Wings Around Gibraltar.

Ted Archer and Jon Mays have collaborated on a new book about Gibraltar’s airfield and airport. The book ‘Wings Around Gibraltar’ is described as a book which tells the history of aviation in Gibraltar. The story of Gibraltar’s involvement, from the days before fixed-wing aircraft to the building of the new airport at the end of the first decade of the twenty-first century.

 

Governor Adrian Johns and his wife Suzie were amongst the first to buy a book at the launch. In the picture they are exchanging words with Mr Mays and Heritage Minister Edwin Reyes who officially launched the book at the Garrison Library.

The authors are Squadron Leader Jon Mays (RAF Retired) and Dr. Ted Archer, who is no stranger to Gibraltar.

The launch by Culture and Heritage Minister Edwin Reyes took place at the Garrison Library.

When Ted Archer had apparently completed his book 'Education in Gibraltar 1704-2004' he was looking for another project. Jons Mays tells me they had already met having discussed possible subjects for publication.

“We realised that the history of Gibraltar's involvement in all forms of aviation had not been told,” he says.

“At the time I was on the staff of the Commander British Forces Gibraltar and I agreed to help Ted develop the military elements of the work.”

The book itself covers every aspect of aviation in Gibraltar, both civil and military, from the flight of the first balloon on 7th December 1889 to the present day.

Authors Ted Archer and Jon Mays together with Mays’ wife Jane at the RAF museum in Hendon.

THE AUTHORS

Ted Archer pursued his university studies in Scotland where he has always lived following his National Service. A teacher, head teacher and lecturer at the University of Strathclyde he specialised in education management.

He also tutored management courses for the Open University for over 20 years and afterwards became a management consultant. Ted has run vacation courses in Nigeria and engaged in a number of European projects on professional development. He was for 13 years Secretary of the Hispanic Society of Scotland. A frequent visitor to Gibraltar, he has co-authored books on Catalan Bay and education in Gibraltar.

Squadron Leader Jon Mays (RAF Retired) was born in 1942 at Dunfermline while his father was serving in the Royal Navy at Rosyth. Jon joined the Royal Air Force as a Boy Entrant in May 1959, graduating as a Sergeant Boy Entrant in December 1960 with a first prize for General Service Efficiency. After serving at White Waltham, Thorney Island, Tangmere, Yatesbury, Coltishall, Leuchars and Changi he gained educational and professional qualifications at Oxford while serving at Brize Norton. After further tours at Cranwell, Wildenrath and Cosford and reaching the rank of Chief Technician he was commissioned as a Flying Officer in 1981. He then served at the RAF Armament Support Unit at Wittering, before moving to Locking, Uxbridge, HQSTC at High Wycombe and Gibraltar. His service also took him to Borneo, Malaya, the Middle East, Cyprus, Malta, the USA, Belize, Iraq, Ascension Island and the Falkland Islands before retiring in June 2005 in the rank of Squadron Leader.

THE RESEARCH

Ted and Jon were researching and writing the book for five years.

They have used archives from RAF Gibraltar, the Garrison Library, the Gibraltar National Archive, The UK National Archive, the Imperial War Museum, the RAF Museum Hendon, the British Library, the Kelvingrove Museum in Glasgow and many other sources.

The book is 361 pages packed with over 120,000 words and 140 images, many of which have never been published before.

“One of the unique features in the book,” he comments, “is a chapter dedicated to the stories of individuals who have served at RAF Gibraltar over the years, which has actually been written by themselves.” Jon says these writings of wartime service give a fascinating insight as to how the airfield operated and of the vitally important roles it played during the Second World War.

Jon and Ted point out in the book that while the beginnings of the airport may have been civil, with the outbreak of the 1939-1945 war, military requirements took over and RAF Gibraltar came into its own. How developments gave Gibraltar its modern runway, its air base and eventually its civil terminals, are fully described in this boook as are the very dramatic events of World War II which has its own place in the narrative and the memories and reminiscences of those who took part are recorded in a substantial chapter.

The book may show how the traditions of RAF Gibraltar were first established and how they continued in a changed peacetime station, but it also delivers the background to how it provides the facilities of a modern Gibraltar International Airport.

The structure of this book recognises that there are military and civil dimensions to the story.

Jon says that each is dealt with separately although the two are inter-related.

“They do so in a fundamental way: the airfield, now for civilian use too, is very much a legacy of wartime operations. The structure also recognises the passage of time and as much as possible the chapters reflect a historical sequence.”

From the pioneering days of flight to the early years of the Second World War, the actual construction of the runway and the practical and political difficulties that were involved.

The third chapter in the book deals with the Allied invasion of North Africa and, in particular, Operation Torch which was launched from Gibraltar under the command of General Eisenhower.

Chapter five takes us into the Cold War when Gibraltar's strategic location continued to give it a role. During those years, from 1947 until 1997, the surveillance of Soviet Bloc shipping and air movements was a major pre-occupation, making day-to-day demands on Gibraltar - all this is looked at in the book.

Other chapters trace the civilian aspects of the story of the airfield, from before the founding of Gibraltar Airways to the jet airliner services of today.

“This chapter,” he says, “speaks for itself and only one matter requires mention here; the airfield and the civil airport are of great symbolic and practical significance to the people of Gibraltar and to the economy of the territory.”

Within each of the chapters, according to the chronology, specific events and happenings are recounted, including the first balloon flight, the exodus of Jews from North Africa via Gibraltar and the death of General Sikorski.

The final chapter also identifies some of the key trends and issues that have emerged over the years and identifies matters for future consideration.

Jon points out that both he and Ted are indebted to the Government of Gibraltar for its enthusiasm and sponsorship.

The book ‘Wings Around Gibraltar’ is available in all local bookshops.