Tragic end to man’s search for former RAF colleague.

Angus man’s sadness at news of Dundee widower’s passing

A Tayside man has told how his search for a former RAF colleague abruptly ended in a blaze of publicity.

George Ferguson from Brechin served with the 751 Signals Unit in Cyprus in the late 1950s alongside Douglas Lamond from Dundee.

Mr Ferguson had “great memories” of his time with Mr Lamond and tried to find him 10 years after his name was mentioned at a reunion in Huntingdon.

The search sadly ended when Mr Ferguson found out that Mr Lamond had died after being given another patient’s prescription.

The inquest made national headlines and Mr Ferguson expressed great sadness at hearing of his former colleague’s passing.

Mr Ferguson said: “I was demobbed in May 1959 and lost contact with most of my fellow airmen.

“About 10 years ago I was invited to a 751 SU reunion in Huntingdon and Sergeant Lamond’s name was mentioned.

“All I knew was that he was from Dundee, however my search proved unsuccessful, like many other searches for former friends.

“That search ended when I saw the newspaper article about him.

“It is always sad when a fellow airman dies, and there have been a few in recent years, and they all leave many great memories. Sergeant Lamond will be amongst them.”

751 Signals Unit was a radar station based at Cape Greco Cyprus from 1956 until 1959, with about 180 personnel – the bulk being radar operators.

Mr Ferguson said: “We operated 24 hours a day on a three-day watch system which consisted of approximately 12 airmen, an officer in overall charge, with a sergeant and a corporal and us the radar operators.

“Sergeant Lamond was our watch sergeant and I may say a good one at that.”

The inquest into Mr Lamond’s death heard that the 86-year-old widower had been receiving many different medications for complaints including Type 2 diabetes, heart problems and glaucoma.

He was sent a weekly pack in the name of someone else and later died at Ipswich Hospital.

About 10 years ago I was invited to a 751 SU reunion in Huntingdon and Sgt Lamond’s name was mentioned. GEORGE FERGUSON

George Ferguson now and in his RAF days, top left and right, and images of Douglas Lamond.