UKC

Seems sad to me that high honours are handed willy nilly to worthless "celebrities" and politicians (and bankers) yet apart from, I think, a CBE Winkle Brown received little recognition. Yet so many of us who now travel by air owe so much to his expertise, not to mention his war exploits. Such a sad omission. I'm sure that Winkle Brown's achievements and contributions to the way we now live far outweigh those of the likes of Bruce Forsythe, Cliff Richard et al.

In reply to mypyrex:

Totally agree. Yet another reason to get cross about the new years honours list. He did get a CBE though.

In reply to airborne:

Quite. I've nothing against honours but sadly many of them are doled out to those who least deserve them whilst those who DO deserve recognition often get bugger all.

In reply to airborne:

Apparently there was a petition to the government about five years ago calli ng for a knighthood for him but for some reason it was rejected. It was when the LibDems were in coalition, not that that was necessarily anything to do with it.

In reply to mypyrex:

Any record of his own views? Maybe he regarded Captain as a higher title!

In reply to mypyrex:


It is unlikely to have got near to a Minister. Honours are nominated, civil servants will look at if they already have honours (he had a CBE) and look what they have done to deserve further honour. I suspect it is a far from perfect system.

Al Evans nominated Joe Brown a few years ago, this resulted in an upgrade to a CBE.

In reply to mypyrex:

As baffling as the lack of knighthood for RJ Mitchell.

In reply to John Stainforth:


Mitchell died at 42 and several years before the Spitfire truly demonstrated its worth. It's not surprising really that his achievements weren't fully recognised in his lifetime.

In reply to John Stainforth:

By way of comparison, Barnes Wallis was Knighted, but not until 1968, by which time he was 80.

In reply to The New NickB:


They just wanted to keep him motivated in case there was another war

In reply to mypyrex:



I think it was in 2014, I remember signing it.

In reply to mypyrex:

Just read up on his obit and can't see anything that would justify any more than an OBE..... which he got.

In reply to Indy:

Unlike, say Lynton Crosby, who has done no end of sterling work over a long period of time, putting himself in great personal danger to uphold the qualities of democracy and common decency, so that we get the government we deserve.
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In reply to Andy Hardy:

Sorry, I don't see the connection other than they BOTH don't deserve it.

In reply to Indy:

But those of lesser achievements do?

In reply to mypyrex:

He got it when he shouldn't have (in my opinion) but it doesn't then follow the somebody who also shouldn't have got it then should.

In reply to Indy:
So what, in your opinion, warrants a knighthood? WHO would YOU consider worthy of such an award?

In reply to mypyrex:

No idea.
Throw me some names and I'll say yay or nay.

In reply to Indy:

Jimmy Savile