RAF CHAPLAINCY
THEY SERVED THEIR GENERATION: THE REVEREND DERMOT MCKAVANAGH
Padre Dermot McKavanagh received an urgent message from his Station Commander asking him to report to an aircraft hangar on his unit.
An airman working in the hangar had climbed into the cockpit of a jet aircraft and removed the safety pins from the ejector seat. The man was unable to cope with a deteriorating marital problem and was sitting in the aircraft threatening to pull the handle of the now live seat. He warned everyone to keep away; he would allow only Padre Dermot to come near. Padre McKavanagh visited the section regularly and was well known to the airman.
Dermot called out to the man that he was climbing the cockpit ladder to talk with him, and having mounted the steps, he was obliged to lean over the side of the cockpit to talk to the man confidentially.
At any moment the man could have pulled the handle and decapitated the chaplain.
After a long time in conversation, Padre McKavanagh persuaded the airman to replace the safety pins and leave the aircraft. They both returned to the church for further discussion, which resulted in a reconciliation of the man with his wife. In due course they had a child who was christened Dermot.
For this pastoral care Padre McKavanagh was awarded The Queen ' s Commendation for brave conduct.
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