Ageorge

Sad sad news, I never knew him but do remember his threads.
RIP Mate.

Al has just been laid to rest.

Some Al gold HERE

Is this the one, Becka?

I can’t remember the title of the thread, but I seem to remember there was a thread a couple of years back in which various forum members recalled some of the scrapes they had got themselves into, and some of the tricks they pulled…I remember sitting here crying with laughter at some of the tales Al and Steve were coming out with…you know, the sort of laughter that hurts because you’re laughing so hard?

And now they’re both gone. Damn.

Sleep peacefully Al (although I think tracking Douglas Bader down and quizzing him on his movements in 1942 might be more Al’s style…)

Becka

Sad news indeed.

RIP Al

Sad to hear the news, he told me that he had bought a Caravan at North Berwick for holidaying and use at weekends and hoped to restsrt his flying on Microlights.

Ceaste to resist, giving my goodbye…

Al, i’m sure you’d appreciate the lyrics that follow. It was a pleasure to have you around.

Alistairs funeral is on Saturday at Armadale Parish Church, West Lothian at 10 am. I’m going to go to the church service bit. If I get the chance, I’ll pass on the condolonces of those here.

Sorry to hear this. Best wishes to his family.

I know he appreciated bikes like me.

RIP.

I’ve never met him but it is very sad to hear such terrible news. My thoughts are with his family and friends. 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁

Very sad news indeed. Please excuse my ignorance and I have no wish to offend, but was this sudden, or had he been ill for a while? Sincere condolences to all his friends and family.

Sad to hear another forumite has passed away.

My thoughts are with his family.

Cees

I got the sad news from Ali’s wife a couple of days ago and am very sad. I knew Ali very well. We met on this forum, and we met up on a number of occasions, I stayed overnight with the family before the East Fortune meet up. We spent most of the evening exploring the watering holes of his home town. I am going to miss him greatly, he had the ability to listen to this old mans “war stories” without yawning.

KeithMac

I never had the pleasure of meeting the man behind these tributes, I can’t remember if he was here when I joined, or whether I even had the opportunity to speak to him, although the name does ring a bell.

It is horrible news when someone you know and admire passes, but reading this page, I can’t help but think that the real loss is to the younger members such as myself who never had a chance to recieve an earbashing from him for some mistake or other mis-post. I also hear he was a biker as well… Oh the missed opportunities!

My thoughts are with everyone that he held dear at this difficult time.

Rest in peace mate.

With the deepest respects,
BARNOWL

I never had the pleasure of meeting the man behind these tributes, I can’t remember if he was here when I joined, or whether I even had the opportunity to speak to him, although the name does ring a bell.

It is horrible news when someone you know and admire passes, but reading this page, I can’t help but think that the real loss is to the younger members such as myself who never had a chance to recieve an earbashing from him for some mistake or other mis-post. I also hear he was a biker as well… Oh the missed opportunities!

My thoughts are with everyone that he held dear at this difficult time.

Rest in peace mate.

With the deepest respects,
BARNOWL

I can only trust that when he reaches the end of this journey he not only meets Douglas Bader, but finally gets back to us with the answer to the question that puzzled Alastair, and the rest of us, all these years.

Moggy

(Less flippant thoughts posted elsewhere)

W/C D Bader . On holiday Skegness 1941 . Honestly .

. I was waiting to meet him in the flesh, either at the Barrowlands for Stiff Little Fingers or at Legends. Well Al, you’ll be in my mind when I go to see SLF, and I’ll raise my glass to you at Legends too. Go well, my friend. I am sorry.

Yeah that was gonna be good, followed by a mini invasion of Scottish SLF fans on your patch. 😎

Moggy, I was also looking forward to being involved in Al’s French Spitfire sortie. I think I somehow tentatively agreed by PM to be relief van driver #1 and make the tea ?? 😀

As I recall there was once a plot for Daz, Al and I to venture into France in search of a Spit replica and return it to the UK.

I’m so sad now that it never came off.

Many happy memories of e-mail conversations, many of them Ducati-based.

Top bloke, sadly missed.

Moggy

Like Dhfan said, Al and I would also exchange flurries of pm’s / emails for a week and then nothing for months. Sadly recently has been one of those gaps. Having heard the news the other night over the phone, in true ‘Mad Al’ spirit we went from feeling sad at the tragic waste to laughing uproariously at some of the more bizarre escapades of his.

Al phoned me a few months ago. I can rarely understand my French mother-in-Law but Al, with his broad accent was an absolute trial to comprehend – haf the call was a repeat! Hilarious. I was waiting to meet him in the flesh, either at the Barrowlands for Stiff Little Fingers or at Legends. Well Al, you’ll be in my mind when I go to see SLF, and I’ll raise my glass to you at Legends too. Go well, my friend. I am sorry.

Very sad news. I only met Al once, that day at East Fortune. We then had a few email conversations about learning to fly, me fixed wing and Al on microlights. A true aviation enthusiast.

Thoughts are with his family and friends.