TEST PILOTS & D-DAY VETERANS SIGNING EVENT – 15th MAY
For this exciting event at the UK Gallery we’ll be joined by both Test Pilots and veterans who took part in the Normandy Invasion from 6 June 1944.
Normandy Veterans
Sergeant MIKE BROWN Ld’H – as part of the Glider Pilot Regiment he flew a glider into Normandy in the early hours of D-Day carrying a detachment of Ulster Rifles. He later took a glider into Arnhem before being wounded and taken POW.
Driver FRED HARRIS Ld’H – he served as a Reconnaissance Engineer with 621 Field Squadron, Royal Engineers. He landed on Gold Beach via the Mulberry Harbour and continued clearing a path at the head of column through Normandy all the way to Berlin.
Corporal GORDON NEWTON – he served with the 9th Parachute Battalion of the 6th Airborne Division, jumping into France during the early hours of D-Day. He fought in the assault on the Merville Gun Battery and later fought in the Battle of the Bulge and Operation Varsity.
Leading Telegraphist ARTHUR ARUNDEL – serving with the Royal Navy aboard HMS Cooke he took part in Atlantic and Russian Convoys seeking out U-boats before playing an important role on D-Day patrolling the channel allowing the armada to cross safely.
Staff Sergeant MIKE HALL – as part of the Glider Pilot Regiment he took part in Operation Turley-Buzzard prior to the invasion of Sicily. A reserve for D-Day, he then took a glider into Arnhem and was posted to India flying Waco gliders and as second pilot on Dakotas.
Able Seaman WILF BIRDSEYE – he served in the Royal Navy aboard HMS Tartar taking part in Atlantic and Mediteranean Convoys before supporting both the Italian landings and D-Day. They also went to the Far East for the Sumatra landings until the Japanese surrender.
Test Pilots
Squadron Leader TOM LECKY-THOMPSON – joining the RAF at 17 he served with 249 Sqn during the Suez Conflict before undertaking an instructional tour on Vampires. Tom then joined 54 Sqn on Hunters and was posted as Flight Commander to No.1(F) Sqn before being selected to become the first fighter leader instructor at the Pakistan Air Force Fighter Leader School. Back in the UK he completed ETPS and joined A Sqn at A&AEE flying many aircraft including the Lightning, Phantom, Hunter, Javelin, Canberra, Jet Provost, Kestrel, Harrier, Basset, Harvard and Chipmunk. Tom was then involved in the first Atlantic crossing by a Harrier, plus the first jet landings at RAF St Pancras and the centre of New York before winning a Transatlantic Air Race in 1969. After spells with BAC/Bae and Rolls Royce he returned to the RAF and was involved in an exchange in Dubai instructing the United Arab Emirates Air Force.
Air Vice-Marshal ALAN MERRIMAN CBE AFC* FRAeS – after serving as an instructor on Meteors, Alan joined a Hunter fighter squadron before becoming a Test Pilot on the Hunter, Javelin, Swift, Lightning, Gnat Fighter and Harrier along with carrying out assessments of the US supersonic fighters F-100, F-104, F-105 and F-106, the French rocket powered Mirage 3 and the Swiss Viggen. He later commanded the first Harrier base at RAF Wittering.
Air Vice-Marshal GRAHAM WILLIAMS – served as a Pilot with 54 Sqn on Hunters before spending time as an Instructor on Hunters and Meteors. Graham then transferred to 8 Sqn in Aden, again on Hunters, and joined the A&AEE testing many aircraft including Lightnings, Harriers and Phantoms. He was appointed OC of 3 Sqn at Wildenrath on Harriers and then OC of Brüggen, Germany on Jaguars. Back in the UK he served with Experimental Flying RAE, Farnborough and A&AAE, Boscombe Down on many aircrafts including Buccaneers, Gazelles and Sea Furys.
Group Captain ROGER BEAZLEY CBE, AFC, BA, FRAeS– served with 19(F) Sqn on Lightnings at Gutersloh in Germany and 43(F) Sqn on Phantoms at Leuchars in Scotland. Following training at ETPS Roger served for 5 years at Boscombe Down principally flight test work on the Hawk, Jaguar, Phantom, Buccaneer, Tornado and others, including some foreign aircraft. Subsequent flight test work centered on advanced systems research at RAE Bedford on aircraft ranging from Gnat to Nimrod and such rotary types as Wessex and Sea King. Final flight test service appointments included Head of the Experimental Flying Department at the Royal Aerospace Establishment at Farnborough (which encompassed Bedford, Aberporth, Llanbedr and West Freugh) and then became Director of Flying (Research & Development) within the UK Ministry of Defence.
Our guests are happy to sign items for customers and entry is FREE but STRICTLY by ticket only. We are currently taking bookings so please contact us now to reserve your place.
