John 'Dickey Dick' Dick

We have been informed of the passing of Flt Lt (Retd) John Vivian Richard Dick RAF (known as Dicky Dick when in service) at the age of 94. John was one of those adventurous Second World War RAF Pilots who converted to service with the Glider Pilot Regiment when the call came for volunteers in 1944. In his case the urgent need was for glider borne support to the 14th Army operating in Burma. In November 1944 he was posted to South East Asia Command (SEAC) to join a contingent of 231 GPR and 740 RAF operating the US Waco glider (known to the UK as Hadrian). Early in his tour he converted to Dakotas in 671 Sqn carrying out re-supply missions into rough jungle landing strips in support of Orde Wingate’s Chindit force. He later returned to glider piloting. On one mission in his Hadrian he was forced to cut loose from the tug aircraft when turbulence caused heavy crates to crash through the side of the glider whilst in flight. He managed to land the badly damaged glider on hard scrub land. He and his co-pilot were rescued a few days later. John returned to UK after VJ day in 1945 and was demobilised in 1947. John had identified readily with his Army colleagues and like many of his fellow RAF volunteers had embraced the GPR/Army spirit during his service in the Far East. He maintained a connection with the Regiment and in later life also attended 671 Sqn AAC re-unions organised by 7 Regt AAC(V) in Netheravon.