A Eulogy by Phil Jackson

for

RAY BENNETT – 4 November 2025

I have been asked to write an appreciation of the life of my old friend Ray Bennett, who sadly passed away at the ripe old age of 92. I have probably known Ray for longer than anyone else who is still alive and involved with the Sailing Club, including most members of his family!

Ray was a ‘Halton Brat’. That is an affectionate nickname for Engineering Apprentices who were trained at RAF Halton. He received a first class in Engineering training during his ’National Service’. After his ‘Demob’, he joined British European Airways as an Engineer, working on the ‘Run Gang’ at Hatton Cross Engineering Base.

Silver Wing Sailing Club was the Sailing Section of the Silver Wing Club, the BEA sports and social club. I’m not sure exactly when Ray joined, but he was an ever- present member when my Dad, Bernard joined in 1958, not long after the Club was inaugurated. I was 7 at the time. I clearly remember Ray and Jean proudly turning up in the old Clubhouse with their newly born twins, Roger and Robert.

Ray was a very capable man. He could turn his hand to almost anything, including carpentry, boat building, garage building, and all forms of DIY. He was a great asset at the regular work parties run by dear old David Finch, although he didn’t always agree with David’s ideas!

Ray was an excellent sailor. The Club was set up with six new Enterprise dinghies that were all built by a firm called ‘Gatemead’. E691 was the fastest, for some reason, and was unofficially reserved for David!  As the Club expanded, members started to buy their own boats. Ray was one of the earlier private boat owners, his first boat was E3579.

Some years later, a firm based in Maidenhead called Avacraft, started building Enterprises on a jig ‘modified’ by David Finch. The Avacraft Enterprises were very fast, especially on inland waters. Ray ordered a bare hull and finished it off himself, doing a great job. ‘Razava’ was a lovely boat, painted bright red with aircraft paint. (BEA aircraft had red wings at the time!) It was very fast, and Ray was almost impossible to beat. He usually got the better of me. I was sailing E687, an ex club boat which was a bit of a tub! (A bad workman blames his tools, I know)

Ray was ambitious. When Gulf Air was expanding, they ordered Lockheed 1011 ‘Tristar’ aircraft, as did BEA. Ray spent some time in Los Angeles training for his Tristar license, a time which he thoroughly enjoyed! Gulf Air were recruiting type rated Engineers so Ray left the ‘Run Gang’, and he and Jean spent many fun, lucrative years living the ‘Ex Pat’ life in Bahrain with Gulf Air.

Eventually, he returned, working for a while for Field Aviation, and then back with Gulf Air based at Heathrow, before retiring.

Ray was a keen offshore sailor. He qualified for his Yacht master’s certificate and his Radio License, and then ordered a new 27ft. Marcon Sabre, named ‘Shamal’.  It was a very solid, seaworthy 6 berth bilge keeler.

He invited me on several enjoyable trips. Eventually, he sold shares in Shamal to me and two other friends. We enjoyed several cross-channel voyages to Normandy, Brittany and the Channel Islands, as well as many trips along the south coast.

Our usual crew was Ray, Charlie White, and Pete Smith, sometimes supplemented by co-owners of Shamal, Digger and Alan. All Silver wing members over their time.

Ray liked a drink and was an enthusiastic supporter of the Sailing Club bar. In fact, he built it, with my assistance. (Ray built it. I am no carpenter, I merely handed him the tools and held the other end of the planks, etc.) Again, he did a great job. It is still standing and in use today.

There was a difference of opinion about the bar when we extended the Clubhouse. Some wanted to knock through what was at the time the Kitchen window, and to extend the kitchen into the Clubhouse extension. Ray, supported by me, said ‘—- that, we want a separate bar’. He took the law into his own hands, went down mid week, removed the old window and boarded up the hole! To prevent the boarding up from being removed, I put up some 2^nd hand shelves and stacked the glasses on them. The window is still boarded up, and the shelves are still standing today, one of my better DIY efforts! 

During his time as OD, he was notorious for starting races on time. God forbid anyone who was late to the line as he would always ensure there was a prompt start.

Ray spent many years at Salcombe Regatta week, a regular Silver Wing holiday destination. He had an enormous tent and an equally enormous inflatable dinghy, which he used to transport his family and many others across to Mill Bay.  One year, he was driving an old 3 speed camper van, a Dormobile, it was heavily laden (wife, 4 kids and dog) and towing Razava enterprise with his inflatable dinghy on top. We set off in convoy, with me driving my old 4 speed Transit van, with a mattress and a sideboard in the back, also towing a boat. We got as far as Wiltshire with Ray leading the way, but when we hit a steep hill, the Dormobile slowed to a crawl going up the hill. I lost patience and overtook him in my much faster Transit. We got to Alston Farm, put up our tent, and had the kettle on when Ray and family chugged in about an hour later! Ray continued visiting Salcombe right through to being Grandad and staying with Roger and his family after the traditional camping days finished.

In his later years, Ray didn’t fancy helming at Salcombe. He crewed for me twice, once in my Enterprise and once in my Wanderer. He was an excellent crew, and we did well, winning the Wanderer class, which in those days had about 16 boats. Ray was great with the spinnaker. We always made it to the Yacht Club terrace in time to watch the afternoon starts over quite a few beers.

Ray was a great family man. He and Jean had four children; Julie, Peter, Roger and Robert, all Silverwing Sailors, eight grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren.

In conclusion, the Club has lost a stalwart member, his family have lost a devoted Dad and Grandad, and I have lost a very good friend.

Rest in peace, Ray