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Desmond Watkins was born in
Llwyn-y-pia in the Rhondda Valley on the 8th. November 1921 to
Daisy Watkins & her husband Jim who had served from
1914-19 with The Gloucestershire Regiment experiencing the
horrors of the First War in the trenches, including Mons &
Gallipoli, as an ‘Old Contemptible’ Desmond was the younger
brother of Kenneth, who later served, during the 1939-45 war
in R.E.M.E. specialising in tank recovery in Europe.Des fought
in Spitfires in the 1939-45 war, after aircrew and pilot
training in Rhodesia, he was awarded The Distinguished Flying
Cross for his gallantry in the air, with 11 ½ enemy planes
shot down and over 186 enemy trains and transport vehicles
destroyed personally. For his leadership and gallantry with
350 Belgian Squadron, he was awarded one of Belgium’s highest
gallantry awards - The Croix de Guerre and later the accolade
of a Palme to that award. Des carried out one tour in defence
of Scappa Flow and another in the air defence curtain
defending The South of England against the V1 & V2
rockets. On the 26th. April 1944, with Squadron Leader
Geoffrey Page and others, Desmond took part in the first
Spitfire sortie over Germany, participating in the destruction
of a Junkers 34, 4 trains and 3 gliders and also the serious
damage of 4 factories! After a brief break from the Royal Air
Force after the war, spent in India as B.O.A.C.’s operations
manager and then the Middle East Desmond rejoined the R.A.F.
and became one of Britain’s first jet aircraft instructors; on
planes like the Meteor and Vampire. Desmond’s log books read
almost like a history of flight with entries including Tiger
Moths, Chipmunk, Harvard, Provost, Spitfire, Typhoon,
Pembroke, Shackleton, Comet, Britannia, Vulcan & Hunter.
Des’s Aircrew Medal carries the France & Germany bar and
his General Service Medal carries the Malaya bar for his
service during the Malayan conflict against Communist
insurgency, where he remained until after Merdeka, the
independence of Malaysia. Des Watkins’ service to his country,
The Commonwealth and our future freedom, both as a pilot and a
serving Officer, is unarguable, in the very many parts of the
world where he served. In 1965 he took early retirement,
having been invited to run the charitably maintained West
Highland School of Adventure. During the next 14 years
Desmond, who was most ably assisted by his wife Winifred; whom
he had married as a young WAAF in the thick of war, in October
1943, which would have made this October their 60th.
Anniversary; built the school to being a huge success in its
field. Its service to youth, in its time, was unique. Des was
of tireless energy and great skill with youth from all walks
of life. The school, driven forward by Des & Wyn, was
immensely valued by individual parents, industrial management
in many fields, Social Work Departments and the Chief
Constables of almost every force in Britain. The perceptive,
accurate and incisive in depth assessments produced on every
student were immensely valued as career guides and in helping
the more than 5,000 young people who passed through the school
under Des & Wyn’s guidance. In 1979 The Applecross
Charitable Trust was formed and they were invited to take over
the running and management of this new Charity. This required
a new range of skills: negotiations with industry, local
authorities, government establishments and the individual
tenants of the huge estate that formed the backbone source of
income to the Trust. In the ten years of their management and
administrative control the Charity’s income from its Estate
was increased by a factor of eight augmenting its capability
to donate greater sums to a broad spectrum of deserving
Charitable causes. During this period Des also accepted the
invitation to be the General Secretary of a National Charity
whose President, Her Royal Highness The Princess Margaret,
Countess of Snowdon was pleased to frequently comment on the
excellence of his service to Her Charity. When a Youth
Charity was set up in the very difficult St. Pauls area of
Bristol he became a founder Trustee and rose to this new
challenge by doubling its financial resources and continuing
his close involvement long after retirement age. In retirement
both Des and Wyn took up a responsible role actively working
for S.S.A.F.A. helping others less fortunate than they and
although their ability to give of their time diminished their
enthusiast remained and Des was still participating into his
80th. year. Desmond was a man who had travelled widely and
with his diverse experience and incisive intellect he could
have forged a notable career for himself in almost any walk of
life. Instead he chose a life of service, first in the Royal
Air Force in war and in defending peace and his country and
subsequently with his service to youth through charities he
promoted the values his life and the country he loved stood
for. Then even when he had earned his retirement so laudably
he continued to serve. Desmond John Watkins died with great
dignity after a short illness passing out of this life
peacefully with his wife at his side and son Greg in
attendance during the evening of Saturday the 6th. of
September in The very caring MacMillan Unit of Frenchay
Hospital, Bristol, having seen his remaining brother Alan, his
granddaughter Kate, Wyn’s sister Gladys and her son Brian and
Greg’s partner Lee in the days when he knew his end was nigh.
(Picture and biography from Greg
Lance Watkins, son of Des
Watkins) |
