The Association has learned of the death of Lt(A) Thomas Frank Spriggs RNVR on 13 January 2015 aged 94.
Frank was a member of the FAA from 1940 – 1946.
THOMAS FRANK SPRIGGS, FLEET AIR ARM (26/9/1920-13/1/2015)
Medals: The Defence Medal 1939-45, National Service Medal 1939-60, Arctic Campaign Medal 1939-45, Arctic Star Medal, Russian Commemorative Medal 1941-5 (Russia), 70th Anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941- 1945. Ushakov Medal (Russia).
Thomas Frank Spriggs, always known as Frank, was born on 26 September 1920, just after the Great War and the Spanish Flu had ended. His father was a buyer for a major London butchery called Goslen’s and he was brought up above the company’s stables in the west end of London. At the age of 15 in July 1936 he joined the Post Office as a youth in training, and later was employed as a skilled workman specialising in automatic telephone exchanges. His practical nature was shown early on when he was offered a scholarship to the Chelsea College of Art, but decided instead to go to a Technical College with better chance of employment.
At the outbreak of World War II he was 18 and joined the local defence volunteers, subsequently organised into the Home Guard. He tried to sign up for War service in the Navy but was rejected as his job for the Post Office was deemed too important to the war effort. Being of a practical turn he came up with the idea of appealing to the newly-appointed Commander in Chief, Western Approaches, Sir Percy Noble. Surprisingly Sir Percy replied on 1 April 1941, saying he wasn’t of course able to interfere in official processes but hoped that Frank would persevere in his efforts to join the Navy. “Remarkably”, 15 day’s later Frank was called up to the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm at Portsmouth.
He started as an Air Fitter, specialising in wireless transmitters, soon becoming a Leading Air Fitter and then a Leading Radio Mechanic within a year of signing up. After his training he served on the aircraft carrier HMS Victorious on Russian Convoy escort duties from late February to 10 July 1942. His service was recognised as recently as October 2014 when he received the Ushakov Medal from the Russian Government with the commendation signed by President Putin himself.
He didn’t serve more than a few months at sea, however, having applied to be promoted an officer. In August 1942 he was duly promoted to be a Temporary Sub Lieutenant Special Branch (scientific) Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, and after further training which intriguingly included time at the Telecommunications Research Establishment at Malvern, he was posted to the Royal Naval Air Station at Worthy Down in Hampshire, known as HMS Kestrel, from February 1943 to just before D-Day June 1944.
While there he made himself unpopular with the hierarchy by questioning the effort made to camouflage the buildings and aircraft apron. He – entirely logically to my mind – pointed out that the effort was wasted because at the same time at the end of the runway was a very large sign carved into the chalk so it could be easily seen from the air saying “Land Uphill”. A practical man’s view again.
According to a Certificate of June 1943 he was considered “a hard working capable and reliable young officer who is doing well in charge of the Aircraft Radio Maintenance”. The other officers at the Station included the actors Lawrence Olivier and Ralph Richardson, and one of them once flew dad to the funeral of a relative of his in Coventry.
Frank was advised on 3 June 1944 (D Day minus 3) that he would be posted “overseas” to organise developing airfields and on 5 June 1944 (D Day minus 1) informed that his posting was to Isle of Man. Upon being informed he was about to be posted elsewhere on 3 June 1944 he had promptly requested promotion to Lieutenant and to his surprise it was “agreed without a murmur” as he put it in a later memoir.
His posting was to HMS Urley at Ronaldsway, Isle of Man from June 7th 1944 to 14 January 1946, holding the position of Lieutenant as an Air Radio Officer, covering construction, development and operation of the Fleet Air Arm Final Training Base for the Far East Service. Ronaldsway was commissioned 21 June 1944 after he had arrived and was paid off on 14 January 1946, which is the day he left.
In late April 1945 he thought he heard an unannounced plan flying low overhead and heading towards the mountains. The engine noise then suddenly stopped. He couldn’t get anyone interested in his observations, but decided to plot on a map the direction of the sound and where the plane may have come down. He then commandeered a truck and a petty officer and headed off up the Mountain into the mist. They then continued on foot and discovered what was certainly up until the 1970s, and perhaps still is today, the second most fatal high altitude plane crash in British history. He counted some 18 or 19 bodies scattered around the still smoking wreckage; in fact there were 31 people lost in this crash of a Boeing B17G Fortress. Being the first on the scene he and his companion then guided the recovery team to the site.
A happier memory of 1945 would have been his marriage to Joyce Lancaster, a WREN, who survives him now aged 92 but in poor health. Joyce and Frank have two children, Vivien born in 1950 and Matthew born in 1954, and four grandchildren and step-grandchildren.
A document among his papers notes of 1st June 1946 “This date is the date on which the Officer leaves his ship or establishment”, signed by Commanding Officer Burscough RNAS who described Frank as “ A technically capable and extremely adaptable Air Radio Officer who has organised his Department with efficiency. Always cheerful and a good mixer”. Anyone who knew Frank would see this as an accurate description of him until his very last years.
From July 1946 to September 1980 Frank worked for the Ministry of Civil Aviation and its successors, living at various locations in the UK while building radar stations. He retired as Deputy Director Operations Overseas, at the Civil Aviation Authority at age 60. Subsequently he set up his own Aviation consultancy service from January 1981 to 1984, which is when he really retired aged 64. He enjoyed good health and good cheer until around his 90th year when the effects of old age began to finally kick in. Even so, only his last few months of life were spent in nursing homes. He died on 13th January 2015 in his 95th year. His funeral was held on 6th February 2015 at Petersfield, Hants, and his ashes were scattered in a Royal Navy ceremony off Portsmouth on 18th March in the presence of his children. As per his instructions the Captain of the vessel was given a bottle of Pusser’s Naval Rum on return to the Dock.
Frank’s characteristic advice, which gives you the tenor of the man and his can-do practical approach to life was always: “If all else fails, read the instructions”. He was a lifetime supporter of the Fleet Air Arm and its Officer’s Association, and of the British Legion, and a regular marcher in his retirement at the Petersfield Remembrance Day marches.
Matthew Spriggs, 13th January 2016