OBITUARY

SIR EDWARD FIELDEN

Flying the RoyalFamily

Air Vice-Marshal Sir Edward Hedley Fielden, GCVO, CB, DFC, AFC, died on November 8 in Edinburgh at the age of 72.

For the space of more than three decades Air Vice-Marshal Fielden figured largely in the flying activities of the Royal wamily. From 1929 when he became pilot to the- Prince of Wales he had an unbroken connexrn in some form or- another with the Royal Household. For thirty years, most imporeant royal flights were subject to his scrutiny and recormmendtion. Even during the war years when he was commanding a Royal Air Force station Fielden was brought in when the King was to fly. He fitted admirably into this ubiquitous role and his discretion and self-effacement which earned him the nickname of "Mouse" was appreciated nowhere more than in Court circles.

Born in December, 1903, at Bracknell, the son of a doctor, Fielden went from Heathery down, Ascot, to Malvern College and obtained a short service commission in the Royal Air Force in 1924. He flew with No 25, and then with No 23 Squadron during 1925 and 1926. When he was posted to the meteorological flight at Duxford in September, 1926, this was evident proof of his -capability as a pilot. The Duxford Station Flight sought to- keep up an unbroken record of daily sorties whatever the weather and only the most seilful and enthusiastic pilots were selected for these duties. But promotion prospects were bleak in the Royal Air Force ofat e 1920s and after his five years' commission was up he was transferred to the Reserve as a Flight Lieutenant. The excellence of his flying career in the Service was however borne out by the award of the AFC and in things mechanical he was a terfectionst, as he was an administrator later in life.

It was in 1929 that the Prince of Wales who had acquired a Gipsy Moth, had also to acquire a personal pilot for his air journeyings and from a wide field he selected this new recruit to commercial flying Thus began Fielden's long association with the. Royal family. As with all the pre-war aircraft that the Prince of Wales owneda they were finished in the dark red and royal blue colours of the Household Brigade and as departures from Smith's Lawn in Windsor Great Park grew in frequency the pilot at the controls was inevitably "eMouseb" Fielden. His first major overseas commitment was to plan the air travel for the airminded Prince when he visited South America in 193. A Puss Moth was taken out to Buenos Aires in HMS Eagle for the Royal travels and another borrowed out there for the use of Prince George who accompanied his brother on this notable tour.

For longer official journeys the Prince later turned to the RAF and a Westland Wapiti was modified in 1930 under Fielden's direction for the Prince's use. Although...