Celebrated Aviator and Test Pilot Simon Jones, Mr Mark Jones, Mr and Mrs J

THE TIMES Friday July 222016 1GM Captain Er c Winkle Brown MVOr~IiaSiRG.iiiL BELOW: [Bills GAYLABO The Duke of York KG, Commodore-in-Chief Fleet Beckelt, Mr Peter Benn, Mr Alan Blacker, Mr Air Arm, and patron, Fly Navy Heritage Trust Michael Blacker, Mr Simon Blacker, Mrs attended an event to celebrate the life and Deborah Blacker, Mr and Mrs John Blunden, Mr achievements of the world’s greatest test pilot Tertius Bonnin, Mrs Michelle Bonnin, Mr Connor Captain Eric Melrose-Brown DSC, ArC Royal Bowcott, Mr Ian Brannick, Mr Andrew Brookes, Navy, held on Thursday, July 21, at the Royal Mrs Veronica Bryant, Mr Mike Buckland, Mr Naval Air Station Yeovilton, Somerset. The Peter Campbell, Mr and Mrs Jack Cant, Mr prime minister was represented by Sir Gerald Victor Chavez, Mr Steve Cheyne, Mr Nick Childs, Howarth MP. Mr Stephen Clarke, Miss Laura Clarke, Miss The Venerable Ian Wheatley, chaplain of the Tracey Clempson, Mr Frank Colenso, Mr Gary Fleet and archdeacon to the Royal Navy Copeland, Mr and Mrs Tom Corfield, Mr John officiated and pronounced the blessing. Rear- Corless, Mr Jason Corless, Mr Hugh Craig, Mr Admiral Keith Blount (Assistant Chief of Naval Bob Crosby, Mr Mike Cuttell, Mr P Dale, Miss Staff — Aviation, Amphibious Capability and Rebecca Dailey, Mr John Davies, Mrs Melanie de Carriers) read the lesson. Commander Sue Eagles (communications Watts, Mr Hugh Dibley, Mr Jonathan Dickens, director, Fly Navy Heritage Trust) read the Mr Geoff Douthwaite, Mr Richard Dumville, Mrs poem High Flight by John Magee. Elizabeth Duff, Mr and Mrs Roger Earl, Mr The Duke of York KG, Admiral Sir Philip Hesketh Emden, Mr Nick English, Mr Giles Jones, First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, English, Mr Cohn Evans, Mr Tim Fagan, Mr Marc Admiral Sir George Zambellas, Vice-Admiral Ben Farrance, Mr John ray, Mr Roy Finlayson, Mr Key, Fleet Commander and Senior Royal Navy Mark Fitzgerald, Mr James Flanagan, Mrs Ruth Aviator, Colonel Paul Beaver, Captain Todd Fletcher, Mr Ben Francis, Mrs Jennifer Franks, Wilson, United States Navy Liaison to the Royal Mr Marcus Fysh MP, Mrs Amanda Gallahar, Mr Navy, Mr Jeremy Miles (Miles Aircraft Richard Gardner, Mr and Mrs Gordon Gardiner, Company), Mr Anthony J Blackman and Mr Mr Rob Gearing, Miss Gemma Gearing, Mr and Glenn Melrose-Brown, son, paid tribute to Mrs David Gibbings, Mr Bob Gibson, Mr Terry Captain Melrose-Brown and his remarkable Giles, Mr Stephen Glancey, Mr John Goodman, career as a test pilot and aircraft carrier Mr and Mrs Anthony Gomm, Mr and Mrs Ronald pioneer. Grant Captain Ted Hackett, Mr Mark Haddinan, During the commemoration, the Yeovilton Mrs Melanie Haddinan, Mr Roger Hall and Petty Military Wives Choir, directed by Mr Matthew Officer Janet Hall WRNS, Mr John Hallam, Mr Rock, sang Sailing by Rod Stewart, which was Gordon Hamilton, Master Eachan Hardie, Dr Eric~ final choice of music when he was a guest David Hardie, Ms Mary Hardy, Mr Patrick on the 3000th edition of Radio 4’s Desert Island Harrison, Mr Nicholas Harrison, Mr Andrew Discs. The Band of the Royal Marines, Healey, Mr and Mrs David Heritier, the Rev Plymouth, directed by Major R P Long, Captain Brown with the helmet he wore In the 1950s when based In the US. Below: a Sea Vixen, among many aIrcraft flown Andrew Hillier, Mr and Mrs Thomas Horton, Mr performed a selection of concert band items, and Mrs Alan Hughes, Mr Christopher Hunt Mr including Those Magnificent Men in their Flying David Hunt, Mr Maurice Hynett, Mr Andrew Machines by Ron Goodwin, and music from the Jack, Mrs Jennifer Jacomb, Mr and Mrs Jeremy big band era. Miss Emily Horton was the James, Mr ‘Spike’ Jepson, Mr Brian Johnson, Mr compere. Celebrated aviator and test pilot Simon Jones, Mr Mark Jones, Mr and Mrs J. Among others present were: Mrs Jean Kelly, Jowett, Ms Sarah Kenny, Mr Ewan Kelbie, Mrs Mrs Glenn Melrose-Brown with other members Jennifer King, Mr Keith Knowles, Mr Robert of the family. involvement in British innovative avia Grumman Wildcat and Hawker Sea Kramer, Mr Richard Lake, Mr Lars Landsnes, Mr Also present were: Lady Howarth, Lady Lygo, All Kefford Knut Lande, Mrs Gill Laurijssen, Mr Nick Lay, Sir Richard and Lady Matthews, Sir Humphry tion went from flying the Blackburn Hurricane, swept in over verdant coun Ms Louise Lee, Mrs Carol Lee, Mr Martin Lee and the Hon Lady Wakefeld, Lady Zambellas, Eric Brown first came to RNAS Yeovil Skua fighterto advising on the develop tryside surrounding Yeovilton, the Bapty, Mr Simon Levy, Mr John Le Warne, Mr Admiral of the Fleet Sir Benjam’n Bathurst, ton on the day it opened in 1940, when ment ofthe F-35, set to fly from our new throb of their engines echoing across Paul Le Warne, Mr Darren Lewington, Mr Dan Lewis, Mr Jeremy Liber, Mr John Ling, Mr and Admiral Sir Ian Garnett, Admiral Sir Michael “it was nothing but three runways in an Queen Elizabeth Class carriers. - the air station. Layard, Vice-Admiral Sir Adrian Johns and Lady Mrs Anthony Little, Mr Derek Long, Mr Ian - Johns, Air Marshal Sir Christopher Coville, Vice ocean of mud’~ - Brown — nicknamed “Winkle Brown knew no fear but was never McDonald, Mr James Mackenzie, Mr Don Admiral Sir Jonathan Tod, Vice-Admiral A. Workmen had to be moved before because of his diminutive height — blasé about his achievements, describ Maclame, Mr Phil Macquaid, Mr Robert Jonathan Woodcock (Second Sea Lord and each take-offand thefledgling pilot had remains revered worldwide through ing deck landings as “one of the most Manergh, Mr Tim Manna, Mr Geoff Maple, Mr Deputy Chief of Naval Staff), Rear-Admiral RH. his first accident there, belly-flopping out the military and aviation industry demanding things you can do as a Richard Martell, Mr Fred Marsh, Mr and Mrs Burn, Rear-Admiral Paul Bennett (Assistant his Gloster Gladiator biplane into a pile for his flying genius and unswerving pilot’ John Marshall, Mr and Mrs Howard Mason, Mr Chief of Naval Staff — Capability), Rear-Admiral Jacob Matthews, Mr Philip Matthews, Mr and of rubble. passion for British carrier strike. “When landing on a carrier you are Mrz David Mauleverer, Mr Martin Mayer, Mr Paul Chivers1 Rear-Admiral Chris Clayton, Rear fle-ffnv’Ma,tlots from escort carrier essentially aiming for a small lay-by in 0 rwriLo9e rust), Kear-Adimral and Mrs Simon Commodore-in-Chief of the Fleet Air Michael May, Mrs Jane May, Mr James Charlier, Rear-Admiral Tom Cunningham HMS Audacity during the early stages the middle of a large lake:’ he said. “It is McDermott, Mr Stu McLaren, Dr Simon whairman, Fly Navy Heritage Trust) and Mrs Arm, Fir~t Sea Lord Admiral Sir Philip of the Battleofthe Atlantic surviving Mitchell, Mr Dave Morris, Mr Graham Mottram, Jones and more than 650 Royal Navy a three-dimensional problem through Cunningham, Rear-Admiral and Mrs Russ her sinking. However, it was during his a fog, with none of the same visual Mr Roy Moxam, Mr Jim Munro, Mr and Mrs Bob Harding, Rear-Admiral Graeme Mackay, Rear- personnel, fellow test pilots, scientists Neill, Mr and Mrs William Nichol-Gent, Mr and Admiral James Rapp, Rear-Admiral A.R. six-year stint at RAE Farnborough in references you get in land.” and members of the aviation and aero the later stages of the war that his tal Mrs Anthony Oakes, Mr Christopher Orlebar, Mr Rawbone, Rear-Admiral Ian Tibbitt (deputy nautical industries gathered at the Brown donated his original test Jon Parkinson, Mr Keith Partington, Mr Stephen chairman, Fly Navy Heritage Trust) and Mrs ents as a scientist and engineer blended flying overalls, helmet and uniforms to Partridge-Hicks, Miss Lucasta Partridge-Hicks, Tibbitt, Rear-Admiral and Mrs John Tolhurst, same air station to commemorate the with a searing intellect that resulted in Dr Niky Jane Pauii, Miss Kelly Paull, Mr Clarence life of a man who rose from that skir the Fly Navy Heritage Trust, which Rear-Admiral Simon Williams, Air Vice-Marshal him playing a key role at the zenith of hosted his commemorative event at Paull, Mr David Pauhi, Ms Gillian Paull, Mr John Ponsonby (senior vice-president Leonardo mish with Somerset soil to become the experimental flying. George Payne, Mr Martin Payne, Mr Stephen Helicopters and trustee, Fly Navy Heritage world’s greatest military test pilot. their hangar. Pearce, Mr Richard Pearce, Ms Cath Pearman, Trust), Commodore Jon Pentreath (commanding The Duke of York said: “The current He charged the charity to use his Mr James Pegg, Mr Craig Penrice, Mr Robert officer, RNAS Yeovilton), Commodore Jock Captain Eric Brown, who died in Royal Navy is all about carrier aviation, February this year aged 97, flew 487 legacy to inspire new generations of Pooley, Mr Mat Potulski, Mr Chive Powell, Mr Alexander (chief executive, Fly Navy Heritage about getting us back into that game. aviators. Stephen Prince, Mr Peter Rainbird, Mr John Trust), Commodore and Mrs Simon Baldwin, different military aircraft from Without Eric we couldn’t possibly have Rawlinson, Mrs Ali Rayden, Mr Christopher Commodore David Bartlett, Commodore Matt “lt~ vital people are aware ofour her gliders andjets to helicopters — includ achieved where we are going. He was a Rayner, Mr Adam Reynolds, Mrs Jayne Briers, Commodore David Childs, Commodore ing many during their dangerous initial itage,” he said. “After I am gone, I hope Richardson, Mr Norman Richardson, Mr Peter Bill Covington (trustee, Fly Navy Heritage truly inspirational person:’ that the aircraft will be well looked Roberts, Mrs Mary Roberts, Mr Paul Roberts, Trust) and Mrs Covington, Commodore David testing phase.

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