The Association has learned of the death of Lt Colin Victor Cripps RN on 10 October 2019.
COLIN VICTOR CRIPPS
By Peter Banfield
I first met Colin in 1959 at a tropical breakfast on the long balcony of the Ambassador Hotel in Singapore, and remember asking him why he was wearing sunglasses – ‘because I need to !’… being one of the seasoned 804 squadron aviators that had already spent six months ‘showing the flag’ aboard HMS Albion – surviving C’xmas in Hong Kong, and toughing it out around New Zealand, then Australia.
But Colin really was a seasoned aviator – starting in 1952 as an RNVR Midshipman, he had trained in Prentices and Harvards, before moving onto the ’Big Iron’ – Seafire Mk VII’s, and then the SeaFury FBII – embarking with 811 squadron in HMS Warrior to bolster the RN presence in the Korean War. It was in a SeaFury that Colin had his one and only ‘serious’ prang – ‘not a very good attempt at landing’ he said – missing the wires and taking the barrier —-
Fortunately, the 1954 PeaceTreaty soon ended the War, and with hostilities over, Colin left the line of battle with a UN campaign medal, and entered the world of training back in the UK at Culdrose – 796 Squadron Firefly VII’s training embryo Observers.
Colin spent another year at Culdrose training Observers, and obviously did such a good job (he said) he was appointed in 1956 to 745 squadron flying Avenger AS 5’s out of Eglinton in Londonderry –
meeting up with the very same Observers he had trained in Culdrose ! And it was with 745 that Colin almost claimed fame – his crew alone spotted the USS Nautilus – the latest Nuclear sub that had evaded the entire NATO exercise fleet – a real feather in the RN hat – but of course, that glory went elsewhere.
He was then appointed to Lossiemouth in 1957 for jet conversion via the Vampire T22 to the SeaHawk F2 fighter. It was smaller, lighter and a LOT faster, and a great airplane to fly – SOLO – not an Observer in sight !
So it was from 738 squadron at ‘Lossie’, having dropped bombs, fired rockets and 20mm cannons at the target ‘banner’ Colin qualified as a Jet Fighter pilot, and in May 1958 was duly appointed to 804 Squadron – finally heading south and the English countryside at Ford in Sussex.
This happy situation though was tempered by the news that 804 would be embarking onboard HMS Albion with the prospect of spending over a year away from the family ‘showing the flag’ in the Far East, Africa, and South America.
The Albion cruise did indeed show the flag, and from Singapore (where the squadron had disembarked to RAF Seletar) the ship proceeded to Hong Kong for Cxmas – before sailing for Auckland, Hobart, Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth.
At all these ports, the ship was ‘Open to Visitors’, held large Cocktail Parties for VIP’s, and the Royal Marine Band paraded magnificently along the Flight Deck.
Aviation took second place to this heavy social program, and it was ironical that the squadron disembarked with relief on returning to Singapore and RAF Seletar – at exactly which point this narrative began….a tropical breakfast.
But Albion had more flag waving to do ! She sailed west from Singapore to Durban for six days, and then onto a huge reception in CapeTown, where a crowd ‘of over 12,000 awaited her – the first Royal Navy Capital ship to visit since the War’ – the Cape Times reported. We had difficulty getting off the ship, so many visitors streamed on board.
Here the ‘social team’ we had formed of the four cabin mates of Adams, Banfield, Cripps and Dunbar-Dempsey (‘ABCD’) came into it’s own – we hardly missed an event !
The massive hospitality received by the whole ships company necessitated a ‘thank you’ Fly Past on departure – but that exercise for the heroic squadron jet pilots was ‘distinctly dodgy’, as Colin said – unaccustomed to flying as we had become…
Then across the Southern Atlantic to an abortive visit to Buenos Aires (aground trying to navigate the shallow River Plate) – but once hauled clear, undeterred we were off to the LAST stop – Rio Janiero!
Ten days later, and with indelible memories of that fantastic country and people, we sailed for HOME in July 1959.
After completing his 12 years service, Colin then embarked on a successful business career with IBM, and later five memorable years with Vospers in Singapore.
Colin was married to Doreen (‘Smithy’ to her WRNS friends) whom he met at Culdrose and married in 1955; she predeceased him in 2011.
They had two daughters, Nicola and Alex, and five grandchildren – Emily, Oliver, Holly, Josh and Jamie.
Colin Victor Cripps died October 10th 2019 age 86,at his home in Wimbledon with his daughters and grandchildren at his bedside, his faithful Jack Russell ‘Buster’ beside him.
He was cremated at a Service held at Putney Vale Cemetery attended by his large family and many friends and colleagues. A celebration of his life was held at his local the ‘Hand in Hand’ afterwards – ‘exactly the sort of party Daddy would have loved’ his daughters said – and he surely would.