Tributes paid to ‘gentle, talented’ Tornado pilot

Colleagues of a Tornado pilot killed with two colleagues when two fighter jets crashed into the Moray Firth paid tribute to their comrade at his funeral yesterday.

The body of Squadron Leader Samuel Bailey was carried from a church in a coffin draped in a Union flag to the tune of Monty Python’s Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.

The service took place at St Gerardine’s Church in Lossiemouth, near the RAF base in the Moray town where he served.

His widow, Flight Lieutenant Fiona Bailey – who was stood down from her role in a search-and-rescue operation on the day of the tragedy after it emerged her husband was one of the crew – led 200 mourners.

Officers from XV Squadron acted as pallbearers for the service overlooking the Moray Firth, the same stretch of water where the airman lost his life.

After the service, there was a flypast of five Tornados over the airfield.

Group Captain Ian Gale, 
station commander at RAF Lossie­mouth, said: “Squdn Ldr Sam Bailey was kind, gentle, a very clever man, a devoted
father, a very talented instructor and we will all miss him very much indeed.”

The Tornados crashed during a training exercise 25 miles south of Wick on 3 July. The remains of Sqd Ldr Bailey, 36, and those of Flt Lt Adam Sanders, 27, were recovered two weeks later.

A third airman, Flt Lt Hwyel Pool, 28, died in Inverness after being airlifted from the scene. The unnamed sole survivor is understood to be in hospital, having undergone major surgery for spinal injuries.