I have been contacted by Mr. John Lightbourn, whose great-uncle, Captain Richard W. F. 'Dick' Wightman served with British South American Airways from June 1946 and was mainly based in Nassau. He has kindly sent me a copy of the eulogy read by Graham Garner at Dick's funeral on Tuesday May 21st 2002.

For the interest of those who knew Dick, it is reproduced below :-

 

    
     

IT IS AN HONOUR FOR ME TO BE ASKED BY THE FAMILY TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT DICK WIGHTMAN WHO WAS A VERY DEAR FRIEND OF MINE AND MY FAMILY FOR THE PAST 35 YEARS.

 

I BELIEVE THAT MOST OF THE CONGREGATION HERE PRESENT, LIKE MYSELF, ONLY KNEW DICK IN HIS LATER YEARS. I SHOULD HOWEVER LIKE TO TELL YOU BRIEFLY ABOUT THE EARLIER YEARS OF HIS LIFE, WHICH THE RECORD WILL SHOW, SHOULD NOT BE FORGOTTEN.

 

DICK WAS BORN IN YORKSHIRE IN 1919. HIS FATHER WAS AN INSPECTOR OF TAXES AND HIS MOTHER HAD BEEN A TEACHER.  HE HAD ONE SISTER CALLED CATHIE. THEY WERE A VERY CLOSE LOVING FAMILY AND IT WAS FROM HIS PARENTS’ EXAMPLE THAT FAMILY BECAME SUCH AN ALL-IMPORTANT FACTOR IN DICK’S OWN LIFE. WHEN DICK WAS VERY YOUNG THE FAMILY MOVED TO CAMBRIDGE – A TOWN THAT WAS TO PLAY A BIG PART IN DICK’S LIFE.

 

DICK AND HIS SISTER HAD A HAPPY CHILDHOOD SPENDING SEVERAL HOLIDAYS IN WALES WITH THEIR PARENTS. HOWEVER IN 1937 DICK’S FATHER SUFFERED A THROMBOSIS, WHICH PROVED FATAL. HE DIED AT THE AGE OF 54 WHEN DICK WAS 18.  THIS CAUSED A MAJOR REVERSE IN THE FAMILY’S FORTUNES.  DICK HAD TO TAKE ON THE BURDEN OF LOOKING AFTER THE FAMILY’S FINANCIAL AFFAIRS AND, INSTEAD OF GOING TO COLLEGE, HE JOINED THE BANK AS A JUNIOR CLERK.

 

INCIDENTALLY DICK’S SISTER’S HUSBAND ALSO DIED AT A YOUNG AGE IN THE 1950’S AND DICK ENSURED THAT HER 3 SONS WERE WELL CARED FOR AND EDUCATED.

 

IN THE MID 1930’S ALLAN COBHAM’S FLYING CIRCUS CAME TO CAMBRIDGE GIVING FREE RIDES IN A TUTOR BIPLANE.  DICK’S FATHER HAD BEEN AWARDED A TICKET TO FLY AND HE WAS NOT GOING TO GIVE IT UP TO DICK.  SO DICK HAD TO ENTER A 100 YARDS DASH WHERE THE WINNER WOULD BE GIVEN A TICKET FOR A FREE RIDE. DICK WON THE RACE AND JOINED HIS FATHER IN THE BIPLANE.  THUS BEGAN ONE OF THE TWO GREAT PASSIONS OF DICK’S LIFE.

 

ON 16TH MAY 1939 DICK WAS ATTESTED INTO THE ROYAL AIR FORCE VOLUNTEER RESERVE AS A SERGEANT PILOT IN CASE OF EMERGENCY FOR THE DURATION OF THE WAR.  THE INITIAL TRAINING WING (ITW) SCHEME WAS SET UP AT THE UNIVERSITIES AND DICK WAS ACCOMMODATED AT CLARE COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE.  INTERESTINGLY THE PERSON BEHIND THIS SCHEME WAS AIR COMMODORE CRITCHLEY – WHOSE DAUGHTER DIANE SYMONETTE IS HERE TODAY.  WAR WAS DECLARED ON 3RD SEPTEMBER 1939.  BY 10TH OCTOBER DICK HAD PASSED HIS INTERMEDIATE GROUND AND FLYING TESTS AND BEEN AWARDED HIS RAF WINGS AS AN “ABOVE AVERAGE PILOT”.

 

THE FIRST FEW MONTHS OF THE WAR WERE FAIRLY QUIET.  IT BECAME KNOWN AS THE PHONY WAR BUT THEN ON 9TH APRIL 1940 GERMANY INVADED DENMARK AND THE WAR BEGAN IN EARNEST.ON 12TH MAY 1940 DICK RECEIVED HIS COMMISSION AS A PILOT OFFICER IN THE RAF VOLUNTEER RESERVE.

 

HE JOINED 59 SQUADRON AS A BOMBER PILOT AND FOR THE NEXT FEW MONTHS HE FLEW BRISTOL BLENHEIMS IN SORTIES ALL OVER NORTH WESTERN EUROPE.  THE BRISTOL BLENHEIM WAS A 3 MAN PLANE: A PILOT AND OBSERVER BOMB AIMER AND A RADIO AIR GUNNER. DICK FLEW 64 SORTIES FOR 59 SQUADRON ALL THROUGH THE FALL OF FRANCE AND THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN.  THE LOSS OF LIFE FOR PILOT AND CREW WAS ENORMOUS. WHEN THE REMNANTS OF 59 SQUADRON WERE TRANSFERRED TO 120 SQUADRON THERE WERE ONLY 3 PILOTS LEFT – OF WHICH ONE WAS DICK.  IT IS SOMETHING TO RECALL THAT IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL THIS DESTRUCTION DICK CELEBRATED HIS 21ST BIRTHDAY.


 

 

IN 120 SQUADRON DICK PILOTED B24 BOMBERS.  HIS FIELD OF OPERATION WAS EXPANDED WITH THE ENTRY OF RUSSIA AND JAPAN INTO THE WAR.  THE LOSS OF LIFE WAS STILL APPALLINGLY HIGH. IN MAY 1943 HE WAS INVOLVED WITH CONVERTING THE CZECH AND POLISH FLIGHTS ONTO B24’S. FOR HIS SERVICES WITH THE CZECHS HE WAS PERSONALLY AWARDED CZECH WINGS BY DR BENES – THE EXILED CZECH PRESIDENT – AND THE POLES GAVE HIM THE RIGHT TO ENTER ANY POLISH MESS AND DEMAND POLISH GOULASH – A PERK HE GREATLY TREASURED.

 

BY LATE 1943 DICK HAD BEEN A BOMBER PILOT FOR 3 & A HALF YEARS.  HE HAD BEEN ON COUNTLESS SORTIES – 64 IN 59 SQUADRON AND MANY MORE IN 120 SQUADRON.  HE HAD SEEN THE VAST MAJORITY OF HIS COLLEAGUES KILLED AND IN THE PROCESS DESTROYED MANY OF THE ENEMY.  THE AUTHORITIES DECIDED HE HAD DONE MORE THAN HIS SHARE OF ACTIVE DUTY.  HE WAS POSTED TO BE IN CHARGE OF LIBERATOR SQUADRON: AN OFFICER TRAINING UNIT AT WINDSOR FIELD, NASSAU.

 

HE LITTLE REALIZED WHEN HE ARRIVED IN NASSAU THAT THIS WOULD BE THE PLACE HE WOULD SPEND THE MAJORITY OF THE REST OF HIS LIFE.


 

 

 

IN NASSAU HE FOUND THE RAF HOSPITAL, WHICH WAS BEING RUN BY WING COMMANDER MEYER RASSIN – WHO ALSO STAYED ON IN NASSAU AFTER THE WAR.  THE GOVERNOR OF THE BAHAMAS AT THE TIME WAS THE DUKE OF WINDSOR AND, BEING IN CHARGE OF THE LIBERATOR SQUADRON, DICK MET HIM SOCIALLY QUITE FREQUENTLY.

 

HOWEVER THE MOST IMPORTANT EVENT IN DICK’S LIFE AT THAT TIME OCCURRED WHEN HE WAS SELECTING SOME RECORDS TO PLAY AT A PARTY AND A VERY ATTRACTIVE GIRL APPROACHED HIM. SHE ASKED WHAT HE WAS PUTTING ON NEXT AND HE REPLIED “ANYTHING AS LONG AS YOU WILL DANCE IT WITH ME”. FROM THEN ON FOR THE NEXT 54 YEARS HIS LIFE WAS ENTWINED WITH LEONE LIGHTBOURN WHO WAS THE GREAT LOVE OF HIS LIFE.

 

AT THE TIME DICK OWNED A MODEL T FORD, WHICH HAD WHAT WAS CALLED A “DICKY” SEAT. IT WAS FROM THERE THAT DICK & LEONE GOT ENGAGED. INTERESTINGLY AFTER DICK WENT BACK TO ENGLAND HE SOLD THE MODEL T TO GEORGE DUNKLEY AND I AM TOLD THAT GEORGE & SHIRLEY ALSO GOT ENGAGED FROM THE DICKY SEAT.


 

 

 

FOR HIS BRAVE EFFORTS DURING THE WAR DICK WON A NUMBER OF MEDALS INCLUDING THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN STAR, THE ATLANTIC STAR, THE AFRICA STAR, THE DEFENSE MEDAL, THE WAR MEDAL 1939-1945, THE AIR EFFICIENCY AWARD AND THE CZECH WINGS.

 

THE MOST IMPORTANT MEDAL HE RECEIVED WAS THE AIR FORCE CROSS, WHICH WAS GIVEN VERY RARELY.  WITH IT CAME A PERSONAL LETTER FROM KING GEORGE VI. BECAUSE OF THIS MEDAL ANY ROYALTY VISITING NASSAU WOULD ALWAYS MAKE A POINT OF SINGLING DICK OUT AND TALKING WITH HIM.

 

AFTER THE WAR DICK & LEONE WENT TO ENGLAND TO LIVE.  DICK HAD RETURNED WITH HIS SQUADRON AND LEONE HAD TO TRAVEL THE ATLANTIC ALONE.  TRAVELING THE ATLANTIC JUST AFTER THE WAR WAS A FAR MORE HAZARDOUS JOURNEY THAN IT IS TODAY.

 

DICK & LEONE WERE MARRIED IN CAMBRIDGE ON THE 13TH SEPTEMBER 1945. LEONE WAS GIVEN AWAY BY HER BROTHER, DAVID, WHO SERVED IN THE NAVY AND HAD RECENTLY MARRIED JOAN LIGHTBURN.  IN 1995 IT WAS JOAN WHO PROPOSED THE TOAST TO DICK & LEONE ON THEIR 50TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY.


 

 

 

DICK HAD MARRIED INTO THE LARGE BAHAMIAN LIGHTBOURN FAMILY.  LEONE HAD TWO BROTHERS, DAVID & RONNIE, AND NUMEROUS COUSINS. DICK TYPICALLY BECAME INVOLVED IN HIS IN LAWS’ FAMILY AS IF IT WAS HIS OWN.

 

AFTER A FEW YEARS IN POST WAR BRITAIN DICK ACCEPTED A JOB AS A PILOT WITH BRITISH & SOUTH AMERICAN AIRWAYS BASED IN NASSAU AND ALSO FOR SOME TIME IN JAMAICA.  HE ALWAYS DESCRIBED THIS AS THE BEST JOB HE HAD IN HIS LIFE AND GREATLY ENJOYED TRAVELING TO SOUTH AMERICA.  DICK & LEONE’S ELDEST DAUGHTER, CHRIS, WAS BORN WHILST THEY WERE IN ENGLAND JUST AFTER THE WAR. CATHY WAS BORN WHILST THEY WERE BACK IN NASSAU DURING THE YEARS FROM 1948 TO 1952 AND CARLA WHEN THEY LATER RETURNED TO THE UK.

 

IN 1953, AROUND THE TIME OF THE QUEEN’S CORONATION, DICK & LEONE AND THEIR FAMILY RETURNED TO CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND.  DICK HAD BEEN GIVEN A JOB AS CAPTAIN FOR BOAC.  HE HAD THIS JOB FOR SOME FIFTEEN YEARS AND DURING THAT TIME HE LITERALLY FLEW ALL AROUND THE WORLD.

 

THE GIRLS WERE GROWING UP AND THIS WAS A WONDERFUL FAMILY TIME FOR THEM ALL.  VIRTUALLY EVERY SUMMER THEY WOULD HOLIDAY TOGETHER IN THORPENESS IN SUFFOLK.  UNLIKE TODAY, PEOPLE IN ENGLAND IN THE 50’S OFTEN HOLIDAYED IN THE SAME PLACE YEAR AFTER YEAR.  AS WITH MANY OTHER CHANGES LIFE WAS MORE STEADY AND TRADITIONAL THEN AND FAMILIES CLOSER TOGETHER.

 

DICK, OF COURSE, WAS AWAY FOR LONG STRETCHES, WHICH WAS DIFFICULT. ONE COMPENSATION WAS THE WONDERFUL PRESENTS DICK BROUGHT BACK FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

 

DURING THIS PERIOD DICK & LEONE FORMED A VERY CLOSE FRIENDSHIP WITH 9 OTHER COUPLES IN THE CAMBRIDGE AREA. THEY WOULD MEET WEEKLY AT ONE OF THE COUPLES’ HOUSES TO PLAY TENNIS; THE CHILDREN WOULD RUN AROUND THE GARDEN.  THEN AFTERWARDS THEY WOULD PLAY A CARD GAME CALLED “OH HELL”. THEY FORMED A CLUB CALLED THE O’HELLIANS THAT STILL EXISTS – DICK HAD BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO MEETING UP WITH THE SURVIVORS THIS SUMMER.

 

IN 1968 THE FAMILY RETURNED TO NASSAU.  I THINK THE SOCIALIST VICTORY AT THE POLLS HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THAT.  DICK HAD A JOB AS A CAPTAIN FOR BAHAMAS AIRWAYS.  AT THE TIME BRITISH AIRWAYS OWNED THE COMPANY BUT IT WAS LATER SOLD TO SWIRES OF HONG KONG AND IN LATE 1970 WENT INTO LIQUIDATION.


 

 

 

IN 1970 DICK WAS 51 YEARS OLD AND HE RETIRED FROM FULL TIME EMPLOYMENT.  FOR SEVERAL YEARS HE PILOTED A PLANE FOR CAVALIER CONSTRUCTION AROUND THE OUT ISLANDS.  CAVALIER’S MAIN SHAREHOLDER WAS LEONE’S COUSIN TIPPY.

 

SHORTLY AFTER HIS RETIREMENT HIS DAUGHTERS BECAME OF MARRIAGEABLE AGE.  CHRIS MARRIED JEREMY WADDELL IN SPRING 1970 AND IN 1976 IN RAPID SUCCESSION CATHY MARRIED MICK BANCROFT AND CARLA MARRIED GREG COLE.  LATER, IN ORDER TO KEEP THE WORLD POPULATION STEADY, EACH COUPLE HAD TWO CHILDREN.  FOLLOWING THESE GRANDCHILDRENS’ PROGRESS AND HELPING OUT WHEREVER THEY COULD BECAME A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF DICK & LEONE’S LIFE.

 

I WOULD JUST BRIEFLY LIKE TO TELL YOU HOW I CAME TO KNOW DICK AND HIS FAMILY.  IN 1969 I WAS ONE OF FOUR BACHELORS LIVING ON WEST BAY STREET IN A HOUSE CALLED GUANAHANI.  ONE OF THE FOUR WAS JEREMY WADDELL, A LAWYER WITH CARSON LAWSON.  JEREMY AND I WERE MEMBERS OF THE NASSAU LAWN TENNIS CLUB.  DICK AND HIS FAMILY HAD RECENTLY RETURNED FROM THE UK AND, OF COURSE, REJOINED THE CLUB.  DICK’S ELDEST DAUGHTER, CHRIS, ATTRACTED JEREMY’S EYE AND THEY BECAME AN ITEM.  THROUGH JEREMY I GOT TO KNOW CHRIS AND WITH, WHAT I LATER CAME TO REALIZE WAS TYPICAL WIGHTMAN GENEROSITY, WHEN SHE FOUND I HAD NO PLANS FOR CHRISTMAS ARRANGED FOR NOT ONLY JEREMY BUT ME ALSO TO JOIN THE FAMILY CHRISTMAS. THIS WAS A WONDERFUL FESTIVE OCCASION AT WHICH BOTH THE WIGHTMAN AND DAVID LIGHTBOURN FAMILIES JOINED TOGETHER ALTERNATING THE VENUE EACH YEAR.

 

FROM THEN ON I BECAME CLOSE TO ALL THE FAMILY.  I WAS AN USHER AT CHRIS & JEREMY’S WEDDING.  CHRIS IS GODMOTHER TO OUR SON GARETH AND I AM PROUD TO BE ANDREW’S GODFATHER.  ADRIENNE & I WENT TO BOTH CATHY & CARLA’S WEDDINGS, ADRIENNE WAS AT JAMES’ WEDDING AND DICK MADE A SPECTACULAR APPEARANCE AT OUR DAUGHTER TANYA’S WEDDING IN BERKHAMSTED ENGLAND. HAVING DRIVEN FROM SCOTLAND THAT MORNING HE DROVE OFF TO NORFOLK AFTER THE RECEPTION.

 

ALL MY FAMILY HAVE HAD WONDERFUL TRIPS TO ROSE ISLAND ON DICKS BOAT – THE VERY APTLY NAMED “FAMILY AFFAIR”.

 

THERE ARE A FEW OTHER ASPECTS OF DICK’S LIFE I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION: -

 

FIRSTLY DICK WAS A VERY GOOD ALL-ROUND SPORTSMAN.  IN HIS EARLY YEARS HE PLAYED RUGBY BOTH FOR HIS SCHOOL (THE PERSSE SCHOOL IN CAMBRIDGE) AND IN THE RAF. HE WAS AN EXCELLENT GOLFER.  I AM TOLD THAT AT ONE TIME HE HAD A +2 HANDICAP WHICH MAKES HIM ALMOST AT A PROFESSIONAL STANDARD.  HE VERY MUCH ENJOYED PLAYING AT LYFORD CAY, WHERE HE MADE MANY FRIENDS AND WON SEVERAL TROPHIES, AND ALSO AT THE FAMOUS GOGMAGOG CLUB IN CAMBRIDGE.  HE REALLY LOOKED FORWARD TO THE EUROPEAN TRIPS THAT KIT SPENCER AND OTHERS ORGANIZED EACH SUMMER.  HE PLAYED A REASONABLE GAME OF TENNIS AND HE AND LEONE ENCOURAGED THEIR DAUGHTERS IN THIS PURSUIT.

 

HE CARRIED ON PLAYING GOLF UNTIL ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO WHEN HE HAD TO STOP BECAUSE OF PHYSICAL AILMENTS.  HE AND LEONE HAD ALWAYS PLAYED A GOOD GAME OF BRIDGE AND THIS ABILITY STOOD HIM IN GOOD STEAD IN HIS LAST FEW YEARS.  INDEED, WITH HIS GOOD FRIEND VIRGINIA, HE WON THE PRIZE AT THE BRIDGE CLUB ON THE LAST FRIDAY OF HIS LIFE.

 

DICK WAS A VERY DEVOUT CHRISTIAN.  I THINK ALL THAT TIME HE SPENT IN THE AIR DURING AND AFTER THE WAR HAVING AT THE SAME TIME A FEELING OF BEING PHYSICALLY CLOSER TO THE HEAVENS BUT ALSO INVOLVED IN THE HELLISH DESTRUCTION OF THE WAR GAVE HIM THE OPPORTUNITY TO REFLECT ON THE MEANING OF CHRISTIANITY.  HE WAS, IN MY VIEW, THE VERY BEST TYPE OF CHRISTIAN.  ALWAYS WILLING TO HELP ANYONE IN DISTRESS WHETHER FAMILY OR NOT, ALWAYS HAVING A CHEERFUL WORD FOR ANYONE HE ENCOUNTERED ON THE WAY.  HE HAD A GREAT CAPACITY FOR ENJOYMENT OF LIFE, IT WAS ALWAYS FUN TO BE AROUND HIM AND, OF COURSE, HE LOVED GOOD FELLOWSHIP AND CELEBRATIONS.

 

OVERALL DICK LIVED JUST UNDER HALF HIS LIFE IN THE BAHAMAS, WHICH HE GREW TO LOVE. HOWEVER I THINK IT WOULD BE FAIR TO SAY THAT TO MOST PEOPLE WHO KNEW HIM HE REMAINED THE EPITOME OF AN ENGLISH GENTLEMAN.  WHENEVER HE WAS NOT LIVING IN ENGLAND YOU COULD BE SURE THAT, IF POSSIBLE, HE WOULD ALWAYS CHOOSE TO RETURN TO ENGLAND FOR HOLIDAYS.  HIS VALUES OF TRADITION, LOYALTY AND PATRIOTISM ARE MORE UNUSUAL NOW THAN THEY WERE IN THE WORLD IN WHICH HE WAS BROUGHT UP.

 

ABOVE ALL ELSE DICK WAS A FAMILY MAN.  TO HIM FAMILY WAS ALL IMPORTANT.  HIS LOVELY DAUGHTERS CHRIS, CATHY & CARLA, THEIR HUSBANDS AND HIS 6 GRANDCHILDREN JAMES, ANDREW, ALEX, ANNA, CHARLOTTE AND BRENDAN. HOW CLOSE HE WAS TO THESE GRANDCHILDREN IN HIS LATER YEARS AND HOW MUCH THEY EACH MEANT TO HIM. HIS GENEROSITY NOT ONLY TO HIS IMMEDIATE FAMILY BUT STRETCHING TO MANY OTHERS WAS TRULY EXCEPTIONAL.

 

MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL WAS HIS BELOVED WIFE LEONE.  THEY HAD 52 YEARS OF MARRIAGE DURING THE WHOLE OF WHICH THEY WERE TRULY DEVOTED TO EACH OTHER.  WHEN LEONE DIED SUDDENLY 5 YEARS AGO I HAVE NEVER KNOWN ANYONE AS DEVASTATED AS DICK WAS.  HIS WHOLE WORLD WAS SHATTERED.  GRADUALLY HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF HIS FAITH AND THE CLOSENESS OF FAMILY & FRIENDS, HE WAS ABLE TO PULL HIMSELF TOGETHER AND GAIN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF ENJOYMENT IN HIS LAST FEW YEARS; BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT DICK IS A HAPPY MAN TODAY BECAUSE HE HAS REJOINED HIS BELOVED LEONE.

 

DICK WOULD ALWAYS WRITE NOTES ON THE BIRTHDAY CARDS HE SENT TO HIS GRANDCHILDREN.  I WOULD LIKE TO END WITH A NOTE HE SENT TO HIS GRANDSON ALEX, WHOSE BIRTHDAY WAS LAST MONTH.  A COPY IN HIS HANDWRITING WAS FOUND BY THE PHONE AFTER HIS DEATH AND I THINK IT TYPIFIES THE KIND OF MESSAGE DICK WOULD WANT TO CONVEY: 

 

“REMEMBER THE POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING. GIVE FREELY OF YOURSELF IN GOOD SPIRIT AND EXPECT TO RECEIVE LIKEWISE IN GOOD SPIRIT AND ENJOY THEREFORE ABUNDANTLY FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.  

 

 

 

 

 

G.GARNER

NASSAU, May 21, 2002