Ian Craig was Honorary Secretary of Naval Eight/208 Squadro
n Association from 1968 to 1976. He then became a Vice-President and, by his own description, “Temporary" President. After his self-determined caretaker presidency of three years, he was unanimously elected Life Vice-President by the Association Committee and, in that role, was a tireless guiding hand to all of his colleagues.
'Squadron on Parade'. This picture was taken by the Editor in August 1958, when King Hussein visited Britforjor (British Forces Jordan, which comprised of the 2nd Battalion, 16th independent Parachute Brigade and No 208 Squadron. Ian Craig is on the near end of the parade line, second from the left.
From David Styles:
I firs
t met Ian Craig in Cyprus, as I joined No 208 Squadron at Nicosia. I was already in the Middle East and “escaped” from 13 Squadron to join the new Hunter unit. The Squadron Boss was Sqn Ldr John Granville-White (affectionately known as ‘Jingly”) and 208 was to be the first Hunter squadron operating in the Middle East on an established basis. Ian was a member of the detachment which went into Jordan in July 1958, when General Kassem’s coup brought the assassination of the Iraqi royal family and set up the first Republic of Iraq, placing the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan under threat. Even in those days, Ian’s sense of precision and detail was apparent in all he did.
I next met Ian almost ten years later, after I joined the Squadron Association in 1968, discovering that he was the Association’s Honorary Secretary. I recall him greeting me like a long-lost brother and making me feel so very welcome. That was typical of Ian Craig.
In 1970, I put my collection of model aircraft representing the history of 208 Squadron on display in the RAF Club. Ian involved himself from the second I arrived and did not leave my side until every model was in place and the case containing them secured. A couple of years later, probably at Ian’s
