The Association has learned of the death of Lt Russell Alexander Cross Mallace RN on 21 October 2019.
By Oggie Swanson
Lt R A C Mallace RN
Died 21 October 2019
Just 6 months older than me, Russ has passed away at the age of 89. We both joined the Royal Navy in 1949, hopefully to ‘Be a Naval Officer and Fly’, as the ad proclaimed. Russ was born and educated in Barbados where his people were well connected. A visiting Admiral told Russ about this new recruiting drive and arranged a Grey Funnel Line passage to UK for Russ to apply for the job!
In 1952 we were sprog Fury pilots in 802, embarked in Ocean, operating against North Korea. In 1953 I was back in 804, and with 802, we were at Brawdy: Winkle was Wings – enough said!! Here we worked up for the FAA’s last piston-engine summer med-cruise aboard Theseus. It was unusual to have two Fury and one Firefly squadrons embarked at once but it was to be our props last swing, as my pics show.
Having recovered, more or less, from that we both converted to jets at RAF St David’s. Winter leave over, Russ and I completed the Night Fighter course at RAF Leeming, then joined 809 Sea Venoms at Yeovilton and in Malta, both acquiring wives from the WRNS.
This was our last frontline squadron so we finished the eighth year of our Short Service Commissions in second line squadrons. Russ then joined BOAC and Oggie BEA, both to become Captains in British Airways.
It was not until the days of retirement that we seriously communicated again. We had both remarried, to wives more interested in our ways of life. Russ and Margaret often towed their caravan to Cornwall where Oggie and Joy kept their campervan at Gweek, an old port at the head of the Helford river.
At first we did more pubbing than vanning, the way of life for Russ and Oggie but tolerated by the girls. We often met up by at a convenient campsite, usually selected by Russ as it had a pub within hobbling distance. I was in trouble when I selected a superb pub site which he found almost impossible to get his caravan into!
We are now both widowers and I was presently selecting a good pub-site for our next grog-up when I learned that my good friend had departed.
I could not attend his funeral as I was moving my abode, but his daughter tells me that it was well-attended followed by a very appropriate wake.
From References *
Whilst flying Sea Fury WH616 of 802 Squadron on 28 August 1952, the aircraft suffered engine failure during Combat Air Patrol and carried out a wheels-up landing at Paengyong-do.
*Fleet Air Arm Fixed Wing Aircraft Since 1946 by Ray Sturtivant with Mick Burrow & Lee Howard