This week’s pictures from the past

Some of you may recall that we used a picture a recently showing staff at RAF High Ercall, which included a senior officer with a dog.

Well, the Shropshire Star has a long reach, and 67-year-old Norman Phillips of Watton, Norfolk, was sent a copy by some friends. And he tells us that officer was his father, the unit commander, Wing Commander (not Group Captain as we said) Norman Phillips DFC OBE.

“His ever-present canine companion was called Cymro, meaning the Welshman,” young Norman - his father died in 1990 - tells us. For interest, he e-mailed another picture taken in 1956 at RAF High Ercall, which was used quite regularly by royalty visiting the area.

In this case it was Princess Margaret, who was visiting Wolverhampton as the guest of the Staffordshire Girl Guides.

“Wearing the uniform of Chief Ranger of the British Isles and Commonwealth, the Princess alighted from her plane - No. 1 of the Queen’s Flight - to be welcomed by the Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire, Viscount Bridgeman, the Station Commander, Wing Commander N. Phillips, and Mr Douglas Osmond, Chief Constable of Shropshire,” said a contemporary newspaper report.

See Also:

• Send us your videos and win £50
« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 Next »