TRIBUTE: EDWARD OATES

His biggest legacy is two children, five grandchildren, and seven greatgrandchildren recently now eight, Willow having been born to Mary and Jay just days ago. Our kids, and later theirs, loved to visit him mainly in search of biscuits of course. With his kitchen door always open, they were gone in a trice.

In 1947 he married Nora and moved to Park Street in Aylesbury, eventually moving back to Sydney Terrace in Wendover now with Michael and Jane in 1956. He worked for the Inland Revenue moving from office to office eventually ending up as The Collector of Taxes for Hitchin, commuting daily. On one occasion a rear spring broke on his Austin Cambridge. A replacement was found courtesy of Curly at Halton Scrapyard and off I set to Hitchin to replace it. A nice chap brought me out a cup of tea. I naturally explained that it was a cash job. I think Edward bit the end of his pipe off. He retired in 1980 but that wasn’t my fault.

I met Edward in 1975 in his shed, even then a bit tumble down, at the end of his garden. His pipe was quietly smouldering away on the workbench. If I recall he was busy making a gearwheel for a clock. “You’ll be Chris then?” he enquired re-vitalising his pipe, filling the shed with smoke. “What do you know about lathes then?” As it happened I did and we were soon deep in conversation about all things engineering. For a Yorkshireman he was clearly a fine fellow. Jane eventually came to find me once it got dark.

He never spoke about Dunkirk until the 50th Anniversary when some of the lighter moments were recalled. He joined the Henley branch of the Dunkirk Veterans Association and in later years was interviewed countless times following a lovely meeting with Christopher Nolan researching for the film Dunkirk, in which a number of his recollections are featured.

He was invited to a private screening at Warner Brothers accompanied by Pete, Alice and Mary. They asked if he and the other veterans present approved. Edward said he’d now been there twice. An accolade if there ever was one. Then it was the red carpet premiere: another invitation, another limo. Pete, Owain and Alex took him and what a day they had. Alex, who is in the TA, so being military, was charged with accompanying Edward to Kensington Palace to meet Prince Harry whilst Pete and Owain enjoyed the Green Room. A call was made with Pete at one o’clock in the morning telling us that they were ready to go but Grandad was busy talking to Kenneth Branagh. I didn't know who that was, so I just said OK. They got back at three.

He also went on countless trips with The Association of Dunkirk Little Ships and was quickly adopted by Alan and Ann, owners of the RIIS. Their kindness meant an awful lot to us and him, in his Yorkshire way obviously. Recently we turned up some pulleys for the RIIS on his old lathe. A fitting tribute.

A memorable trip for him was a picnic on the Thames at Windsor Castle with Mark, his nephew, regular army. Prince Philip came over to chat to them. Edward said, "Sorry but I’m a little hard of hearing," whereupon Prince Philip replied with a smile, "Join the club!" He was sent a great picture of the meeting.

For his 100th birthday we had a socially distanced party in the road. It was a glorious, sunny, happy April (2020) day. Rumour has it we fired him over the village from a cannon but he enjoyed the experience and landed firmly but safely in Trevor’s hedge.

With huge gratitude we thank all the carers he has had especially Roger and the two Sues who, through their dedication, ensured that he enjoyed his later years to the fullest, at home, and celebrated his 101st birthday. Most of all I thank Jane for being there 24/7.

Chris Dunkley, son-in-law

Grandad was a unique character: a modest man, of great integrity and intellectual pursuits with many skills and talents. He had a can-do attitude to life; was creative; had an active mind and would keep up with the modern world and technologies. He was computer literate and always keen to embrace the new. His passion for astronomy meant he was active for many years in the Aylesbury Astronomical Society. I accompanied him to the wondrous Winchenden Observatory and have some very special recollections of star gazing with him and once even met Sir Patrick Moore in his company. A generous man, I was always astonished at the range of bizarre riches he would acquire for me, from stationary engines and old clocks to a taxidermied crocodile head, which I treasure. He gave me some of his old hand tools which I still use to this day. He could also extemporise on literature, poetry, languages, was a decent artist with a musical ear and he could regale a room with songs from his youth and even the army.

Owain Jones, grandson

Full versions of these tributes are available at https://wendovernews.co.uk/news/edwardoates-tributes/.