Naval Service career
Oct 1950 HMS Indefatigable
RN Aviation Cadet (Training Squadron)
Aug 1951 HMS Merlin
Pre-flight training at RNAS Donibristle
Oct 1951 RAF Syerston
Flying training
Prentice / Harvard
Jun 1952 HMS Condor
Summer Camp RNAS Arbroath
Aug 1952 HMS Fulmar
OFS 1 RNAS Lossiemouth (Milltown)
Seafire 17
Nov 1952 HMS Seahawk
OFS 2 RNAS Culdrose
Sea Fury FB11
Mar 1953 HMS Blackcap
RNAS Stretton 767 Sqdn.
May 1953 HMS Illustrious
Jul 1953 HMAS Albatross
RNAS Nowra 805 Sqdn
Sea Furies
Sep 1953 HMAS Vengeance
805 Squadron
Oct 1953 HMAS Sydney
805 Sqdn Korea / Japan
Jun 1954 Rochester Flying School
Twin course Oxfords
Jul 1954 HMS Peregrine
RNAS Ford 771 Sqdn FRU
Anson Fireflies 1 & 4 Sea Fury
Feb 1955 HMS Fulmar
RNAS Lossiemouth 736 Sqdn Jet Conversion Course
Vampire T.22
Mar 1955 HMS Fulmar
RNAS Lossiemouth 811 Sqdn.
Seahawk FB3 & FB4
Jun 1955 HMS Bulwark
To Stockholm
Oct 1955 HMS Albion
811 Sqdn 811
Jan 1956 HMS Centaur
811 Far East cruise
Jun 1956 HMS Daedalus
RNAS Lee-on-Solent Helicopter Conversion Course 705 Sqdn.
Hiller 11 & Dragonfly S.51
Aug 1956 HMS Goldcrest
RNAS Brawdy CO SAR Flt.
S.51 Dragonfly
Aug 1957 HMS Ark Royal
CO Ships Flt. Norway/Med
S.55 Whirlwind
Jul 1958 HMS Goldcrest
RNAS Brawdy Fixed wing refresher 727 Sqdn.Balliol
Sep 1958 RAF Little Rissington
CFS Provost
Nov 1958 RAF South Cerney
CFS Dragonfly
Apr 1959 HMS Victorious
CO Ships Flt. Cruise to U.S.
Dragonfly
Mar 1960 HMS Fulmar
RNAS Lossiemouth. CO SAR Flt.
Dragonfly
Mar 1961 HMS Bulwark
848 Sqdn. Far East - Malaya-Kuwait
Jan 1962 HMS Terror
Staff of C-in-C Far East
Mar 1962 HMS Osprey
RNAS Portland 771 Sqdn.Snr.P.
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Born Ferndown Dorset 1930; Monkton Combe School, Bath 1945/49;
Joined Royal Navy as Aviation Cadet, Oct 1950, HMS Indefatigable, Portland
Harbour, Senior Pilot, 771 Squadron, Portland, HMS Osprey; Served in
nine aircraft carriers for greater or lesser periods of time; Member
of 805 Squadron Sea Furies (RAN) in 'Sydney' based at Kure in Japan
and off the west coast of Korea during the truce period; Member of 811
Squadron Sea Hawks, Far East in 'Centaur'.
811 disbanded not long before Suez. Stationed again in
the Far East based at Sembawang and 'Bulwark' as a member of 848 Squadron
which was involved in Operation Vantage at Kuwait, July 1961. The presence
of the RN with 42 Commando (Colonel Bridges) 'saw off' General Kassem.
Left Fleet Air Arm after having survived twelve happy years with many
cruises to different parts of the world;
'I was the man who "missed" all the wars and never fired
a shot in anger - perhaps it was just as well because I doubt if I ever
hit the 'drogue' in air firing practice ! Perhaps my most satisfying
flying tasks were in the Search and Rescue role at Brawdy, Ark Royal,
Lossiemouth and Victorious - doing what Search and Rescue pilots 'do
best' - rescuing people !
From 1963 - 1989, started, built up and operated a plant
nursery, an offer to purchase the land for house building led to the
closure of the nursery and early retirement.
Regained Private Pilots Licence in 1991 after 39 years of non-flying;
Aircraft hours flown 1991 - 2001; Cessna 150 - 34 hours, Bensen autogyro
- 300 hours and Kittiwake - 103 hours.
Benson Autogyro
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Kittiwake
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Committee member of the Fleet Air Arm Squadron - formed
in 1996 for retired members of the Fleet Air Arm; organizing events
and fly-ins across the U.K.
Geoffrey de Havilland
Godfather of Ronald de Havilland Dobree - Carey
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