John William Virgo (1933 – 2023)
On 18 April Billy, Val, Jean and I attended the funeral of our late member, John Virgo. John belonged to the local RAF Association and had been a member of the Royal Observer Corps. His coffin, draped in the Association’s Standard, was received outside the chapel by a detachment from the Association and preceded in to the chapel by the Standard of the Royal Observer Corps, with two black ribbons attached to its head. John had personally chosen the readings and hymns and the service concluded with the great hymn, ‘Abide With Me’, at which point the Corps’ Standard was dipped, raised again at the conclusion of the hymn and the Standard Bearer then led everyone from the chapel. A lovely ‘touch’ was that one wreath was in the RAF colours: a blue circular base, with white flowers on top and two Red Poppies to complete the three colours. On top of the white flowers was a miniature Spitfire.
John had worked at Supermarine and Hawker Siddeley, in Hamble, before becoming a Postman in Southampton. We met John’s nephew, Chris and his wife, from Cornwall, with whom John had had a long, and very special, friendship.
I first met John over 20 years ago when I gave a talk at Millbrook about the Old Cemetery. He was there with a friend and, afterwards, they introduced themselves and said they wanted to trace, in the cemetery, the grave of Southampton’s aviation pioneer, Squadron Leader Edwin Rowland Moon, who had died in 1920. I was able to help with that and it led to a friendship that continued on from there. FoSOC was introduced to David Maber who wrote a biography of Edwin Moon and, later, gave the copyright in the book to FoSOC for which we were, and are, most grateful.
In 2010 the local RAF Association wished to commemorate, at the cemetery, for the 90th anniversary of Edwin’s death, the centenary of Moon’s first, successful, powered flight. FoSOC worked very closely with John and members of the Association and a memorable event was held, remembered by all who were there. The group picture is from that occasion and John is standing on the left by the memorial. FoSOC wanted to commemorate the centenary of Edwin Moon’s death in 2020 but Covid put paid to that and it was not until 2022 that we could meet with the Association, and invited guests, including Southampton’s mayor, for that occasion. Sadly, John was too unwell to attend but we did let him have a report and copies of all the pictures taken that day. He kept them safely.
John’s service included the beautiful poem, ‘High Flight’, last heard by us in its entirety at the 2022 Commemoration. It opens with these lines:
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings
Billy, Val and I all came to know John well and thoroughly enjoyed being with him and talking to him on the telephone. We all miss him greatly. He was, as the Reverend Peter Dockree said at the funeral: ‘Easy to be around, jovial and a friendly open person’.
RIP, John.
Geoff Watts
