TRIBUTES HAVE been paid to popular World War II veteran Neil Flanigan MBE who sadly passed away last week.
Mr Flanigan was 99 and would have turned 100 in May.
The well-respected WWII veteran and Windrush pioneer, was born in Jamaica and travelled to England in 1943, to join the Royal Air Force (RAF).
He trained as a skilled instrument technician in the RAF Bomber Command, where he worked in aviation, checking and servicing aircrafts such as Lancaster’s aircrafts flown by Bomber Command pilots during the war operations.
He was one of more than 10,000 people from the West Indies who responded to the British Armed Forces call for help.
Moving tributes have poured in for the retired president of the West Indies Association of Service Personnel (WASP).
Writing on X, formerly Twitter, Windrush campaigner Patrick Vernon OBE said: “It’s with sad regret that Neil Flanigan WW2 veteran and Windrush Pioneer has gone to the ancestors this Thursday. RIP.”
In a post paying tribute to the war veteran and Richard Taylor, father of Damilola Taylor, who also passed away recently, Brenda Darces, the Mayor of Lewisham said: “Deeply saddened by the passing of WW2 war veteran and Windrush generation ambassador Neil Flanigan MBE (two months away from his 100th birthday), and Richard Taylor, father of Damilola.
“My thoughts are with their families and loved ones. May they rest in eternal peace.”
Mentor
Following his military career, Flanigan worked as a graduate engineer on aircraft engines and airframes throughout the West Indies, Britain and Europe.
He was one of the oldest mentors in the UK and the eldest member of Urban Synergy, an award winning mentoring charity specialising in early intervention programmes for young people.
Even in his 90s, he was active member of the charity for over 10 years, regularly visiting inner city primary and secondary schools and sixth form colleges together with a team of professionals from the private and public sector.
Flanigan previously said volunteering in the local and wider community and acting as a mentor at schools and colleges is an opportunity to “give back to society for what it has done for me”.
On retirement he also became a financial consultant, mental health manager and was director of Citizen’s Advice.
Correction: In an earlier version of this story we incorrectly stated that Neil Flanigan was the last surviving Caribbean World War II hero. This article has been amended to reflect the fact this is not the case.
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Stop all the clocks, put away the mobile phone, gather all of His Majesty’s African-Caribbean heritage Subjects, and stand, and salute, and honour the passing of RAF Lancaster bomber crew Mr. Neil Flanigan MBE; who was one of more than 10,000 people from the Caribbean, who responded to Sir Winston Churchill’s Armed Forces call for help during the second European war.
I am in mourning for you Mr Flanigan, as the Caribbean does not have people of your calibre anymore.
I am in mourning, for England’s fast diminishing African-Caribbean population; who are dying in their fifties, at an alarming rate.
I am in mourning for the thousands of Caribbean people, who offered their life for England’s King, and this English nation; a detail of Caribbean history never disclosed to me, whilst in formal education.
I am in mourning that England’s African-Caribbean population were politically stronger, and better represented in Parliament of the 1960s, 70s and 80s, than we are today in 2024.
I organised a public event in 1982, with the members of the West Indies Ex-Servicemen Association, were the guest speakers.
In response to our questions, they made it clear they offered their lives for England, because they felt like children of the “mother country.”
When these senior aged dignified men were leaving, they asked us young men of African-caribbean heritage to petition the Royal British Legion, Her Majesty the Queen, and senor Parliamentarians, to allow these men to honour their fallen Caribbean comrade at the annual cenotaph remembrance celebration.
I wept.
I wept with great shock, and disbelief that this nation could allow its skin-colour prejudice to prevent Caribbean men from honouring their fallen comrades, at the annual Remembrance celebration.
The prejudice and hostility against African-Caribbean youth in the 1980’s was severe.
However, I was genuinely shocked the English Establishment excluded these fine old men from honouring their fallen.
The ban was lifted two years later.
It would be great for England’s African-Caribbean heritage people, along with Voice Newspaper readers, to honour the passing of the African-Caribbean heritage RAF Lancaster bomber crew member Neil Flanigan MBE.
Chaka Artwell laments the fact that the Caribbean today does not produce the quality of young man that was evident in 1943 when Mr Flanigan travelled to England in order to join the RAF.
I am inclined to agree with Mr Artwell.
Mr Flanigan was willing to serve. He served in the ground crew as an engineering technician. Not for Mr Flanigan was the glamour of aircrew: he was happy to accept a relatively humble position in repair and maintenance, where his feet remained firmly on the ground.
The article informs the reader that, after the war, Mr Flanigan continued to work in aeronautics. This implies that Mr Flanigan used his solid experience as an engineering technician in order to gain entry to university-level study of aeronautical engineering – thereby qualifying as a graduate engineer and therefore able to work as a design engineer in the flourishing postwar aeronautical industry.
Mr Flanigan was an example of what a conscientious and humble work ethic is able to achieve.
By contrast, today’s youth, from the Caribbean and from elsewhere, has neither assimilated the ancient ethic of service nor the Christian ethic of humility. For, not only is today’s youth is puffed up with narratives of racial injustice (grievance mongering), but also he lacks the concentration & perseverance of a prolonged attention span (thanks to his having been spoiled by digital technology).
The Caribbean no longer nurtures traditionalist young men, with the feudal virtue of service and the Christian virtue of humility. Every young man today has been wrongly taught by his mobile phone that it is not necessary to delay gratification in order to achieve success. This is the problem: the ruination of our youth by the culture of instant gratification that is promoted in the mainstream.
What a remarkable story, of a remarkable man. May he rest in Eternal peace.
Although he is definitely not the last surviving WWII Veteran as I know my dear uncle Ernest Nicholas is still alive and kicking at 100 years old (last September 2023)
Ernest also served in the RAF.
It is good to highlight the life and contributions of our veterans and to ensure their legacy live on. However, this gentleman is by far not the last WW2 Caribbean Veteran that was alive. There are at least 5 still alive in UK, and others in the Caribbean. Please refer to my website for more information: https://theforgottengenerations.com/
I remember conducting a Remembrance Service at the request of Mr Flanigan at St Peter’s Church Clapham, on behalf of the WASP.
May he rest in perfect peace and rise in glory. And may the light of Christ perpetually shine upon him.
Every blessing to his family as they mourn his passing.
A very great man indeed. Dignified and honourable.
I hope he servers as a good example to the people who live after him and that his excellent service and his integrity are remembered and venerated for decades to come.