• One van tyre punctured
  • Two friends united
  • Ten days completed
  • Fourteen Air Force friends and colleagues remembered
  • Thirty years passed
  • Six hundred and eighty miles covered
  • £28.5k raised so far (including Gift Aid)

The Tornado Tribute Tour of England has finished in Washington, County Durham, after ten gruelling days on the road. The final act of the two cyclists and friends was a short service of remembrance at Washington Cemetery for Flight Lieutenant Norman Dent of 14 Squadron, who died on 13 January 1991. 

Martin Wintermeyer and Mal Craghill, two Tornado navigators who served during the first Gulf War, started their cycle challenge in St Eval, Cornwall on Friday 18 June with a service to remember Flight Lieutenant Steve Hicks of XV Squadron, who died in action on 14 February 1991. During their ride they visited the graves of other Tornado aircrew who died training for or during the conflict and one member of the US Air Force, killed on a training exercise. They were: 

  • Pilot Major Dennis Wise USAF, who died on 14 August 1990 
  • Flight Lieutenant Kieran Duffy, of 14 Squadron who died on 13 January 1991
  • Flight Lieutenant Max Collier and Wing Commander Nigel Elsdon, of 27 Squadron, both of whom died on 17 January 1991
  • Squadron Leader Garry Lennox and Squadron Leader Kev Weeks, of 16 Squadron, both of whom died on 22 January 1991 

Also remembered were: 

  • Squadron Leader Gordon Graham and Flight Lieutenant John ‘Stan’ Bowles, both of whom died on 14 August 1990 
  • Squadron Leader Neil Anderson and Group Captain Bill Green of 27 Squadron, both of whom died on 16 August 1990
  • Flight Lieutenant Johnny Marsden of 54 Squadron, who died on 12 September 1990
  • Flight Lieutenant Keith Collister of 54 Squadron, who died on 13 November 1990 

Talking of the cycle challenge Eunice Hicks, mother of Steve Hicks, said:

“What Mal and Martin have achieved is amazing. It has been a huge comfort to know that Steve and the other Tornado aircrew who lost their lives have not been forgotten. The service at the National Memorial Arboretum was a lovely event and I not only met old friends, but made some new ones too. I think the whole day left me feeling thankful for my son, Steve, as it brought back so many happy memories. Thank you.”

Laura Robbins, Vice Chair of the RAF Widows Association, added:

“I first started following Mal and Martin’s training for their ride when a widow whose husband died in active service over Iraq in 1991 told me about it. Very quickly I was a struck by how many of our members knew and loved these guys and how much our members and their families valued the very fact this ride was to remember their loved ones. Martin and Mal are absolute legends. They have no idea how much what they are doing means to us all at the RAF Widows Association.”

After dismounting his bike for the last time on the TTTE, Martin said:

“I want to start by thanking Mal for his commitment to this crazy idea! We both wanted to remember and honour our fallen comrades and I think we have done just that. The support we have had from start to finish has been incredible; from our sponsors, to those who joined us virtually on our training rides and those who joined us out on the road these past ten days, to everyone who has donated to the RAF Association, thank you.”

Mal continued:

“We would also like to extend thanks to all the RAF stations who held commemoration events, earlier in the year and during our actual ride. They immediately understood what we were trying to do and embraced the opportunity to support us in helping the families to pay tribute to their loved ones. This was the perfect demonstration of the strength of the whole RAF community.

“I think the high point for me has been seeing how much the ride and tributes have meant to the family members of those we were remembering.”

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