife!

[NutLoose]

It may not suit you but the Station Commander has, in my opinion, done all that can be reasonably expected of him under the circumstances.

He is in a lose lose situation, this probably occured before he took the position, BUT to give a travel warrant to a 91 yr old and expect him to make his own way there........... even if a flight is not possible, can his own staff car and driver not do this. ?????? As a public relations exercise RAF Benson really are making themselves look a bunch of cnuts, and that is being polite...

Has the RAF got to such a low point? that a Group Captain running a Station can take a Pontius Pilate attitude to something his own station did and buy it off with a travel warrant??

Have some Ba**s Benson AND SORT IT! Shame on you, this is in the Public domain and you are just making yourselves look like prats........

Rant over for now........ letters to every media source I can think of in hand! Let's see if that will get things moving.

To quote the "other thread" in the private flying

A few years ago a colleague and I flew a former Battle of Britain Hurricane Pilot and his wife to Benson for a similar trip. Ray had finished his war there as a Spitfire PRU Pilot. The staff at Benson did just about the minimum they could to remain courteous falling short of offering him lunch or any other form of hospitality. We all came away a little bit disappointed. It would appear that we civilians have greater regard for war veterans than the current RAF does.

Edit..........

For the first time in my life, it makes me ashamed to say " I was in the RAF"

[xenolith]

Nut Loose, Air Police

You two are absolutely typical sanctimonious barrack room lawyers, gobbing off but doing nothing! Comfortable up there on Olympus is it?

There are no service flying assets at Benson that can reasonably be devoted to this cause, no matter how worthy

This issue has got as much to do with the Benson Flying Club as it has to do with you...NOTHING!

There is no such thing as a free flight!

As for getting the ‘snowdrops’ involved Air Police, I thought that we had covered that one. What have they got to offer? Nothing.

[Duncan D'Sorderlee]

xenolith,

I have already agreed that you are entitled to your position regarding this and that you believe has nothing to do with Benson Fg Club (I am inclined to agree) and that the stn has done all that it could to return Alec's stuff (I'm not sure about that one). Furthemore, the stn has offered Alec the opportunity to visit Benson (well done) but the distances involved make it difficult for Alec. The difficulty, as I see it, is that provision of Service transport (air in particular) is unlikely to pass 'The Sun' test. The issue is to what level the stn is prepared to go to (IMHO) right a wrong. Have they done enough? You, and possibly they, appear to think that they have reached an appropriate level.

Duncs

[Brian 48nav]

Viprods

Re transport. Have you tried contacting one of the Lincolnshire branches of the Aircrew Association? There may be a member that regularly travels down south.

I know there is a retired Air Marshal up there who like me went to Camberley GS and possibly has connections still down south,he may help.

I believe one of my son's mates, ex-Red Arrows and now LHR based with Virgin,still lives near Cranwell. If you would like me to arrange contact through my son give me a PM.

PS another of son's mates (his best man in fact) is Staish at Northolt; it's possible something could be arranged through that avenue.

Good luck!

[St Johns Wort]

I have just picked up on this thread and the later part of it beggars the question "Has anyone spoken to the Benson Flying Club?"

Actually it’s a rhetorical question because I've just spoken to the Clubs OC and he hasn't got a clue about what’s been discussed on this forum.

He was slightly indisposed when I called as he was about to take a crucial top level ride on a ski lift; but his immediate response was very positive. He will have a look at it next week. That said he is in the process of handing over the reins of the club, so we shall see.

Standby

[BEagle]

Given that the Stn Cdr was prepared to cough up a return rail warrant, should anyone from Humberside be prepared to fly Alec and VIProds down for the day, could they at least expect a free refuel?

[VIProds]

Sorted

I have just received an e-mail from a pilot based in Lincolnshire who has kindly offered to fly Alec & myself down to RAF Benson. I immediatly accepted his offer.

It was only then that I came onto PPRuNe & WOW!! Three pilots offering on the "Flyer" website & a further three on here. Many thanks for all your comments & suggestions, especially Moonym20, dstevens & The Grim EPR.

As I have previously said on another thread, aren't aviation people just the best.

[NutLoose]

As I have previously said on another thread, aren't aviation people just the best.

Except at RAF Benson

Good to hear it has been sorted, It is just a shame the RAF Benson couldn't sort something themselves....... really does leave them in a p*ss poor light..

xenolith I actually work in the Industry now and far from not doing anything, I had been approaching people I know to see if they could help.......

You should also re read the whole thread, if you take the time you will see your

last post that he wants transport for Alec and HIMSELF. Why? Has he got a camera crew waiting, looking to put a nice ending to his film about Alec

comments are Disgusting, early on VIProds has said he is travelling with him to act as his carer.... perhaps when you get out of your adolescent phase you to will realise that OAP's do require some looking after.... you know, without the likes of Alex..... you wouldn't have a job.... period

[BEagle]

VIProds, it may just have been a coincidence, but about 10 min before you received that I e-mail, I contacted someone at Kirmington, asking whether there was anyone who could help!

I hope that Alec has a great VIP day at Benson and that his precious historical artefacts can be found, so that he can be reunited with them.

Hopefully the Benson PRO will inform the local meeja?

[VIProds]

xenolith

Sorry that you feel that way. My angle, as you say, is that Alec is a very good friend & a real Gentleman. I owe Alec & others that put their life on the line for our Country an enormous debt of gratitude. Alec was given a raw deal ten years ago, like many others that have commented on this thread, I was incensed at the shoddy treatment that he was afforded, so took up the banner on his behalf.

As for getting the MP's involved, one PPRuNe'r kindly suggested that I contact the MP who's constituancy covered RAF Benson & as nothing seemed to be progressing, that was a great idea so got me writing.

If you read back, it was RAF Benson's Commanding Officer that invited me to go with Alec.

The film is in the can, as they say, so there is no ulteria motive there. I have given a copy to Alec's family & the ex Wing Commander that interviewed him on film. Two have gone to the ACA archives at Elvington & our local Branch archives & finally, one has been sent to the UAV Company in New Zealand that are going to paint their replica Spitfire in PRU colours with Alec's aircraft number.

[LookingNorth]

Perhaps, xenolith, if you pointed out which one of the 2000 was the thieving scumbag scrote who has this brave man's photos etc. nobody would need to describe the Bensonites in collective terms as cnuts?

Your attitude is not going to dispel such generalisations, is it?

[xenolith]

Looking North

Alecs stuff went missing anything up to 10 years ago, it is far from certain that anybody stole it, let alone anyone currently on the station! Unless you have something to offer........ which I doubt.

[NutLoose]

Kreuger,

At the very least RAF Benson should institute a Unit Inquiry into what has happened and also institute and maintain a formal record of all items that have been loaned to the Unit. That record should then be subject to an annual audit.

Actually that makes a load of sense, see if they can find out what went wrong, then they can put the facility in place to prevent it happening again, and a record could simply be a book, digital or otherwise, with listings of what has been loaned, photos of the objects and their secure location.... Job Done, no more looking like a bunch of amateurs. Suprised all stations do not have a similar system in place.

[Tocsin]

Originally Posted by Kreuger flap

If you just keep banging on and on people will lose interest. It just gets Boring.

Catz you say that Benson flying club should stump up the cost? So you expect the members of the club to pay? We haven't had any offer of assistance from you. Perhaps you could offer to pay for the hours required as like them it has nothing to do with you either.

The flight has been offered. RAF Benson are all a bunch of cnuts, everybody from the civvy cleaner up to the Station Commander and obviously they don't do a very good job and are a complete disgrace to the uniform they wear and have let the whole of the RAF down.

You really need to get this into perspective as to what is happening around the world.

Perhaps some of you need to get off of the outrage bus at the next stop and have a nice cup of tea to calm yourselves down. Maybe the Station Commander could offer to resign his Commission as a gesture of good will.

I AM NOW GOING TO JUMP _ON_ THE OUTRAGE BUS (capitals totally intended).

Kreuger Flap (and Xenolith) - I can only assume you are both defending your home turf of Benson from "attack" - laudable, if the attack is unjustified.

However, as a reader of this thread, I can only say that the conduct of personnel at Benson, in the past and now when held up to public view, is appalling. It cannot be defended, and should only be put right as far as possible, and with some humility. It should NEVER have got this far.

[4mastacker]

Actually that makes a load of sense, see if they can find out what went wrong, then they can put the facility in place to prevent it happening again, and a record could simply be a book, digital or otherwise, with listings of what has been loaned, photos of the objects and their secure location.... Job Done, no more looking like a bunch of amateurs. Suprised all stations do not have a similar system in place.

How about something called 'The Property Book' for items loaned to either the Officers or WO/Sgts Mess. And if it's loaned to the station, how about something called 'The Inward Loan Register' and controlled by OC Supply.

[NutLoose]

Hmmm xenolith............ why you seem to have the urge to rub yourself up against people like some prepubescent schoolboy is beyond me.. you do both yourself no favours, nor those of the RAF or RAF Benson............

There will, God willing, be a true Gentleman visiting Benson in the form of Alec, perhaps you may get the chance to meet the man and one can only hope that some of his qualities rub off on you...