Tributes to ex-RAF sergeant who died in Burgh le Marsh

Adrian John Langley, formerly of Royal Leamington Spa, was the oldest son of Dennis and Mary Langley, originally from Clapham Street, Leamington Spa.

He died on Friday, January 31.

A former pupil at Clapham Terrace School, then Leamington Boys College, he was very active in Cubs and Scouts at St Mary’s, Leamington, and attended the 1958 International Amikaro in Priory Park, Warwick, aged 14.

After joining the RAF at age 16, he was posted to RAF Gaydon, near Leamington, following initial training. He was one of those on duty at the village of Combrook, when one of Gaydon’s seven Victor fighter bombers

crashed shortly after take-off in October 1962. He was subsequently posted to RAF stations in Coltishall in

Norfolk, Gan in the Maldives, Tengah in Singapore, Upavon in Wiltshire, Cosford in the West Midlands,

Wegberg in Germany, Cottesmore in Rutland, Guttersloh in Germany, Turnhouse and Buchan in Scotland,

and finally to Stanbridge near Leighton Buzzard. Adrian received The Queen’s Commendations for his

service.

He and his wife, Pauline, who met on a blind date, have been married for nearly 54 years and have lived in

36 different houses. Burgh le Marsh has been their longest permanent home.

Before coming to Lincolnshire, they owned a shop in Nottingham.

In his younger days, Adrian played for several local sports teams, including Leamington Lilly Whites Cricket

Team. He went on to represent the RAF in cricket wherever he was posted around the world.

After retiring from the Air Force, they owned a shop in Nottingham but eventually settled in Skegness,

running the Avon Guest House.

Adrian had a serious heart attack in 2003 and was forced to sell the guest house.

They retired to Burgh le Marsh and became heavily involved in village life as volunteers – helping to

run the community windmill and café; running weekly bingo for the senior citizens of Burgh; working at

Skegness Lifeboat Shop; helping at Gibraltar Point Wildlife Sanctuary; driving elderly people to medical

appointments; resurrecting and running the village carnival.

Adrian was the eldest of three brothers, only the youngest of whom now survives, living in Warwick.

Adrian and Pauline’s children now live all around the country. His funeral

service, conducted by Rev Colin Bowden of Burgh Baptist Church, took place on Friday, February 28, at Alford, andhis ashes are to be taken out to sea by Skegness Lifeboat in the coming weeks.