Wing Commander Fred Trowern
Fighter pilot who helped to develop the Hawker Harrier and played a key role in the Falklands War
WING COMMANDER FRED TROWERN, who has died aged 86, served as the Air Staff Officer to the commander of the British land forces during the Falklands War in 1982. Trowern, an experienced fighter ground-attack pilot with service in overseas theatres, was on the staff of the National Defence College when he was summoned, in May 1982, to see the Air Commander, Air Chief Marshal Sir John Curtiss, at the Joint Headquarters at Northwood. By the evening he had been appointed as RAF Liaison Officer to Major General Jeremy Moore’s staff, with strict instructions to remain with him at all times and to give positive advice on all matters connected with the employment of RAF assets in general, and offensive support operations in particular.
After two weeks’ feverish preparation, including the production of standard operating procedures for the land forces and learning a new military language used by what he called the “Green Machine” – the Royal Marines – he left for Ascension Island, before transferring to the QE2.
On May 29, together with Major General Moore and the Commander Royal Artillery, Trowern transferred to the Hermes for discussions, before being flown to the Fearless in San Carlos Water. The following day he accompanied Moore as they went ashore for the first time, and on May 31 he visited Goose Green, two days after the battle that had cost the lives of 18 British soldiers.
He remained on Fearless in “bomb alley” for two weeks. The day after the surrender of Argentine forces on June 14, he flew by helicopter to Stanley, joining Major General Moore
at Government House. This heralded a busy time as preparations were made for the arrival of the first Hercules on June 24, and a week later the Harriers of 1 Squadron disembarked from
Hermes. He finally returned home on July 19.
Trowern was well-respected by the other services, who recognised his expertise and appreciated his no-nonsense approach and modest manner. When the RAF commander appointed to take over Stanley airfield departed from the UK, Sir John Curtiss asked him who he would like as his new air staff officer, he replied: “another Fred Trowern”.
For his services during the Falklands War, Trowern was appointed OBE.
Frederick Arthur Trowern was born on August 28 1932 in Portsmouth and attended St John’s College in the city. He joined the RAF and trained as a pilot in Rhodesia.
In 1953 he joined No II Squadron based in Germany, where he flew the Meteor fighter reconnaissance aircraft for two years. After four years as a flying instructor he left for Aden, where he again flew the Meteor on reconnaissance missions, an appointment that resulted in a Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air.
In 1961 he returned to the UK and spent three years as a tactics instructor at RAF Chivenor, flying the Hawker Hunter; he also flew in the unit’s formation aerobatic team, the Black Dragons.
In the summer of 1964 Trowern was one of four RAF pilots assigned to a new unit formed to evaluate the Kestrel vertical take-off and landing aircraft that would be developed into the Harrier. He joined a team of 10 pilots, led by an RAF wing commander, to form the Tripartite Evaluation Squadron, with the remaining pilots drawn from the US and Germany. Each completed a conversion programme to the revolutionary aircraft under the supervision of Hawker Aircraft’s project pilot, Duncan Simpson.
Trowern made his first flight in the Kestrel in January 1965. The squadron moved at the end of March to become part of the Central Fighter Establishment at West Raynham in Norfolk, where it began trials to evaluate operating techniques and tactics from the main airfield and from prepared sites in remote locations.
The trials were a success and led to the introduction of the Harrier. For his part in the programme, Trowern was awarded the AFC.
Trowern’s considerable experience of fighter ground-attack operations led to his appointment in command of 8 Squadron, based initially at Khormaksar in Aden. The squadron’s Hunters moved to Masirah Island off the coast of Oman to cover the British withdrawal from Aden in 1967 before redeploying to Bahrain.
After a series of staff appointments dealing with trials and tactics he moved to Lossiemouth, where he flew the Jaguar ground-attack aircraft, first in command of the simulator and then the operational conversion unit, responsible for training all RAF, and some foreign, Jaguar pilots.
After his return from the Falklands he served on the planning staffs for home defence, retiring in 1983.
Trowern became a reserve officer, and in 1987 he joined the Chipmunk Flight at the Army Air Corps Centre at Middle Wallop as a flying instructor until 1997.
He was a keen sportsman as a boy, playing football for the English Catholic School team against France. In later life he spent much of his time sailing. In 1964 he was awarded a Queen’s Commendation for Bravery for his part in the rescue of a yacht in distress in the Bristol Channel.
Fred Trowern married Valerie Savage in 1953. She died in 2006, and their two daughters survive him.
Fred Trowern, born August 28 1932, died March 2 2019