RAF CHAPLAINCY
THEY SERVED THEIR GENERATION: THE REVEREND ALEC ROSS
Padre Ross was killed in Action when flying over the village of Biawak, Sarawak on 18th December 1963.
From an account written by Padre Brigg
“ A very nasty but hardly remembered little war broke out between Indonesia and our small forces in North Borneo. Very rapidly as the battles developed, the original small garrisons were supplemented by units from the UK and our station at Labuan became a very busy and hardpressed centre for both army and RAF personnel. So much so that it quickly became obvious that a full-time Chaplain( RAF) was needed.”
Padre Brigg asked for a Chaplain to be nominated by the Branch. It was felt no-one should be made to go into such a dangerous setting. Padre Alec Ross volunteered, despite being told that at‘ his age( 50 or so) he would find the rough field conditions very taxing’.
“ I thereafter returned to Singapore, and shortly before Christmas Alec Ross reported to FEAF HQ for duty in Labuan. Within a single week, I had to go to the Changi airport to receive Alec back from the front- in a coffin! An incredible story was told me by accompanying officers. Apparently, Alec had insisted on being taken straight away to the centre of the fighting so that‘ the lads’ might know that there was a padre close at hand and also so that he might take to them something of the Christmas message and a few simple seasonal gifts. The fact that a padre had come among them seems to have travelled like a bushfire among the forward troops, and signals for him to fly hither and around. It was on such an errand of mercy, when flying in a light spotter aircraft near the enemy lines with an Army Sgt-pilot that an enemy shot entered the craft, passed through the leg of the pilot and into the heart of the padre sitting alongside.”
So ended the tragically short‘ active service’ ministry of one of our most beloved Chaplains.… The influence for good which his enthusiastic determination to see as many troops as he could before that fateful Christmas dawned was quite immeasurable, and it is no exaggeration to say that his image left such an impression out there that the way was wide open to the next Chaplain who was subsequently sent out to try and replace him.
Taylorcraft Auster AOP. 6 air observation aircraft.
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