Master Navigator John Lennard
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Master Navigator John Lennard
It is with great sadness that I have to announce the death of my father John at the age of 93 after a short illness. A summary of his career is below.
46-48 Flying Training Topcliffe and Swinderby on Ansons and Wellingtons
49- 58 Coastal Command St Eval, Kinloss and St Mawgan on Lancaster ASR, Shack Mark 1,2 & 3s
58-60 Aden 78 Squadron onTwin Pioneers
61-68 Beverleys at Abingdon, Thorney Island and Seletar
68-70 AEES Topcliffe on Varsitys
70-83 Ops type jobs at Wattisham, Finningley, Leeming and Topcliffe
He also attended a refresher course on Dominies at Finningley in 1974 prior to a posting to the British Embassy Saigon. The posting was cancelled!
In the late 1940s he flew counter insurgency bombing missions over Malaya in Lancasters
He survived three crash landings ( a Lanc and two Shacks)
He lead the disbandment flypast of 34 Sqn (Bevs) In Singapore in1967
46-48 Flying Training Topcliffe and Swinderby on Ansons and Wellingtons
49- 58 Coastal Command St Eval, Kinloss and St Mawgan on Lancaster ASR, Shack Mark 1,2 & 3s
58-60 Aden 78 Squadron onTwin Pioneers
61-68 Beverleys at Abingdon, Thorney Island and Seletar
68-70 AEES Topcliffe on Varsitys
70-83 Ops type jobs at Wattisham, Finningley, Leeming and Topcliffe
He also attended a refresher course on Dominies at Finningley in 1974 prior to a posting to the British Embassy Saigon. The posting was cancelled!
In the late 1940s he flew counter insurgency bombing missions over Malaya in Lancasters
He survived three crash landings ( a Lanc and two Shacks)
He lead the disbandment flypast of 34 Sqn (Bevs) In Singapore in1967
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My condolences at these trying times, your father appears to have had a full and interesting life.
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Well, Lincolnshire
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John was my Ops Officer at 6FTS Finningley (mid 70's). He taught me a great deal, which stood me in good stead. An amazing guy. However, he was ruthless on a golf course, John took no prisoners!. For his patience with a rookie, for his humour with his colleagues and the coughing fit he had on the 18th at Bawtry in a needle game (me putting). Bless you, John. Gone, but not forgotten.
Join Date: Apr 2008
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Oh, and one story of John was, as an Ops Officer at Finningley (1976?), a certain WW2 legless Fighter 'Ace' had rung up wanting to land at Finningley mid way through the BoB Display. I was priviliged to listen, (admittedly), to a one sided conversation over the phone, of a Master Navigator telling a (Retd) Group Captain to "Bugger Off". Diplomatically of course.
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Sussex By The Sea
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Sorry to hear of John's passing. I remember him from 242 OCU at Thorney Island when I did the Beverley OCU in 1964/5. A voice of experience to us baby navigators!
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He was in Ops one morning when I walked in and breezily greeted him with "Hello, Uncle John". To my horror, the Station Commander, who I hadn't seen, bawled me out for lack of respect, as a young Fg Off, to a senior Warrant Officer. John Lennard then quietly told him that I was, in fact, his cousin but because of the age difference had always called him Uncle John. While the Gp Capt was thinking up a suitable reply, he then asked him if he had any objection if I was invited to the Sgts Mess. No objection. Honour satisfied all round, I spent a very pleasant evening in the Sgts Mess with the NCO aircrew. He was a true gentleman and a very professional aviator. And he really was my cousin, once removed. He will be sadly missed.
