HIGHLY decorated Second World War pilot Stan Williams, who moved to Wellington more than 40 years ago, said of the Spitfire ‘that you didn’t just fly it, you wore it like a glove’.

Flt Lt Stanley Cyril Williams (retired) died peacefully earlier this month at Musgrove Park Hospital, aged 94. Born in Cardiff, he moved to Somerset in 1934, joined the RAF and served all around the world, eventually settling in Wellington in 1974.

He flew Spitfires over Burma in the Second World War, during which he was awarded five medals. In addition, he also received the South Arabia Campaign Medal with the Queen’s Commendation Oak Leaf for service in Aden 1966-67 and the Green Endorsement Award for Exceptional Flying Skill and Judgement, both of which are not awarded to many service personnel.

During his time as a flying instructor, he experienced engine failure at extremely low altitude and executed a forced landing in a small field surrounded by trees with such skill that the aircraft remained sufficiently intact to allow the crew to escape without serious injury. The landing distance was subsequently measured as 80 yards – an outstanding piece of airmanship. For this he was awarded the Green Endorsement.

It was not the first time he had experienced engine failure. In 1946, while flying his Spitfire Mark 21 over the Bristol Channel, he managed to make a forced landing at Morte Point on the North Devon coast, avoiding the peril of ditching at sea. Unfortunately the aircraft broke apart on landing and caught fire. He was able to drag himself to safety in spite of fracturing his spine.

After a long period in hospital, he was able to regain full flying category status and went on to fly for another 20 years in a variety of aircraft – both piston and jet engine – including the Hurricane, Mosquito, Meteor and Vampire.

After hanging up his flying jacket, he continued in the RAF as an air traffic control officer and missile launch control officer, finally completing his RAF career as officer–in-charge of an RAF camp on Salisbury Plain.

He then joined the Civil Service, retiring once more in 1983. But he then volunteered to drive the Age Concern bus and also, along with his wife Phyllis – who died in 2004 – delivered Meals on Wheels for 15 years from the back of his car to ‘the old folk of Wellington and surrounding villages’ – although he was often older than the recipients.

In later years he was proud to be invited by the Queen to a Buckingham Palace garden party to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the end of the war.

He was also at last year’s celebrations in London commemorating the 70th anniversary of VJ-Day (Victory in Japan). The war that was fought in the Far East was often referred to as the forgotten war. Many service personnel felt they had missed out on the homecoming celebrations in 1945/6. But the celebrations in Horse Guards Parade and the parade down to Westminster, culminating in meeting and chatting with Prince Charles, certainly made up for this. The cheer that the huge crowd gave these veterans, is something Stan never forgot and was extremely grateful for and proud of.

He leaves behind a daughter, son and granddaughter who will miss him dearly.