The Association has learned of the death of Lt Cdr Peter Andrew Francis ‘PAF’ Grant MBE RN on 26 December 2019.
Taken from the Daily Telegraph
GRANT Peter Andrew Francis, Lt Cdr RN (retired) MBE, died 26th December 2019 aged 81. Much loved husband of Caroline, father of Alexander, Emma, Thomas and Lucy and grandfather. He served as a dedicated career officer in the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm and was a talented and witty cartoonist and loving family man. His funeral will be at 11:30 am on Friday 17th January 2020 at St Mary’s Catholic Church, Helston. No flowers thank you but donations to Macmillan https://www.macmillan.org.uk/donate
From Records
1960 – 61 BFT Hal Far
1961 – 67 849 NAS Culdrose/HMS Centaur/Brawdy/HMS Victorious
1968 – 70 820 NAS Culdrose/HMS Eagle/HMS Blake
1972 – 74 AVO HMS Fearless
1975 – 76 OIC Aircrewman School Culdrose
1978 – 80 Ops Culdrose
1984 – 86 Ops Culdrose
1986 – 91 849 NAS Culdrose – Simulator Project
PAF’s son Tom recounts:
PAF was the cartoonist for the RN Flight Safety Calendar until his death. Much of his work was featured in many line books but in particular for 849 squadron now in the FAA Museum Yeovilton. He received an MBE during his career for his work on 849’s Sea King simulator in the late 80’s.
By Tim Goetz:
I have happy memories of time spent in Paf’s company, in particular when he was SOBS and I was SP of 849A Flt, (’66-’67) under the command of John “Lofty” Nash then Mike Forbes. Lofty was the butt of many Paf cartoons! Paf and I shared a Gannet for many hours, he was the consummate Observer. But his greatest claim to fame was his perceptive observation of the world around him and turning this into cartoons. There are many volumes of Line Books filled with brilliant portrayals of people and incidents.