THE FUNERAL of a former RAF flight lieutenant from Swansea who flew 30 bombing missions in the Second World War was something to behold, said his son.
Alan Jeacock was touched by the efforts made by Armed Forces groups to give his father, Fred, a dignified send-off at Swansea Crematorium, Morriston.
A piper and standard bearers led the funeral cortege into the cemetery, there was a guard of honour, and a bugler played Last Post at the end of the service.
Surrey-born Fred Jeacock enlisted in the RAF as a flight mechanic six months before the outbreak of war in 1939. Due to a long wait to start a flight mechanic course he trained as a barrage balloon operator – a role that brought him to Swansea in 1940.
While living in a vacated school building in St Thomas he met the school janitor’s granddaughter, Joan, who would later become his wife.
Mr Jeacock left Swansea to do an engine mechanics course, and signed up for air crew service. That led to a flight engineer course at St Athan, then training in Halifax and Lancaster bombers.
He was seconded to a Royal Canadian Air Force squadron after it suffered heavy losses and saw action as a flight engineer over the skies of Germany. He later recalled: “The worst time was just waiting by the aircraft for instructions to get in and get going.”
Mr Jeacock’s funeral took place on June 3 and was officiated by the Reverend Canon Hugh Lervy, of All Saints Church, Mumbles. The hymn Abide With Me was sung, and a eulogy was read Mr Jeacock’s grandson, Stephen.
“It was excellent,” said Alan of the eulogy. “He (Stephen) had been talking to my father a lot over the last 12 months or so. My father was coming out with stories, and telling him about his youth.”
Family and friends gathered afterwards at Swansea Dockers Sports and Social Club, St Thomas.
Alan said he was grateful to the City of Swansea RAF Association, the Royal British Legion and Swansea Council’s armed forces champion, Cllr Wendy Lewis, for their support.
Describing the funeral, Alan, of Manselton, said he couldn’t have wished for better. “It was something to be seen,” he said. “I never dreamt it would be like that.”
After the war Mr Jeacock settled into civilian life. He worked in a number of jobs before being employed as a cable inspector for Aluminium Wire and Cable Company, Port Tennant. He liked working on cars and was, said Alan, a “marvellous” dad.
Mr Jeacock, who enjoyed the annual Wales Airshow, Swansea, died on April 23 aged 105. Those attending the funeral included his youngest brother, Ron, aged 98, and his family, and RAF Air Officer Wales, Air Commodore Rob Woods.
Speaking last month Cllr Lewis said she would remember Mr Jeacock fondly. “Fred was a reserved Englishman and he never liked being called a hero, last year at the air show he couldn’t understand why everyone wanted to meet him,” she said.
