Alex Copeland

It is with great sadness that we have to announce that Alex Copeland passed away on 16th April 2015.  He had lived for over 30 years in Adelaide, South Australia, running the ground geophysical survey company Search Exploration Services with his partner Gerry Bown.  His funeral and the gathering afterwards were held in Carrickalunga, about 100 km south of Adelaide.  It is here that Alex and Gerry have their beloved beachside ‘shack’, and where the Union Jack flies every day except Anzac Day and Australia Day.

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Alex started at Fairey Surveys as a draughtsman, but over the years became involved with airborne and ground geophysics, working all over the world.  He was always cheerful, always helpful and very hardworking.  Alex lived life to the full, and made lasting friends wherever he was – things were definitely not boring when he was around.

One of Alex’s old friends, Kim Frankcombe, was at the funeral and the wake, and has sent the obituary, and a copy of the memorial service booklet, which are attached, and some personal notes from the day:-

“The funeral and wake went well with a lot of old familiar faces there, both from my geophysics and rugby past. The church held 80 and both Alex and Gerry had wanted a quiet affair but it was standing room only. The public event at the British Hotel later that night had even more people.

With a large rugby crowd there was plenty of support for the two hymns, the Welsh and English rugby teams’ hymns. Apparently they were a late change as Alex had originally wanted “Always look on the bright side of life” which would also have been very appropriate.

In Nick Sheard’s Eulogy he told the story of bailing Alex out of the Cobar police station after he was caught drink driving after he and Nick had spent three hours with an Eski of beer watching a mechanic weld up his old Hilux. He decided to give the arresting officer the benefit of his thoughts which resulted in him being held for the night. He claims to have spent the night dragging a tin mug across the bars of his cell to let them know he was still there.

There was also plenty of support for Alex being a scary driver from all those who he’d taken for a ride in his E-Type which is now in SA with Gerry.”

Memorial booklet:  AC_Memorial                     Click on the title to open the file (if it displays sideways, download and open with Adobe Reader, then click on View, Rotate)

Obituary:               AlexCopeland_Obit            Click on the title to open the file

Many of Alex’s friends and old colleagues will have their own stories about him (and possibly his cars!) – please send them in on the Comments page, or by email to admin@faireysurveys.co.uk

 

Ron Neal: Obituary

Ron Neal funeral service

The funeral service for Ron Neal was held on 21st April 2015.  It was attended by his widow Sylvia, family, friends and neighbours, and a number of old colleagues from Fairey Surveys, including Geoff Milsom, Bob Berris and Ken and Jean Fostekew.  It is hoped that it can be arranged for Ron’s ashes to scattered on White Waltham airfield a bit later in the summer.

Ken Fostekew has given us this brief obituary:

Ron was a 16 year old ATC Cadet attached to the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA), along with Don Ellis.  Ron had some memorable flights with the ATA and was full of yarns. He flew with Jim Mollison to Hulavington in a Ventura and had to crawl into the tail to release the tailwheel as it had jammed, and for that Jim treated Ron to a slap up lunch in the mess.  On another occasion Ron and another cadet went to Scotland with Gerard d’Erlanger in a PBY Catalina flying boat for mooring training.  At the end of each session both boys were soaked to the skin, and d’Erlanger gave them each £1 for their supper and a trip to the cinema. Ron also flew with Lettice Curtis and Joan Hughes, pioneering ATA women pilots, in Halifaxes, Lancasters etc.

Ron obtained his PPL and was a founder member of the embryo Fairey Aviation Flying Club at White Waltham.  After his many years as a pilot with Fairey Surveys, redundancy happened, as it did with many of us.  Ron then moved to Lydd in Kent and flew with a company photographing shipping in the channel (possibly for US Naval Intelligence) until retirement age at 65.  His last years were spent house bound and then bed ridden.
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If anyone has any special memories or stories about Ron Neal, we would be happy to add them to this page to share with the FSL community.  Contact us at admin@faireysurveys.co.uk.

 

 

Ron Neal

New has come in from Ken Fostekew that Ron Neal has passed away.  Ron was one of Fairey Surveys’ well known and loved pilots.  More details will be posted when they arrive.

The Crew

Ron is fourth from the left in this photograph from Len Sellwood of the crew from a Nigeria survey in 1974

Syrian survey 1947

These photographs and newspaper cuttings came from Kieran (Ken) Roche via his brother Gerry Roche.  Kieran was the Flight engineer on what was described as the first ‘Fairey Surveys’ flight out of White Waltham in 1947.

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Air Survey aircraft (AIRSPEED OXFORD). First ‘Fairey Surveys’ flight out of White Waltham, 1947. Left to right: Brian Attwell (management), Richard Younghusband (pilot), Ken Roche (engineer), Group Captain Lawes (management).  Richard Younghusband, has a claim to fame from even earlier.  He was apparently flying back from France the day war broke out, and triggered off the first English World War 2 air raid alarm.

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Hotel Baron, Aleppo, Syria.
This was our hotel and x marks the spot where we usually sit at night nattering.  This was taken during the siesta period, hence the deserted appearance of the street, shops closed etc.  Only a few Bedouin at large.

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Aleppo, Syria.  Air Survey photographers and Ken Roche with medieval citadel in background.  From left: Freddie Worton, John Rushton, Ken Roche, ?

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Aleppo, Syria.  Time off …  Left to right: ?, Ken Roche (engineer), Richard Younghusband (pilot).

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Newpaper cutting from the Daily Telegraph in 1968, about the building of the Aleppo dam on the Euphrates river.

KR Syrian Hotel Baron newspaper cutting

The Hotel Baron in Aleppo had a long history and many interesting guests on the register.  The last sentence of this press cutting is quite poignant.  A couple of website links give information on the current state of the Hotel Baron and the Mazloumian family:

http://pvewood.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/the-hotel-baron-at-war.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/11239988/War-in-Syria-takes-toll-on-Aleppos-oldest-hotel-in-pictures.html?frame=3111065

More news of the Hotel Baron from the Times on 14th May 2016.  Mr Mazloumian died recently, and the hotel has taken a couple of mortar hits, but it is still standing and occupied by Mr Mazloumain’s widow and three refugee families.

Hotel Baron Aleppo update May 2016

 

 

 

 

Photographs of Mervyn Hulland, flight engineer

These photographs were sent by Steve Hulland, Mervyn’s son.  Mervyn worked for Fairey Air Surveys/Fairey Surveys from about 1955 to 1966, when the family emigrated to South Africa.  They came back a few years later, and Mervyn worked on development for deHavilland on the TSR2 in Bristol, and also for Atlas Aircraft Corporation on the Impala.

Most of the photographs are unlabelled, but quite a few appear to have been taken in Kenya.  Any help identifying places or people would be appreciated.

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This postcard was interesting – no change in aerial photography problems!

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Adrian Workman – Kodak award 1980s

This cutting from the Maidenhead Advertiser was sent in by Adrian Workman.  He won a Kodak prize in the 1980s, and the presentation was made in the office by the Kodak sales representative.  Adrian worked in the Reprographic Department, so photography really was his life then!

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Photographs from Ulrich Münzer

Ulrich (Uli) came to Fairey Surveys for survey experience during two summers – June to September of 1967 and July to September of 1968, and lodged with Eddie Holmes during his time here.

He is now Dr Ulrich Münzer of LMU University in Munich, Faculty of Geosciences, with a speciality in subglacial volcanoes in Iceland. Details and even a photograph here: www.isviews.geo.lmu.de

He spends summers in Iceland, so can’t get to the reunions, but has sent in some photographs of his time at Fairey Surveys, and his reference from Lawrence Scott when he left in 1968.

Click on the photographs to enlarge.

Dakota Whiskey Charlie before its FSL repainting
Dakota Whiskey Charlie before its FSL repainting
Wild A8s.  John Churchard, John Parfitt and John Keay
Wild A8s. John Churchard, John Parfitt and John Keay

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Mosaicing.  Pete Sharman, Stan?, ?
Mosaicing. Pete Sharman, Stan?, ?
Kelsh Plotter, operator unknown
Kelsh Plotter, operator unknown
Lots of Kelsh Plotters
Lots of Kelsh Plotters
Zeiss C8 Stereoplanigraph, Tony Dady operating
Zeiss C8 Stereoplanigraph, Tony Dady operating
Wild A8 - Don't know who the operator is.
Wild A8 – Don’t know who the operator is.
Wild A8.  Harry Hodge?
Wild A8. Harry Hodge?
Great cars - and is that Peter Challis's Ford Anglia?
Great cars – and is that Peter Challis’s Ford Anglia?
Compilation Department 1968, Peter Challis in the white coat
Compilation Department 1968, Peter Challis in the white coat
Ulrich Münzer (foreground) and Eddie Holmes (left), probably at Farnborough Air Show
Ulrich Münzer (foreground) and Eddie Holmes (left), probably at Farnborough Air Show

UM FSL reference 1968

Fairey Surveys presentations 1959

We know the date and most of the people in the photographs, but not what the presentations were for.  Attendance?  Good behaviour?

Fairey Surveys presentations 1959
Fairey Surveys presentations 1959

Left picture, L-R: ?, ?, Ken Pinkney, Bob Embleton, Rex Ackland, Peter Challis, Dave Parker
Right picture, L-R: ?, ?, Bob Embleton, Ken Pinkney, Peter Challis, Dave Parker

John Parfitt photographs

Jayne Jupp has sent in some photographs of her father John Parfitt working in photogrammetry, and in a group picture.  The film crew in the first picture could be BBC South or Thames TV making a film about map making – does anyone remember?  All the people on the group photo have been identified, but not why or when it was taken.  Any additional information gratefully received, and will be added here.

Click on the photographs for a bigger picture.

John Parfitt with film crew
John Parfitt with film crew
John Parfitt on Wild A8
John Parfitt on Wild A8

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John Parfitt group photo
Left to right: Tony Dady, Malcolm Eaton, John Parfitt, Tony Apicella, Adrian Workman