Death of Bruce Micklewright (S48-51)

His brother Colin (S55-59) said “We have just returned from Wimborne in Dorset where, sadly, Bruce died on Friday evening 8th December aged 89.  He had been suffering poor health ever since he caught Covid in January 2020 in Mougins near Nice where he had been living for a number of years.  They came back to England about eighteen months ago to be close to two of the children.”

Some years ago Bruce had a chance meeting with distinguished OF Bill Goldfinch (26-32) at Old Sarum Flying Club. Bruce had spent many years as a Cathay Pacific pilot after being in the Royal Canadian Air Force and when he retired he restored a Tiger Moth and finished it in the Framlingham colours of chocolate and blue. This was spotted by Bill at the airfield and the pair became firm friends in the seven years before Bill died.

Bruce went on to say “I spent my career in aviation and on my retirement restored a Tiger Moth and finished it with light blue wings, chocolate brown fuselage with white registration lettering. I considered registering it as G-FRAM and flying it over the school on the Millennium, however, I missed the date to complete the restoration and I subsequently registered it as G-EMSY, my daughter’s pet name.  Shortly after the completion of the rebuild, I moved the aircraft to Old Sarum near Salisbury and one day this elderly gentleman approached me in the hangar and said “I believe you own this lovely aeroplane and I am intrigued whether you had any particular reason for choosing chocolate and light blue as a colour scheme?” When I told him they were my old school colours he replied “Not by any chance, Framlingham?” On confirming that they were, he replied “How wonderful, I also went to Framlingham”.  We spent many hours reminiscing about Framlingham, our service careers, aviation and of course Colditz. His attitude to the time that he spent in Colditz was one of privileged confinement! He loved the castle and said his fellow prisoners were the most marvellous collection of intelligent and inspiring men from throughout the Commonwealth and the USA. He was also quite fair to his captors. Bill was a charming, unassuming, delightful man. He died in his sleep, fit and well to the last.”