The Association has learned of the death of Cdr Colin Frederick Douglas RN. He died suddenly on Thursday 1 August 2013 whilst in Muscat and leaves a widow, Sue and two children Hannah and Will.
From Records
As a pilot, Colin served with 705, 706, 819, 820, 824 Squadrons.
He was a member of the Sharks Display Team in 1983 and the Commanding Officer of 820 Squadron from June 1994 and Wings of RNAS Culdrose.
Funeral Details
The funeral will take place on Monday 19th August at 1pm in Truro Cathedral.
Family flowers only with donations to charity (to be announced).
For further details contact Pendles of Helston tel: 01326 573080
From John Beattie
COMMANDER COLIN DOUGLAS RN died suddenly in Oman, whilst serving as a pilot with the Omani Royal Flight. He was born in 1957 and grew into a vibrant, energetic, intelligent and most likeable man who joined the Royal Navy in 1976 as a supplementary list aviator. After flying training he joined 819 Squadron at Prestwick and In August of 1979 had his first brush with Royalty, repatriating Lord Louis Mountbatten’s body from Ireland. After 819 he attended the Qualified Helicopter Instructors course and joined 705 Sqn on completion. The following year he was selected for the ’82 Sharks team as the solo performer, but unfortunately crashed with Roger McDonald during a pre-season training sortie following a fenestron problem. The aircraft sustained immense damage but both walked away with fairly minor injuries! They made it to the main road ½ mile away and tried flagging a car down, but the car swerved round them and sped off, thinking they were vagrants! He was a natural for the ‘83 Sharks team. Mindful of his Fathers Army service, keen on shooting and the outdoors he volunteered for the SAS Combat survival course, something EVERYONE else in the RN tried very hard to avoid! As ever it was incredibly tough, but he excelled and enjoyed the challenge, deriving immense satisfaction from the achievement of a very creditable pass. He was full of mischief, but in the nicest possible way, turning everything into fun and his charismatic personality made it also fun for those around him. Whilst not suffering fools gladly, he spent much time and effort helping those in need be it private or service. On the professional side he was ambitious and transferred to the General List and thus on to bridge watch-keeping in HMS Active during a West Indies tour. After achieving bridge watchkeeping and Ocean Navigation tickets he returned to flying with 706 Squadron and during summer leave volunteered for the extra-curricular Chipmunk camp to Perigaux, accompanied by Sue. In 1988 Colin Commanded HMS Nurton where amongst other tasks he was part of the protection force for Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher during the party annual conference. It was regarded by all as a very happy ship and well thought of by their Lordships. In January 1990 he returned to aviation as the Senior Pilot of 706 Squadron and during that appointment, not content with his qualification as a Combat Survival Instructor completed the Royal Marine all arms course at Lympstone, earning the coveted Green Beret. He repeated the Dartmouth summer camp to perigaux in 1992, now with Daughter Hannah and son William. Another great compliment for this gifted Naval Officer was his next appointment as 1st Lt of the Royal Yacht Britannia, in which he again excelled, utilising his charm and organisational ability to very good effect. On one occasion a young aviator crashed a Royal Cocktail party, I think in the West Indies and was all but arrested with serious consequences in prospect, but Colin, who didn’t know him from Adam, came to his rescue recognising a soul mate. Moving up the chain he was appointed CO of 820 Squadron, embarked in Ark Royal and then Illustrious during which the Squadron completed two Bosnia tours. From success as a CO Colin was promoted Commander and moved on to a staff job at Yeovilton. His final appointment in the RN was Wings of Culdrose, an accolade in itself and an appointment in which he again shone. His Naval career could have gone much further but he took the conscious decision to be with his family whilst they were growing up and left in 2000 to fly British Internationals S61’s at Penzance for the next 9 years or so. The Penzance/Scilly Isles run did get a little repetitive despite detaching to JMC’s at Stornoway and operating from Plymouth, dual roled in the Dauphin. Colin moved to his final post, flying for the Omani Royal Flight in March of 2009, transporting Royalty and Heads of State from around the world. Upset at the inactivity whilst embarked on the Omani Royal Yacht during a Mediterranean cruise, he organised the ships company into fitness training on the flight deck every morning, something that the Omani crew had never seen before, but loved. He had an enduring love for Sue, Hannah, William and Edward and was immensely proud of every achievement they made. He put great store by ensuring the children had a stable and caring home environment and were aware of traditional values. William recently graduated from RMA Sandhurst, Hannah is a serving medic in the RN and recently married Steve, and Edward has a bright future as a Veterinary surgeon. Colin lived life to the full and I feel sure everyone who knew him will have at least one outrageous ‘CD’ story to tell,………… and they’ll all be different!