RIP thread

[Devius]

Former Labour minister Frank Field dies aged 81

Former Labour minister and crossbench peer Frank Field has died aged 81, his family has announced.

"He will be mourned by admirers across politics but above all he will be greatly missed by those lucky enough to have enjoyed his laughter and friendship," a statement said.

Lord Field spent 40 years as MP for Birkenhead and was a leading voice on welfare reform for much of his career.

He was a minister under Tony Blair and joined the House of Lords in 2020.

A statement from Lord Field of Birkenhead's family, issued by his Parliamentary office, said he had died following a period of illness.

"Frank was an extraordinary individual who spent his life fighting poverty, injustice and environmental destruction," the statement said.

"His decency and faith in people's self-interested altruism made a unique contribution to British politics."

The politician announced in 2021 that he was suffering from a terminal illness. He died in a London care home on Tuesday night.

Lord Field briefly served as minister for welfare reform in Tony Blair's first term in government.

Paying tribute, Sir Tony said in a statement: "Frank had integrity, intelligence and deep commitment to the causes he believed in.

"He was an independent thinker never constrained by conventional wisdom, but always pushing at the frontier of new ideas.

"Even when we disagreed, I had the utmost respect for him as a colleague and a character."

Labour MP Harriet Harman, who was secretary of state for social security when Lord Field was a minister in the department, said he was "clever, persistent and caring".

"At Frank's core was the conviction that poverty was never to be accepted and could be ended," she added.

Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting described him as "a great parliamentarian, crusader for social justice and source of wise counsel".

"What a blessing to have known him and benefited from his advice and kindness, even as his illness gripped him," he said.

Dame Angela Eagle, MP for neighbouring constituency Wallasey, said on social media: "Very sad news. Always supportive of me as his Parliamentary neighbour, brimming with ideas to make society better - a great champion of his Birkenhead constituents."

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said: "[Lord Field] was neither cowed by the establishment or whips - which made his campaigns against hunger and food poverty, for climate change and the church, even more effective."

He added: "Suffice to say, he was one of a kind and he will be sorely missed."

Lord Field had built a reputation as one of the most effective backbenchers in the House of Commons, with campaigns against poverty and for curbs on EU immigration.

He quit Labour's group in Parliament in 2018, saying Jeremy Corbyn's leadership had become "a force for antisemitism in British politics".

He stood as an independent candidate in Birkenhead at the 2019 general election, finishing second with 17% of the vote.

He was made a non-affiliated, crossbench peer by the Conservative government in 2020, after campaigning in favour of Brexit.

The veteran politician was made a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour in 2021, describing it at the time as a "terrific privilege".

Source:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68887629


Frank Ernest Field, Baron Field of Birkenhead, CH, PC, DL
16 July 1942 – 23 April 2024
RIP

[Devius]

Bill Gladden: D-Day veteran who flew glider into France and survived being shot by a tank, dies, aged 100
Bill, who was badly wounded after just 12 days in France, was "adored by everyone he met" and became a regular on trips to Normandy and the Netherlands, with a veterans' charity.
Wednesday 24 April 2024 17:06, UK

A D-Day veteran, who flew a glider into France and survived being shot by a tank, has died aged 100.

Bill Gladden, from Haverhill in Suffolk, was "one in a million", according to a veterans' charity. He died at home on Wednesday.

He served with the 6th Airborne Army Recce Regiment RAC and was just 20 when he piloted a Hamilcar glider, a large aircraft used to transport equipment, into Normandy carrying a tank and six motorbikes on 6 June, 1944.



His destination was the village of Ranville, near the strategically important Pegasus Bridge.

Eleven days later, he carried two of his fellow soldiers, who were wounded, into a barn that was being used as a medical post.

They died of their injuries and are buried in the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery at Ranville.

Two days after that, he found himself being carried into the same barn after his leg was wounded by machine-gun fire from an enemy tank, while he was brewing tea.

Having been in action for less than a fortnight, he was flown back to the UK with a severe leg injury and spent the following three years in hospital.

In January, his family threw him a surprise party for his 100th birthday and after the crowd sang Happy Birthday, he cupped palms to his sides and mouthed "thank you".

He was a regular on trips to Normandy and the Netherlands, as well as to events in the UK, with the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans.

Dick Goodwin, honorary secretary of the Taxi Charity, said: "Bill was one in a million who was adored by everyone he met.

"He had a wonderful gentle voice and loved nothing more than singing some of his favourite wartime songs.

"Earlier this year, we had the joy of celebrating his 100 birthday in Haverhill and testament to the man he was, the hall was packed with all those who knew and loved him.

"Stand easy Sir, your duty is done."

London cab driver and Taxi Charity for Military Veterans volunteer Paul Cook said it was "one of the biggest privileges in my life to have known Bill".

"I will miss him dearly. He was one of our greatest heroes and also my friend. Travel well Bill."

Mr Gladden, who grew up in Woolwich, southeast London, had volunteered for airborne duties and flew into Normandy from the former RAF Tarrant Rushton in Dorset.

He is survived by his daughter Linda Durrant and her husband Kenny, and his niece Kaye Thorpe and her husband Alan who cared for him in his later years.

Speaking earlier this year at Mr Gladden's birthday party, Mrs Thorpe described the veteran as a "legend".

Source:
https://news.sky.com/story/bill-glad...d-100-13122133


Bill Gladden
Jan. 13, 1924 - April 24, 2024
RIP

[george anson]

Originally Posted by Devius

Former Labour minister Frank Field dies aged 81

Source:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68887629


Frank Ernest Field, Baron Field of Birkenhead, CH, PC, DL
16 July 1942 – 23 April 2024
RIP

One of the very few politicians of conviction in recent years. And also actually did a great deal for the constituency he represented the Wirral. A man with principles and ideals something which ninety percent of the idiots we have in the House of Liars do not share. We desperately need more people from trades, science, teachers in the House as opposed to the usual monied lawyers, bankers, private school toffs, company directors who always look to favour their own rich friends and line their own pockets.

Sad news about Bill. He was dead set on going to the eightieth anniversary of the D-Day landings. God bless him. Here he is singing Scarlet Ribbons For Her Hair. And he did indeed live to be a centurion just three months ago.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryDI81rRW3E

[FrankDobe]

actor Terry Carter dies age 95. RIP Mr. Carter

[PJayBr]

Mike Pinder, one time keyboard player for The Moody Blues, has sadly passed away.

[orphen20]

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...-32-rcna149207

Police in Nashville, Tennessee, are investigating a shooting that killed rapper Chris King and injured another man on April 20.

According to a statement from Nashville Police Department, King was in an alley with a group of his friends, including the other victim, between Hayes and Church Streets in Nashville, Tennessee at the time of the shooting. It was there that three other men — whom King’s group did not know — approached the group, police say.

“The (surviving) 29-year-old victim reported the group was hanging out cordially for some time before the three suspects attempted to rob his group of friends,” according to a release from the Nashville Police Department. “It was then that he heard gunfire and realized he was struck.”

The 29-year-old victim, who has not been publicly identified by police, survived the shooting. King, 32, died after being taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

[Devius]

This report is a couple of weeks late, but still worthy of remembrance....




Tributes paid to Caribbean World War II war hero Neil Flanigan
Neil Flanigan MBE who has sadly passed away was one of more than 10,000 people from the West Indies who responded to the British Armed Forces call for help
28th March 2024

TRIBUTES HAVE been paid to popular World War II veteran Neil Flanigan MBE who sadly passed away last week.

Mr Flanigan was 99 and would have turned 100 in May.

The well-respected WWII veteran and Windrush pioneer, was born in Jamaica and travelled to England in 1943, to join the Royal Air Force (RAF).

He trained as a skilled instrument technician in the RAF Bomber Command, where he worked in aviation, checking and servicing aircrafts such as Lancaster’s aircrafts flown by Bomber Command pilots during the war operations.

He was one of more than 10,000 people from the West Indies who responded to the British Armed Forces call for help.

Moving tributes have poured in for the retired president of the West Indies Association of Service Personnel (WASP).

Writing on X, formerly Twitter, Windrush campaigner Patrick Vernon OBE said: “It’s with sad regret that Neil Flanigan WW2 veteran and Windrush Pioneer has gone to the ancestors this Thursday. RIP.”



In a post paying tribute to the war veteran and Richard Taylor, father of Damilola Taylor, who also passed away recently, Brenda Darces, the Mayor of Lewisham said: “Deeply saddened by the passing of WW2 war veteran and Windrush generation ambassador Neil Flanigan MBE (two months away from his 100th birthday), and Richard Taylor, father of Damilola.

“My thoughts are with their families and loved ones. May they rest in eternal peace.”

Mentor

Following his military career, Flanigan worked as a graduate engineer on aircraft engines and airframes throughout the West Indies, Britain and Europe.

He was one of the oldest mentors in the UK and the eldest member of Urban Synergy, an award winning mentoring charity specialising in early intervention programmes for young people.

Even in his 90s, he was active member of the charity for over 10 years, regularly visiting inner city primary and secondary schools and sixth form colleges together with a team of professionals from the private and public sector.

Flanigan previously said volunteering in the local and wider community and acting as a mentor at schools and colleges is an opportunity to “give back to society for what it has done for me”.

On retirement he also became a financial consultant, mental health manager and was director of Citizen’s Advice.

Source:

https://www.voice-online.co.uk/news/uk-news/2024/03/28/last-caribbean-wwii-veteran-has-died/

Neil Flanigan MBE
May 1924 - March 21 2024
RIP

[K_D]

Mike Pinder
Michael Thomas Pinder
December 27, 1941 – April 24, 2024

British Musician | Keyboardist | Songwriter
Founding Member of The Moody Blues

Mike Pinder, Founding Keyboardist of the Moody Blues, Dies at 82 - NYT

Mike Pinder, The Moody Blues Keyboardist and Founding Member, Dead at 82 - RollingStone
A pioneer of the Mellotron, Pinder contributed to Rock Hall-inducted band's first nine albums, from their 1965 debut with Denny Laine to 1978's Octave

Mike Pinder Obituary: Keyboardist and Founding Member of the Moody Blues - The Times of London
Synthesizer pioneer who was central to the band’s lush, orchestrated sound on hits such as Nights in White Satin.

Mike Pinder - Wikipedia

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪


The Moody Blues - Legend of a Mind (1968)
http://vintage-erotica-forum.com/sho...ostcount=59642


The Moody Blues - Departure / Ride My See-Saw (1968)
http://vintage-erotica-forum.com/sho...ostcount=52854


The Moody Blues - Question (1970)
http://vintage-erotica-forum.com/sho...ostcount=59725

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