BBMF honours Squadron Leader Tony Pickering
The survivors of ‘The Few’ became one fewer on 24th March when Battle of Britain fighter pilot Squadron Leader Tony Pickering passed away peacefully at his home near Rugby, aged 95.
Called up on 1st September 1939, Tony Pickering completed his RAF pilot training and was then posted direct to 32 Squadron at Biggin Hill on 27th July 1940 as a Sergeant Pilot. The squadron commander, concerned at his inexperience, sent him and two other new pilots to No 6 OTU to convert to the Hurricane. He re-joined 32 Squadron later in the month and then, as the unit was being sent north to Acklington for a rest and he was deemed not to need one, he was posted to 501 Squadron at Gravesend on 27th August and thrown into battle.
In an action with Bf 109's over Caterham on 1st September Tony Pickering was shot down in Hurricane P5200. He baled out and landed, unhurt, in the Guards Depot at Caterham. On 29th October he claimed a Bf 109 destroyed, levelling the scores.
In February 1941 Tony took up a post as a Hurricane test pilot at the Maintenance Unit at Hawarden and then, after being commissioned in December 1941, he became an instructor at No 57 (Hurricane) OTU. He returned to operations in February 1943 when he joined 131 Squadron as a Flight Commander; he served with the squadron until January 1944. From then on he held various appointments in the Exeter Sector, such as Controller and Gunnery Officer. In February 1945 he was posted to the Middle East and became a Squadron Commander at the Bombing and Gunnery School at El Ballah. He returned to the UK in December 1945 and was released from the RAF later that month as a Squadron Leader.
After the war Tony worked for GEC for many years in sales posts that involved him travelling to many parts of the world. In his spare time, for more than 70 years, he was a bell ringer at his church in Hillmorton, near Rugby, where his funeral was held on 8th April.
In recent years Tony Pickering had attended many events and social functions with the BBMF and had become a friend of the Flight. He was also heavily involved in the 75th anniversary commemorations of the Battle of Britain last year, along with the BBMF. The BBMF personnel, therefore, felt that they could not let his passing go without their involvement in his funeral. Several members of the flight volunteered to carry Tony Pickering’s coffin at the funeral service at the St John the Baptist Church in Hillmorton.
The BBMF pall bearers included three modern RAF and BBMF fighter pilots: Sqn Ldr Mark Discombe, Flt Lt Antony Parkinson MBE and Flt Lt Andy Preece. The bearer party also included WO Kev Ball, Cpl Mike Streather and SAC(T) Chris Lomas. The “Caller” was Flt Sgt Deano McAllister and Cpl Dan Nolan & SAC(T) Ian Taylor also assisted. The Prince of Wales, Patron of the Battle of Britain Fighter Association, and The Duchess of Cornwall were represented at the funeral by Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Graydon (President of the Battle of Britain Memorial Fund and a former Chief of the Air Staff). Also in attendance were Gp Capt Jez Attridge (RAF Coningsby Station Commander and BBMF fighter pilot) and Air Cdre Johnny Stringer (former RAF Coningsby Station Commander and BBMF fighter pilot).
As the coffin left the church, OC BBMF, Sqn Ldr Andy Millikin, provided a fitting tribute with 3 passes in BBMF Hurricane PZ865, described by the Coventry Telegraph newspaper as a “spectacular flypast”.
The Royal Air Force and the BBMF, therefore, saw one of their heroes laid to rest in appropriate style.
