Jimmy Corbin WILLIAM James “Jimmy” Corbin, DFC and Bar (95), lived for 14 years in We avering and before that in Fau- chons Lane, Bearsted, and London Road. He was Maidstone’s last surviving Battle of Britain pilot, and had been the subject of press atten- tion in recent years, following the 2007 publication of his book Last of the Ten Fighter Boys. The book was intended as a sequel to a classic work on the last war, The Ten Fighter Boys, which chronicled the experi- ences of 10 fighter pilots from Biggin Hill. Jimmy was the last survivor of the group. Raised locally and a pupil at Maidstone Technical School, Jimmy qualified as a teacher be- fore thewar and started work be- fore volunteering with the RAF. His postings included both Biggin Hill and West Malling. He ended the conflict with a term in North Africa and a posting in the West Country, where he earned enough re- spect to have his own Spitfire sporting his initials. He retired with the rank of Flight Lieu- tenant, by which time he had earned his Bar by being twice awarded the Distinguished Fly- ing Cross. After returning to teaching at


the school where he was a pupil, he metwife Jeanne in the Queen’s Head pub in Maid- stone. They married in 1955 and raised children Brian, Anne andMargot. Jimmy was a member of Bearsted Golf Club from 1968 until his death. He served as captain in 1980 and his wife was also a member. Jimmy was honoured by Maidstone borough when he was awarded the Freedom of Maidstone. He was also a long- term freemason. Jeanne said: “Jimmy was a


true gentleman, and very mod- est about his achievements; when asked about his time as a fighter pilot he would say: “We just got on and did it.’” The final paragraph in his book says: “So what was it that got me through. I don’t know. In the final analysis I think it was just luck.” Jimmy leaves his wife, chil-


dren and grandchildren Meghan, Andrew, Thomas, Emma and Daniel.


David Beevis DAVID Beevis (77), of Marion Crescent, Shepway, lived locally for 48 years. The former Fleet Air Arm (FAA) officer was born in Crowborough, but moved to Kingswood, near Ulcombe. He met his wife of 56 years, Sylvia, before he entered the services. The couple moved


22 Malling


We will remember


around as David rose through the ranks with the FAA, work- ing on aircraft, managing teams and serving on aircraft carriers. He was father to Christopher, Stephen, Jonathan and Vanessa. David left the services and fol-


lowed a career in engineering, living in Barming before spend- ing his final 27 years at Marion Crescent.Heworked for Tilling- ham Stevens until they closed and went on to work for Med- way Repetitions,working on ar- tificial limbs. Meningitis left him with per- manent health problems and after recovering from the worst of the illness, David spent his final working years with RBL In- dustries in Aylesford. His wife Sylvia said: “David always had a lot of fight and a will to succeed. He battled the illness and the after-effects. He played sports in his younger days and enjoyed fishing. He also loved gardening.” David leaves his wife, chil-


dren and grandchildren Emma, Charlotte, Alex, Claire, Stephy, Isabelle and Jonathan.


John Stanford JOHN Stanford (64) lived in Hastings Road, Maidstone, his whole life and was known from his membership of the Barmy Army Film Club, a local group of Dad’s Army affi- cionados known for making their own films based on the classic series and also fundraising for charity. John was also a keen real ale enthusiast and a member of the local branch of the Campaign for Real Ale. John bought his own home, across the road from the one where he’d grown up in Hastings Road. He worked for Seeboard, but retired early to care for his mother when she be- came infirm. John’s death had a fitting ele-


ment of slapstick when police and bomb disposal experts were alerted after the discovery of his body,when a cache of armswas found in his home. A grenade found among the


items caused particular concern, until it was discovered to be a decommissioned device, used in John’s work with the Barmy Army Film Club. The club’s website has an- nounced the death of their own “Corporal Jones” and the group’s chairman, Colin Taylor, has extolled his work in fundraising for charities like the Royal British Legion and RAF Benevolent Fund. Colin Taylor’s partner, Debo-


rah Dean, said: “John was very active in Maidstone. He loved


politics and was a great fundraiser for our charitable causes.” John – who had no family of his own – leaves two cousins.


Gerry Beach GERALD “Gerry” Beach (77), most recently of New Romney, was well known locally from years of prominent in- volvement in golf and his 20 years as direc- torofCDF,his computer sta- tionery firm. Gerry, and his wife of 54


years, Zena, lived in Allington from 1964 before moving to Teston, where they were known as supporters of the village church, before moving to Bearsted. Gerry’s sporting skills allowed


him to master a number of dif- ferent disciplines. He was a youthful table tennis champion, a semi-professional footballer for Peterborough United and an excellent golfer who played locally and trav- elled to Luxembourg every year to take part in an invitation-only tournament. Daughter Julie said: “My fa-


ther was a gentleman through and through. He was a wonder- ful family man and had a long- lasting and loving marriage to my mother.” His retirement home at New Romney allowed him to look over the 18th green at the Little- stone Golf Course. Gerry leaves his wife, daugh-


ter Julie, son Jamie and grand- daughter Jemima.


PatriciaWalford PATRICIAWalford (85) lived in Allington for 49 years. Born Patricia Collins in Step-


ney, east London, she began work aged 14 as a floor-sweeper in a factory. She married Freder- ick “Fred”Walford in 1950 and the couple raised a daughter, Carol. Fred’s work as a plant man-


ager took him around the country and the couple set- tled in Alling- ton when Fred was working in Dagenham. Patricia worked for Securicor and as a cashier in thewages de- partment of KCC. Daughter Carol said: “She was


lively and always smiling. She loved musicals at the theatre andwent regularly to tea dances in Larkfield and at the Corn Ex- change in Market Buildings. She was very homely and loved gar- dening.” Widowed in 1983, Patricia leaves her daughter.


Mary Holding MARY Holding (106) was one of Maidstone’s oldest residents. She died at Eastfield Resi- dential Home, Sittingbourne Road, and for 33 years ran Forstal Farm, in Coxheath, with husband William, and sons Frank and John. Born Mary Holding, she moved to Walesasa girl, and started work as a newspaper reporter in Tony- pandy, Wales, but later re- turned to Kent. She met her husband,


William Holding, when he de- livered a letter misdirected to his home because his family and Mary’s shared the same surname. Her early jobs in- cluded nursing at Keycol Hos- pital near Newington. She also worked in an accounts office, tax office and pram shop. Mary loved the outdoors and


had been a long-time member of the Women’s Institute and Mothers’ Union. Son Frank said: “She was very organised and mixed well socially.” When John died in 1985,Mary


and William moved to Work- house Lane, East Farleigh. William died in 1993, but Mary stayed at their home until she was 100. She leaves son Frank, four grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.


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