Neil Flanigan MBE, RAF ground crew

[DavidIsby]

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Neil Flanigan MBE, has passed away, at 99 years old. We interviewed him in 2019 for our film.

Neil was the 39th person from Jamaica to volunteer for the RAF. He trained as ground crew & worked on aircraft taking part in Operation Market-Garden. He'll be much missed. RIP Neil.

[DavidIsby]

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[DavidIsby]

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[DavidIsby]

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Neil Flanigan MBE was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica. In 1943 he saw a recruitment advert for the RAF in a newspaper and decided to volunteer.

He left Jamaica within a convoy of ships that would take four weeks to reach the UK. He didn’t inform his mother until he wrote to tell her he “was on a ship to England and joining the RAF.” Once in England he spent eight weeks at Cardington where his basic training was carried out.

On his visit to BBMF in August 2018, Flanigan told us that “he had not experienced racism within the RAF whilst serving,” explaining that “If a bomb was dropped, it would kill you regardless of your colour”.

Flanigan trained and worked as an instrument mechanic with Bomber Command. He checked, repaired and signed off the equipment in Lancaster Bombers prior to flying.

Post war he continued to study engineering. He was also (and continues to be) very involved within his community. Amongst many commitments he was the President of the West Indian Association of Service Personnel (WASP) and is a role model at Urban Synergy Mentoring, mentoring young people.

Neil was awarded an MBE for his services to the community in 2001.

Courtesy from Battle of Britain Flight.