Happy Birthday Sir Michael
 

MRAF Sir Michael Beetham is 92 today. I'd just like to wish him many happy returns.

I'll second that. Used to live not far down the road from him in N Norfolk

Agreed.

I trust Mr Ward in his Caribbean hideaway has sent a card :hmm:
.

A card with a hole just clipping the top edge?;)

Had a huge, thoroughly deserved bollocking from him when I was a PO at Khormaksar and had made some cockup or other. He could be a hard man when required!

Happy birthday anyway, Sir Michael.

Fair's fair, Orca. One hole right in the middle!

I had the honour of flying you a few times Sir, wishing you the very best for many more birthdays.

Secret1/Orca -Clearly I am missing something...............

Wander - think Falklands, think Sharkey Ward...

(The irony being that the files show that Sir Michael wanted Sea Harriers to conduct Black Buck, but the RN asked for the Vulcans...)

Served for 40 years then a MRAF pension for 32 (so far). Bargain.

Many Happy Returns.

Still on the active list apparently Al R....according to this anyway!


A remarkable career it seems.


Michael Beetham - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Marshals never retire, they merely cease to be appointed on the active list and are effectively on half pay.

It follows that when they are required to turn out, they get a car! - fortunately not provided by the Phoenix system.

O-D

Archimedes - sorry, had not realised SW was perhaps a tax exile - thought he was still in N Norfolk too, where his fans hijacked a pub previously devoted to the Immortal Memory. Always thought it an odd juxtaposition.

Sir, Many Happy Returns.

Still the best squadron commander I had.

Happy Birthday Sir.

When he was on a visit to Ascension in June 1982, I had the pleasure to meet him. While talking to him and the Fg Off OC Supply at Ascension, the Fg Off expressed concern about accounting for all the equipment that was passing through Ascension both Southbound and Northbound.

Sir Michael said "Do not worry about that. When it is all over, we will work out what left UK, and what gets back. All the rest was on the Atlantic Conveyer".

May I, on behalf of all the "Arnold Scheme" alumni, living and (but mostly) dead, wish you a Happy Birthday, Sir.

Danny (ex Class 42C).