WILL WEBSTER - Tuckwell 2008
Will Webster recently gave a presentation to King's pupils on
Moving Mountains - a community development programme he is
involved with in Kenya. Moving Mountains seeks to relieve poverty
by identifying development needs and supporting projects and
initiatives within a handful of communities across Kenya with the
aim of assisting them in becoming self-sufficient and sustainable.
Such projects include the supporting of an orphanage; a number
of schools; medical clinics specialising in maternal welfare and the
care of women; a rescue centre for street kids and the development
of community centres. Following Will's most recent visit and the
introduction of a community sports programme aimed at offering
some of the most impoverished
and marginalised young people an opportunity to take part in organised sport, King's
has kindly pledged its support to the project. In collecting old and unused rugby boots,
it will become possible for children from some of Kenya's poorest slums to take part
in competitive sport - an opportunity to escape the hardships many of them endure
on a daily basis. As well as the sports programme, Will is involved with up-and-coming
projects including the development of conservation farming within rural communities
and the renovation of several school buildings - all of which are making great progress.
Some of the children on the sport programme
Will (far left) on a visit to a conservation
farming project
In Memoriam
It is with great sadness that we remember OAs who passed away recently. Please do let us know if our list is not complete
so we can remember deceased OAs in College prayers and publish their obituaries on the OA website.
Robin Appleford Meynell 1938 Henry Vyvyan-Robinson Meynell 1945
Gerald Boyce King Alfred 1948 Chris Everard Bishop Fox 1951
Ian White Meynell 1964 Charles Thom King Alfred 1969
OA News
We are saddened to bring news to the OA Club of the death of Robin Langley Appleford, Meynell 1938. He was born on
16 September 1921 in India, where his father was stationed with the Royal Air Force, and in August 1939 he joined the
RAF at the age of 17. After 8 months training, he was transferred to active duty with 66 squadron at Duxford in May 1940,
becoming the youngest pilot in the Battle of Britain. Sixty-six was a Spitfire fighter squadron.
Two weeks before his 19th birthday, Mr Appleford was shot down in combat over the hames Estuary. he successful
parachute jump he made on baling out made him a member of the fabled Caterpillar Club. Recalling the incident for the
70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, Mr Appleford said: "Some Messerschmitts came out of the sun above us. I was tail
-end Charlie at the back of our patrol and the first thing I knew was that the wing had disappeared. I opened the canopy
and was blown out and landed in a field. My shoes were a mess, which made me annoyed because I had bought them only
the day before."
In December 1940, when he was 19, Robin was transferred to carry out a flying instructor's course, following which he went
to Southern Rhodesia as an instructor. In mid 1942 he transferred to the aircraft delivery unit in Cairo and operated there
for six months before joining 274 squadron in Benghazi (Libya), carrying out coastal patrols in Hurricanes. Following this, in
November 1943, he was moved to South Africa where he was a flying instructor at various air schools around the country.
He returned to England in July 1945 and joined squadron 587 at Westonzoyland. He left the RAF in August 1946 as a flight
lieutenant.
Robin then spent time in Rhodesia and South Africa before living in Kenya for 14 years, and then moving to the UK in 1974
where he lived in Henley until his death. He was a member of the British Legion, the Caterpillar Club and Aces High.