Not many people can say they’ve had a military flypast in their honour, but then again, not many people have a life story quite like Fred Jennings.
This weekend, the World War Two veteran reaches an incredible milestone, his 100th birthday. And to mark the occasion, the Royal Air Force pulled out all the stops, sending an Atlas A400M soaring over the hangars of the Ulster Aviation Society, where Fred has dedicated over two decades as a volunteer.
From Newmarket to the Skies
Born in Newmarket, Suffolk, Fred joined the RAF in 1943, stepping into a world where radar technology was revolutionising aerial warfare. His role? Installing radar systems into B-25 Mitchell aircraft, an essential job that kept Allied forces one step ahead.
His expertise soon saw him deployed to the Netherlands, where he was one of just four RAF radar specialists working alongside 98 Dutch personnel. Later, he found himself stationed at Melsbroek, now Brussels International Airport, where he experienced the perils of war firsthand.
“It was an interesting period, including when we were attacked by the Focke-Wulf 190s,” Fred recalled. “Fortunately, I was outside the radar shack and saw them coming. And right beside it was an unfilled bomb crater, which was conveniently dived into.”
Life After the War
After the war, Fred’s RAF career took him to Agra, India, where his daily routine included a view most can only dream of. “Every morning when I climbed the stairs in air traffic control, I just looked down the river, and there was the Taj Mahal,” he reminisced.
Post-service, he transitioned to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, where he played a pivotal role in radar development. In 1963, he was assigned to install radar at Nutt’s Corner in Northern Ireland, though at the time, he had no idea where it was. “I asked my boss, who replied, ‘I think it might be near Birmingham.’ Turns out, it was in County Antrim!”
He settled in Northern Ireland, becoming an integral part of the Ulster Aviation Society. Over 20 years, he helped establish their radio display room and meticulously built the society’s library, cementing his place as a guardian of aviation history.
A Birthday Fit for a Hero
In recognition of his contributions, the RAF organised a spectacular flyover, with friends and admirers gathering to celebrate a man who has done so much for both military and civilian aviation. Ray Burrows, chairman of the Ulster Aviation Society, described Fred as “an outstanding example of living history.”
For Fred, turning 100 is bittersweet. “You feel you did quite a lot while you were attached, and suddenly it comes to an end,” he admitted. But when asked about the secret to his long life, his humour shone through: “It’s a matter of avoiding fast women and slow horses.”
