Latest news with #DennisBishop
Belfast Telegraph
01-05-2025
- General
- Belfast Telegraph
RAF veteran, 99, will remember friends ‘who didn't make it' on VE Day
A 99-year-old RAF veteran said he will be remembering friends 'who didn't make it like I did' through the Second World War on VE Day. Dennis Bishop, a former leading aircraftsman who saw active service in France, Belgium, Germany and Africa, visited RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on Wednesday as it prepares for the VE Day flypast on Monday.
Daily Mirror
30-04-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
RAF veteran issues 'never again' plea to young Brits ahead of VE Day
RAF veteran Dennis Bishop, 99, made an impassioned plea to Britain's next generation today ahead of Monday's historic VE Day fly past RAF Second World War veteran Dennis Bishop urged people to celebrate VE Day but never make the same mistakes as the past. Dennis, 99, is a former Leading Aircraftsman who saw active service in France, Belgium, Germany and Africa, said he was 'overwhelmed' to be shown round some of the modern aircraft which will be taking part on VE Day 80 flypast on Monday. He said: 'Some people have very good memories of VE Day but what I want people to remember it for is for peace between countries because war should never happen in the first place. 'It should not be happening even now, it makes me feel disgusted, we must learn to do better.' Dad-of-two Dennis, from Whitney, Oxfordshire, met his wife Lycette while stationed in Brussels, Belgium, during the war and he urged young people to learn languages to overcome barriers in the future. He said: 'When I met my wife we couldn't understand a word each other said but we managed to make it work so why can't others. There just needs to be more kindness in the world. We should celebrate VE Day because it was the end of the war and we should not forget that even though it was a long time ago now. 'I remember getting him from the war and kneeling down and kissing the ground and saying 'I'm home'. The future generation must work together.' On Monday a VE Day 80 flypast of 23 modern and historic RAF aircraft will take place over London following a military parade through the Capital. The flypast will include a Voyager transport aircraft, a P8 Poseidon surveillance aircraft, Typhoon and F-35 fighter jets and will culminate with the iconic red, white, and blue smoke of the Royal Air Force's Red Arrows. Historic Second World War-era aircraft from the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight will also take part in the flypast. Wing Commander Nicola Lofthouse, also known as Nikki Lofthouse, the Officer Commanding of 99 Squadron which operates C-17 Globemaster aircraft RAF will be taking part in the fly-past and spoke of her pride in doing so. She is the first female Officer Commanding of 99 Squadron. Speaking beside one of the C-17 Globemaster's she commands at RAF Brize Norton she said: 'It is a huge honour for us to take part in the fly-past and for us it is incredibly important to remember the sacrifice of the military veterans that went before us. For example 99 Squadron served in World War Two with Wellington bombers so we will certainly honour our members of the past.' Alongside Wing Commander Lofthouse's Voyager the fly past will include P8 Poseidon maritime reconnaissance aircraft which have recently flown over the North Sea and North Atlantic to monitor Russian vessels near UK waters. The UK's fleet of Voyager aircraft has been extensively involved in our support to Ukraine, delivering tonnes of equipment to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and flying thousands of Ukrainian recruits to the UK for military training. Typhoon fast jets are on standby 365 24/7 to protect UK airspace and frequently deploy overseas to help protect our allies from airborne threats as part of NATO Air Policing. Typhoons are currently deployed to Poland. The F-35 Lightning is a fifth-generation fighter jet which deployed on board the Royal Navy's aircraft carriers – HMS Prince of Wales set sail earlier this week on its eight-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific.
Western Telegraph
30-04-2025
- General
- Western Telegraph
RAF veteran, 99, will remember friends ‘who didn't make it' on VE Day
Dennis Bishop, a former leading aircraftsman who saw active service in France, Belgium, Germany and Africa, visited RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on Wednesday as it prepares for the VE Day flypast on Monday. Mr Bishop was presented with gifts by the crew of an Airbus A400M Atlas military transport aircraft – one of several contemporary aircraft flying in formation with their Second World War predecessors in the flypast. 99-year-old Second World War RAF veteran Dennis Bishop, centre, accompanied by air crew of an Airbus A400M Atlas military transport aircraft at RAF Brize Norton (Ben Birchall/PA) Speaking at the loading ramp of the aircraft, Mr Bishop told the PA news agency: 'There should be VE Days for other countries, and they should all start getting together and not beating each other, but coming together. 'For me, it's important to remember some of the poor devils who didn't make it like I did, because there are two or three old friends of mine that didn't make it.' Modern RAF aircraft, pilots and crew are preparing at RAF Brize Norton ahead of the VE Day 80 flypast on May 5. Discussing his visit to the RAF base, Mr Bishop, who is 100 in August, said: 'I didn't know this was going to happen, but a very good friend of mine secretly organised it for me. 'I'm absolutely overwhelmed with all of this, because although I'm nearly 100, it's gradually fading away now, but this has brought it all back to me again now.' Dennis Bishop saw active service in France, Belgium, Germany and Africa (Ben Birchall/PA) Nicola Lofthouse, Officer Commanding 99 Squadron, said a 'huge amount of planning' had gone into pulling together all the aircraft. She told the PA news agency: 'There's 27 aircraft that are going to be flying down the Mall on Monday, for example, over Buckingham Palace. 'They form up over the North Sea, and then they fly direct, straight over London, timed to be there. 'So every aircraft must be there within plus or minus five seconds of their timing.' (PA Graphics) Ms Lofthouse said the aircraft would be flying at 270 knots over the Mall, which is about 310 miles an hour. The commander added that VE Day was important to 'remember the sacrifice of those who have gone before us to buy us the freedom that we enjoy today'. Ms Lofthouse added: 'It's also to remember the history and to make sure that we don't repeat some of the mistakes of the past. 'And it means so much to the serving people to feel appreciated by the public, the British public in particular, and the world in fact, who will be watching in terms of the fact that they're away from their families a lot.' Victory in Europe Day, known as VE Day, is celebrated on May 8 each year to mark the day the Allies formally accepted Germany's surrender in 1945.
