Alex Henshaw Dies(2007)

3 YEARS

3 years old boy and your memory is still as fresh as ever before!
Thinking about you whilst I’m in the air around Cape Town
and I trust you and Purdy are enjoying some other World and you’re laughing
at the state of the place down here (although I doubt it knowing you)!
Cheers my friend, I miss you!

My condolences to his family and friends. A great man who will be sadly missed. R I P.

Remembering a dear friend and inspiration to so many! Alex Henshaw MBE 7 November 1912 – 24 February 2007
If you’re listening up there somewhere Alex, rest assured, you are never far from my thoughts.
The monument on Spitfire Island still stands resplendent as a reminder to all people of the sacrifices
made by so many for our freedom today! You shall never be forgotten

Thank you

I’m abroad at the moment so have just caught up with this sad news.

So many posts have echoed my own thoughts that I have little to add. I am so grateful that Alex chose to put his experiences on paper for us all to share.

‘Sigh for a Merlin’ will always have a special place on my bookshelf. Such a moving and thrilling record of flying can have few parallels in the history of aviation, as does the obvious determination and bravery of a very special man.

Enjoy your peace, Alex, and thank you.

They say that in the Bible there is a passage about the sound of Moses’ Triumph being heard throughout the hills and valleys.

The Lord is a very lucky man having Alex Henshaw,Geoff Quill and Ray Hanna
to help Him get the best out of his Spitfires.

Miggers

If ever there was a deserving case for a posthumous award from the Crown (Knighthood hopely, not sure if they are given posthumously) then this is surely it.

No point giving them posthumously, he prob should have got one years ago.

Saw him speak in Melb when he was over promoting his SfaM book and heard him speak on radio at length a few times and was so impressed. A fantastic fellow

Farewell to a real flying legend, I salute you Sir Alex

Henshaw family’s response

I emailed Judith Henshaw with the link to this site. I received this reply today.
It is comforting to know that Alex Sr’s family have read all these tributes.

Thank you so much Bob.

Alex and I have just read all the tributes on the Aviation Forum and found it most moving.

Judith Henshaw

Tribute

Daz and Grounded,
Thank you for your comments, its comforting knowing
what we did meets with so much approval!
Ive had some kind phone calls from people!
Im sure Alex though would be laughing now, he didn’t like any fuss!
I always felt he underestimated greatly the effect he had
on so many!

Now to try and get some weight behind a statue/monument
of him near the Factory! Ive already been onto BBC radio who read out
my email yesterday and they seemed keen to help and get involved?

We shall see if anything is said today on their daily phone in show from 1000-1300?
You can listen live on the BBC site http://www.bbc.co.uk/birmingham/local_radio/
and the entire show can be heard again after 1300 for 24hrs again via the site also!

Fantastic tribute, Andrew – and very fitting images, too.

Thank you Andrew for the tribute to Alex, only met him once, a very modest man.

Apperantly there is to be a film about Alex and The Flight of the Mew Gull.
Link here,
http://alexhenshaw.blogspot.com/2006/08/alex-henshaw-is-not-only-best-solo-non.html
Not sure how advanced it is though.

You can read all about it here…. doesnt look like its coming out any time soon though..

http://www.carvery.zoomshare.com/2.shtml

Scroll down and you will see it…. looks like it might be a film adadptation for TV.. 2 or 3 longish episodes.

From the Telegraph obituary.. Henshaw, for his part, considered Churchill “the greatest Englishman of all time”

I always regarded Alex as the greatest Englishman that I had ever met.

Precise in every thought, word and deed, yet warm and devoted to those he cared for, he was an inspiration to me, not in how to fly Spitfires but in how to live the life that we are given.

The fact that he received no more than an MBE from his country displays a flawed system, because in my eyes, he was flawless.

Rest in Peace Alex.

Mark Postlethwaite

Alex Henshaw Obituary

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/news/2007/02/28/db2801.xml

Fantastic tribute, Andrew – and very fitting images, too.

Tonight

Many of you might not have seen the Spitfire tribute outside
what was once the main gate to the factory at Castle Bromwich?
The Spitfires were rolled across the road from there onto the airfield for testing!

Alex attended the ceremony some years ago!

Anyway, I didn’t like it much at first but have grown to admire it greatly!
At night, the Spitfires are lit and it really does look quite magnificent!

Tonight some cadets from 165 ATC Squadron at Castle Vale and I placed some flowers
on the island below the great aircraft and said a few words to mark the passing of this great man and friend!
I trust you don’t mind me posting these but I would like to share them with everyone!
Birmingham shall never forget you Alex!
Andrew

A sad loss

There are some things in life that you think (hope) will never end. Your parents and old friends often take top place in that category. Although I never met Alex I had read with relish, his books and through them came to respect a mans achievements when so many of us never get the chance to make such a difference to the world. I know that todays world considers such people as “past it” and have little relevance to todays world but that is a debate for another time. With the sad passing away of Alex we have lost a role model, a true gentleman and a standard which we could aspire to.

Sir, I salute you, for your contribution to life, to this country’s aviation achievements and for the impact that you have so obviously had to so many peoples life`s.

We could do with a few more people with your attributes.

RIP

Never met, much admired.

A shame so many people in this country do not know how much he helped to shape their future.

God Bless.

A great man and Friend

Outside the office at Castle Bromwich

Flying again from Duxford in March 2005 (92 years old!)

Alex,
you never liked computers much so don’t know if you’ll get this?

You are one of the finest men I have ever had the privilege to know and also call a friend!
You are equally one of, if not the finest aviators my country has ever known!
You were a man of honour, integrity and justice in every sense of the word!
I shall miss our lunches and phone chats putting the World to rights in only the way we could!

Your energy, friendship and encouragement as you know, kept me going during some dark days
over the last 10 years! I only trust I can continue to instil the core values of men like yourself
into my Son as he grows? As I know if he is a 10th of what you were, he shall one day be a fine man!

Our Country and Birmingham has lost one of its heroes!
The Cape records shall always be yours and no one can deny,
when a Merlin is heard in the skies for years to come, it shall remain… Always… Your signature!

I shall miss you very much, I shall never forget you and what you stood for!
You put the ‘Great’ in Great Britain!

Thank you for all you did for me and my Country, ill raise a glass or two when next in Cape Town
God bless you
Your friend
Andrew

Like the majority I sadly never met Alex Henshaw but was aware of his contribution to the develpoment of the Spitfire/Lancaster.

I too have also read Sigh For A Merlin many times and it is one of the most inspirational books I have ever read.

A huge talent not only behind the control stick but also with the pen.

Thank you Alex for the work you did to keep Britain great in those dark days and also for entertaining me on many an occassion with the aforementioned book.

God bless

Martin

I won’t pretend to know or have known Alex Henshaw in any way other than name.

Suffice to say his reputation and accomplishments speak volumes.

R.I.P brother.