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Peter Griffith Camp 1925-2007
Peter was born in 1925 in Barrow-in-Furness where his father, who was employed by Cunard Line, was working temporarily. The family then moved to Liverpool Before settling in Southampton. Peter was educated in Winchester until the outbreak of war, when his father was sent to Australia to over-see the conversion of the Cunard ships Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth to troop carriers. His mother, who was Welsh, decided to move to rural North Wales where Peter and his brother Graham completed their education.
On leaving school Peter joined BOAC but was soon called up into the Services and in 1943 joined the Fleet Air Arm. He was sent to Canada for Pilot training, learning to fly Tiger Moths and Harvards, but with the end of the Second World War in sight he transferred to the R.A.F. as an Air Gunner, training in Scarborough and Llanelli.
After V.J. Day Peter was sent to Honilley in Warwickshire where he met Win who was serving in the WAAF as a wireless operator - he claimed he was attracted to her at their first meeting! But she had to be patient, because after demob BOAC sent Peter firstly to Poole, where he worked on the flying boats, and then on a long spell overseas, stationed in Sicily, Delhi, Rangoon and Basra. When India was partitioned he helped with the evacuation of refugees between the new countries of Pakistan and India. The anniversary of Indian independence this summer sadly reminded him about some of the awful scenes he witnessed there.
Peter returned to the UK and he and Win were married in 1951. Their sons Mark, David and Michael were born between 1952 and 1960 and grew up in St Mary Cray and Petts Wood. Mark married Caroline and Michael married Alex and Peter was blessed with four wonderful grandchildren, Peter, Rachael, Daniel, and Becky, of whom he was immensely proud.
Peter continued to work for BOAC at the Airways Terminal in Victoria until it was closed down in 1981. At that time he chose to take early retirement rather than move to Heathrow, but he maintained contact with several former colleagues. He was a popular colleague, a “people person” who had the gift of empathy.
Peter was a capable, practical man; helping the boys maintain the various wrecks they drove that passed for cars. He was also a very good D-I-Y man and did a lot of repairs and decoration in the various family homes. However one slight weak spot was his measuring - invariably he would cut wood half an inch short, or drill a hole in slightly the wrong place – Win always had to be looking over his shoulder to make sure his measurements were correct!
Win and Peter moved to Halstead in 1979 and were soon integrated into the local community, making many friends in the village. They have always been active members of St Margaret’s, and the fellowship of the Church was important to Peter. He greatly enjoyed going to the village Table Tennis Club with Mark, and was Treasurer for a number of years. He also loved his garden and was a member of the Horticultural Society.
Through NADFAS, he joined the Book Team working voluntarily in the library at Chevening House. He found this absorbing work and with the assistance of Derryck, a skilled colleague, he was able to acquire expertise in bookbinding. He was a member of Probus, the Sevenoaks U3A, and the Sevenoaks Music Club. David tried to help him with his music appreciation, but Peter struggled with anything more modern than Elgar or Vaughan Williams!
Walking; visiting old churches, stately homes and gardens; and bird-watching were all enjoyed by him. Golf was Peter’s favourite sport and he passed that love of golf on to the rest of the family. He was a member of Knole Park Golf Club for many years, and when his knees began to give him trouble, he transferred to Limpsfield Chart Golf Club where he really looked forward to his early Friday morning games.
Peter is remembered by his friends and neighbours as gentlemanly, patient and self-effacing, always ready to help out where he could but also to share a chat and a laugh. Above all he was a family man, always making time for his sons and grandchildren and encouraging them in everything they did.
Peter’s ashes will be interred in the churchyard of St. Margaret’s, with a plaque by the brick and flint wall which – typically – he helped to repair.
