Forum for residents of St Georges Park and Long Leys Road Lincoln

[john shipton]

Graham Pitchfork served in the Royal Air Force for 36 years as a navigator. His appointments have included flying Canberra reconnaissance aircraft from RAF bases in West Germany and for a period of time flew Buccaneers with the Fleet Air Arm from the famous aircraft carrier called HMS Eagle.

During his carreer he commanded 208 Squadron and held a series of leadership appointments where he commanded at that time, the largest flying training base in the RAF called RAF Finningley, now used by the civil aviation authority and called Robin Hood Airport. He was one of the last commanding officers who served at RAF Biggin Hill before closure. He then went onto become Director of Intelligence in the Ministry of Defence before retiring as an Air Commodore in 1994.

But his retirement from the Royal Air Force has led to other doors being opened for him and he is now an established author with five books under his title. Graham also lectures on the aviation circuit on the History of the RAF and from this has a column in the Daily Telegraph writing aviation obituaries.

Air Commodore Graham Pitchfork is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, Vice President of the Yorkshire Air Museum, Chairman of the Buccaneer Aircrew Association and the Archivist of the Aircrew Association.

Graham has accepted to give a talk at the Metheringham Airfield Visitor Centre based at Westmoor Farm, Martin Moor, Metheringham, Lincoln, on Wednesday, 28th May, beginning at 7.30pm. He will be using one of his books called The Men Behind the Medals as his theme. This centre is part of former RAF Metheringham and was the wartime home of 106 Squadron who flew Lancaster bombers from there during WW2.

Admission for visitors is £3.00 which includes refreshments. But is free for the Friends of Metheringham Airfield and members of 106 Squadron.

For further details telephone 01526 378270/378604.