Rhubarb 2017

ST EDWARD’S r h u b a r b

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retired again in 1988. As OC 1 MHU he had been a member of the Greater London TAVRA,

Committee of the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Centre from its formation in 1980 until 1985. After taking early retirement from GEC in 1989, he joined the Management Board of Princess Marina House, the RAF Benevolent Fund’s flagship residential and convalescent home in West Sussex, and remained on its renamed Advisory Board until 2005. His interest in aviation had continued unabated throughout this career in industry. Commissioned in the RAFVR on graduating from Birmingham, he spent most of his weekends at Reserve Flying Schools, until he went overseas in 1955. Early in 1960 he was amongst the first officers to join the newly-formed No.1 Maritime Headquarters Unit of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, firstly as a signals officer and later working in the NATO Intelligence cell at the Northwood Headquarters. He rose steadily through the unit, which he commanded from 1972, in the rank of Wing Commander, until his service ended in 1978. In 1982 he was invited to return, promoted to Group Captain, and took up the appointment of Inspector RAuxAF, a post which at that time was unpaid in spite of requiring weekly visits to the Ministry of Defence, the dedication of most evenings to correspondence, and weekends to unit and squadron visits, which he undertook as well as meeting the demands Together with two successive Honorary Inspectors-General, Air Commodore Sir Peter Vanneck and Air Chief Marshal Sir John Barraclough, he was to oversee an expansion from five to sixteen units before he of a growing family and a responsible post in GEC.

Grapple”, the British H-bomb trials in 1957 and 1958; originally conceived as a long- range navigation aid for the Valiant bombers, Shackleton reconnaissance aircraft and surface ships, this Decca chain gained the confidence of the bomber crews so greatly that it came to be used as a primary bombing aid. After returning from the Pacific, Peter was invited to re- join what had by now become Elliott-Automation, where he worked under W “Roy” Thomas, and subsequently Peter Mariner, and was soon given responsibility for forming an after-sales service division for EA Radar Systems. Here he successfully managed the progressive UK modernisation Warning radar installed in the Fleet Air Arm’s Gannet aircraft and later in RAF Shackletons until the late 1980s. After a succession of industrial mergers with Marconi and GEC he was appointed to manage the division of GECMarconi bidding for the MOD contracts for development of the UK’s Airborne Early Warning radar system and the main radar for the Tornado air defence fighter. When both these projects came to fruition simultaneously, of the WW2-vintage US- designed Airborne Early expansion, he was promoted to Assistant General Manager, and tasked to set up and manage new establishments in Hertfordshire and then at Milton Keynes. He was elected a Member of the Institution of Electrical Engineers in 1961, and a Fellow in 1970. Invited to chair the Committee of the Hatfield Branch of the Institution in 1979 to 1980, he subsequently served on the and the company had to undergo major and rapid

Jonathan Haydock (A, 1966- 1971), grandfather of Ella (J, 2010-2015) and Jamie Smith (F, 2010-2015). His son Andrew has kindly provided the following obituary: David was at St Edward’s from 1950 to 1955 the first of three Haydock brothers who all went to Cowell’s. He was part of a strong contingent from The Leas School, Hoylake and was much liked by everyone for his friendliness, openness, humour and fairness to others. David had a huge sense of drive and purpose. He would have loved to have been a successful sportsman, but his asthma held him back. He rose steadily through the Cowell’s hierarchy and was made a House Prefect for his last year. The Housemaster was Pat Brims, who would take lunch with the boys each Wednesday. He always arrived at table several minutes late. The menu on this day was always beef stew, so before his arrival, everyone on his table collected the nastiest pieces of fat and gristle and put them on his plate. Poor Brims had to eat and pretend to enjoy this horrible serving as an example to everyone. It was a cause of extreme hilarity for all except the poor victim. David throughout his life has had a strong faith and Chapel was important to him, but like everything else in school life, there was a lighter side. The length of Sung Eucharist on Sundays was always timed according to the different Chaplains. The winner by a long chalk was Jack Straw (Rev T B Williams) who managed to complete the service, hymns and all, in under half an hour. School life after the end of A Levels became much more relaxed. The summer of 1955 was warm and sunny, so time

O B I T U A R I E S

in which he subsequently served as a Selected Air Force Member, becoming Vice-Chairman (air) from

V A L E T E

1988 until1993. As Inspector RAuxAF he was an ex-officio member of the Councils of the National Rifle Association and the Reserve Forces Association. He was an ADC to HM The Queen from 1984 to 1988, and a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London from 1986 to 1998. He became a Freeman of the City of London and was elected a Liveryman of the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators. He became a holder of the Air Efficiency Award in 1961, and was awarded a clasp in 1971; Maintaining his enthusiasm for the Reserve Forces, Group Captain Harris was invited to join the NATO Grand Priory of the Order of the Temple of Jerusalem, the Knight Templars, in 1996 and in 1998 was elevated to the rank of Commander in the Order, serving as the secretary and treasurer of the UK Priory. He was further elevated to the rank of Grand Officer in 2003, and served as Grand Chancellor of the NATO Grand Priory of the Order in 2005-6. In 2015 he was elevated to the rank of Grand Cross, and served as Prior of the UK Grand Priory. His wife, (Yvonne) Patricia he was awarded the Silver Jubilee Medal in 1977, and appointed CBE in 1988. Stone, whom he married in 1955, died in 2003; he is survived by their two daughters. HAYDOCK – In July 2016, Roger David Haydock (A, 1950-1955), brother of Peter (A, 1961-1966) and