In the process of research for a project I came across the following article, whch started me thinking…
The Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators, which is now a City Livery Company, announced in London recently that the Derry and Richards Memorial Medal, awarded each year for experimental flying, is to be presented, for the year 1955, to Mr. Peter Twiss of Fairey Aviation Ltd. for his work on high-speed delta aircraft leading up to the World Air Speed Record runs. These research flights were carried out during the 1955 period, although the actual record flights took place in 1956.
It will be recalled that the Derry and Richards Memorial Medal is sponsored by the employees of the de Havilland Aircraft Company, and is awarded by the Guild annually to a pilot not on active service in the regular forces but professionally engaged in flying for testing or development of British aircraft.
The two previous holders of the Medal are W/Cdr. J. H. Heyworth, who received the award in 1953 for his work on turbo-jet engine development flying, and W/Cdr. R. P. Beamont in 1954 for the part he played in supersonic flight development.
The Medal will be presented to Mr. Twiss at a banquet held by the Guild at the Mansion House this spring.
Clearly if GAPAN were involved it was important at the time – I wonder how many other recipients there were? Also, I wonder how many other ‘lost awards’ there has been over the years that seem to have been forgotten about?
By: RPSmith - 3rd June 2012 at 00:07
Closer to home, what happened to the Mike Twite Trophy?
Roger Smith.
By: pagen01 - 2nd June 2012 at 17:37
Clearly if GAPAN were involved it was important at the time – I wonder how many other recipients there were? Also, I wonder how many other ‘lost awards’ there has been over the years that seem to have been forgotten about?
Not lost or forgotten, last recipient of the Derry and Richards Memorial Medal being Edward Strongman for testing of the Airbus A400.
The memorial was raised and paid for by de Havilland after the terrible loss and public realisation of the test-pilots’ dangerous work after the DH110 crash in September 1952, at the Farnborough air show, killing John Derry and Anthony Richards.
I have these listed from 1953 until 1965,
1953 Wg Cdr Jim H. Heyworth, Rolls Royce
1954 Roland Beamont, English Electric
1955 Peter Twiss, Fairey Aviation
1956 Sqn Ldr J.S. Fifield, Martin Baker
1957 Mike Randrup, Napier
1958 Tom Brooke Smith, Shorts
1959 A.W.(Bill) Bedford, Hawker Aircraft
1960 Michael J. Lithgow, Vickers Supermarine
1961 Brian Trubshaw, Vickers Armstrongs
1962 Hugh C.H. Merewether, Hawker Siddeley
1963 Peter Bugge, Hawker Siddeley (de Havilland)
1964 E.B.(Brian) Trubshaw, British Aircraft Corporation (Vickers)
1965 John Cunnigham, Hawker Siddeley (de Havilland)
GAPANs’ website has the full list here, http://www.gapan.org/about-the-guild/trophies-and-awards/award-winners/the-derry-and-richards-memorial-medal/
There were at least two other GAPAN awards,
The Johnston Memorial Trophy – Most outstanding feat of performance in aerial navigation (donated by Sqn Ldr Johnston)
The Cumberbatch Trophy – Promotion of reliability in civil aviation (donated Miss Alice Cumberbatch 1931)
By: Snoopy7422 - 2nd June 2012 at 16:01
Awards…
It’s pretty hard to make such awards when we no longer have a British aircraft industry. We used to have many 100% British companies and were at the cutting-edge. Now there is just a small rump, most of which is tied-in with overseas companies.
I was lamenting this over lunch a few days ago with en ex TP. I suppose it was down to 50% political interference and 50% ineptitude on the part of the companies. The net result was the decimation of a once world-conquering industry.
On that basis, there must be an awful lot of redundant awards…..! 🙂
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June 2, 2012 at 9:20 am