George’s Grand Day Out
George Ford, an 84 year old ex-farm labourer and village hall caretaker (retiring from the latter a year or two ago), Poppy Appeal collector and parish organiser of all and sundry had a very special day on Sunday 11th July. As his fellow village hall organiser commented during the recent D-Day anniversary commemorations: “But we don’t think of old George as a veteran”. But a veteran he is, albeit of a different campaign in a different theatre of war, and as such also deserved to ‘have his day’. On 11th July 2004, George was invited to the Flying Legends Air Display at Duxford by a long time neighbour who thought he might enjoy it. And enjoy it he did!
1173410 Leading Aircraftsman George Ford. Fitter / Armourer. Enlisted 9th July 1940 aged 20, Demobbed August 1946. Trained at Morecambe (Square Bashing) then Melksham, Wiltshire.
Posted to 149 Squadron at RAF Mildenhall working on Wellingtons, George was posted in July 1941 to 27 Squadron in Northern Malaya, who were flying Blenheim Mk1’s. From there he went to Ceylon where 160 Squadron were equipped with B24 Liberators before transferring again to 320 Maintenance Unit on which he worked on various aircraft including Thunderbolts.
During his time in the Royal Air Force, George travelled from the UK to Northern Malaya, through Singapore and the Dutch East Indies to Ceylon and India over the course of 4 years, all the while with Far East Command.
Setting off early, George first attended a memorial service dedicated to the memory of a Belgian fighter pilot, F/Lt Francois de Spirlet, who was killed at Duxford on 26th June 1942 whilst flying in the Royal Air Force with 609 (West Riding) Squadron. A bench, with a beautiful brass plaque supplied by Timpson Ltd, was unveiled in the presence of 5 wartime members of the squadron in the grounds of the Red Lion Hotel at Whittlesford – the squadrons favourite drinking spot whilst stationed at Duxford.
It was then a short trip to the airfield, and after a short time George was invited out to the flightline courtesy of The Fighter Collection who host the annual show, escorted by TFC engineer Russell Swann from Brighton. Here George was able to have a closer look at some of the aircraft participating. On viewing the P39 Airacobra, an aircraft that arrived in the country only last week and is the first to fly here since 1944, George was approached by one of the American groundcrew and given a thorough tour and briefing on the aircraft – to the great envy of the countless enthusiasts who could only look on from the concrete! Walking along past the rows of Mustangs and Spitfires afterwards, George was finally reunited with an aircraft he had not been close to for almost 60 years – the massive American built P47 Thunderbolt fighter. Standing in front of it, and holding one of the guns with which he had been so familiar all those years before, George developed an alarmingly youthful twinkle and a grin like a Cheshire cat as he held his audience captivated with tales of test-firing the guns, diving Hurricanes and Japanese bomber attacks, buckets of tea and bacon sandwiches, all accompanied with sound effects. On moving along to the Hurricanes themselves – an aircraft which scored more ‘kills’ in the Battle of Britain than even the Spitfire – George was approached by a group of young men clad in original wartime uniforms who, having enquired as to whether he had indeed been an armourer, proceeded to reunite him with an ammunition box from the wing of a Spitfire. Dressing him correctly with a wartime forage cap, they then stood captivated for twenty minutes as they followed George – who was now miraculously 20 years old again and using his walking stick as a prop rather than to lean on – on a journey through the wartime Far East, his memory never faltering. It was only when the area was being closed in order to prepare the aircraft for flying that George was finally dragged away much to their regret.
Having refuelled briefly with ‘Char and Wads’, a term familiar to many a wartime ‘erk’, it was time to sit in a chair and watch the flying. Though walking with the aid of a stick, and having received more than the usual quota of hips, George couldn’t restrain himself and jumped up, pressing himself up against the barriers as Spitfires flew overhead, Hurricanes wheeled around, Fortresses roared off, Mustangs dived, and the P39 that had been explained in such detail displayed for him. It can only be imagined what George was seeing as the Thunderbolt flew past…..
The grand finale of the show is, as always, one unique to Flying Legends – the Balbo. As a mass formation of 30 aircraft dating from the Second World War passed overhead, George was driven from the airfield, his first visit to Duxford over and the first time since the war he had been on an airfield since his youth. Back to the pilots pub, the Red Lion, George was fortified with ham, egg and chips and a pint before the long drive back to his Haddiscoe home, applauded by the group of enthusiasts also enjoying their post-show drink and perhaps tiring from the many people shaking his hands and wishing him the best. Parting from them, he spoke one last time:
“It’s very nice at 84 years old to be able to spend a day as good as this”.
Thanks to all of you who helped make George’s day so special yesterday. No-one’s seen him about yet today but he was still as high as a kite when we got him back last night! Thanks, it’s very much appreciated.
By: Corsair166b - 31st July 2004 at 01:49
Incredible stuff…good job to all involved…looks like ol George had a great day…hope others who were ‘behind the scenes’ get to get to shows like this and be treated as reverently…definitely one of the best posts post Duxford this year…
Mark
By: Snapper - 30th July 2004 at 23:00
I did? Oh good! I shant forget again! That’s the trouble with retired generals – they still make you feel obliged to volunteer!
By: EN830 - 30th July 2004 at 21:33
Cheers Phil.
Good to see you on here – see if you can get over for next year if poss – we’ll sort you out between us!! Might be a 609 do laid on again, if there are enough willing survivors (1 will do!)
Mark
I seem to remember you volunteering my services with the organising !!!!
By: Snapper - 30th July 2004 at 21:06
Cheers Phil.
Good to see you on here – see if you can get over for next year if poss – we’ll sort you out between us!! Might be a 609 do laid on again, if there are enough willing survivors (1 will do!)
Mark
By: STORMBIRD262 - 30th July 2004 at 19:46
Mark Rocks.
Top stuff Mark 🙂 , As someone said you ROCK :p , Keep it up your very good at it, Cheers, Tally Ho! Phil. 😉 (P.J.N).
By: Arabella-Cox - 30th July 2004 at 19:40
Fabulous! Has he stopped grinning yet Mark? 😀
By: Snapper - 30th July 2004 at 18:53
He’s a star you know. Last weeks local rag…..
By: Snapper - 15th July 2004 at 21:11
See you at the Red Lion!
By: Steve 964 - 14th July 2004 at 18:38
Good show snapper,
Your efforts in giving George a great day out were second to none.
Despite my controversial outlook,I have read through this thread and looked at the pics and thought , hang on a minute, some of those guys should be out on the line ,and for as long as they can be.
Obviously i’m talking about the older guys like George who are remembering and sharing their experiences of when being on the line wasn’t always so pleasant.
I’m glad he had a great time,and well done you for making it happen.
Steve 964
By: Snapper - 13th July 2004 at 22:32
“I look forward to seeing him at next year’s show”
I think if I ask he’ll be at all of them!
“Thanks to Snapper for doing it bigger & better.”
I just asked the question. Thanks to the TFC guys (Sparky being the only one who’s blown cover – he’s one of a few, but was the only one able to join us for the walk) on the forum is what you really mean. And thanks to Steve and the other forum guys who took him ‘under their wing’.
“Not up to Snapper’s standards”
Nonsense! They are every bit as good Steve, thanks for posting them. I still have some to come when scanned.
“Snapper…you rock”
Lowestoft air that does it. Me and the Darkness…..!
By: Gareth Horne - 13th July 2004 at 12:30
A fascinating read, if it wasn’t for this forum I’d never have heard this (or any other of these ‘human interest’ stories). Really brings another dimension to an already great weekend. Thanks to all involved.
By: sparky - 13th July 2004 at 10:21
It was an absolute pleasure to meet George on Sunday and it was great to see him talking over his memories.
I stood with Steve and James looking on as Mark photographed George in front of the Hurricane with the re-enactment guy and at the same time there was a young lad about maybe seven or eight wearing one of their flying helmets having his picture taken and I think it was a close run thing as to who was the most youthful in that moment.
If a moment like that sparks interest in the young or bring back youthful memories in the old then as its been said before this is what makes Legends worth while.
And all thanks go to Mark it was a privilege.
Also thanks go to Joe for his talk on the P-39
BTW Steve, James, Mark, (and Dad) nice to meet you glad you had a great day
By: Ashley - 13th July 2004 at 09:03
Now this is what Legends is all about to me, people like George 🙂
Snapper…you rock 😉 😀 🙂
By: Arabella-Cox - 13th July 2004 at 07:18
Next batch – George being re-united with a Thunderbolt. Not an exact quote, but as we stood under the wing, George told me;
“We used to have to unpack these; they’d just come to us off the boats you see. So I’d fit the guns as soon as the wings were back on, and then I’d move on to the next one. We didn’t really count how many we were doing, but I’d get through three a day and then off they’d go…”
And George’s comments about the TFC Thunderbolt’s guns; “I don’t remember the guns being this shiny, ours were all black and had the metal round the outside of the barrel with holes in so the air could get in and cool the barrel.” When we saw the nose gun on ‘Grumpy’, his eyes lit up; “There you go, our Thunderbolt guns were like that!”
And the final shot is of an old boy with a distinctive spring in the step… 🙂
Good on you George, it was a privelege to meet you.
By: Arabella-Cox - 13th July 2004 at 07:10
Tried to add these last night, but my steam driven dial up couldn’t cope… :rolleyes:
Not up to Snapper’s standards, but these were my images of George’s first day back as an armourer in nearly sixty years. Hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I did taking them. 🙂
P39 first….
By: JDK - 13th July 2004 at 02:21
Hear hear.
And do yourself a favour. Takre someone to DX or OW (or your local aviation venue) make someone airminded or remember someone’s day. I have. It was worth it. Thanks to Snapper for doing it bigger & better. I think ‘a Full Snapper’ should be a real term of praise… Hmmm.
By: Manonthefence - 12th July 2004 at 23:30
That makes the weekend all worthwhile. A lovely story.
By: Snapper - 12th July 2004 at 23:29
It’s for the local paper – trouble is, page count relies on advertising revenue that week, so whether it will get used I don’t know. I’m not happy with it, it’s not polished enough, but they can do that as they’ll shrink it a bit most probably. He’ll be stoked when that goes in! His ‘fellow village hall organiser’ is my mum by the way.
Cheers Steve – I forgot about that. So much for the emotional reunion of Man and a/c captured on video!!
By: Chris G - 12th July 2004 at 23:22
Legends eh? Thats what its all about.
Had to change the backdrop on me pc for about the 10th time today
Well done Mark
cheers
Chris
By: Flood - 12th July 2004 at 23:15
Snapper said “so and so”? Snapper?:eek:
Guessed the blurb wasn’t from a local paper – too informative and each sentence didn’t end in an exclaimation mark…
Well done Mark, stories like that bring a ray of hope into our cynical lives!;)
Flood.™
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July 12, 2004 at 10:35 pm