Pride of Place for Stuart Grainger

Pride of Place for Stuart Grainger

By North Essex Astronomical Society Comment Closed
Earlier in the year we told you the sad news of the loss of Stuart Grainger. Stuart's commitment  and dedication to the society is beyond compare  (you can read more about Stuart here) and those of us who are regulars attendees at the observatory on Thursday night are sure that as well as us missing him,  "astro-dog" Smudge still misses him and his laser pen. We recently put up a picture of Stuart so we can see his friendly face every time we go out of the door and onto the patio to gaze at the night sky. Stuart - your one more year of being involved at the observatory has been extended for just a bit longer....
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Stuart Grainger, 1935–2017

By North Essex Astronomical SocietyNo Comments
It is with great sadness that NEAS announces the loss of our good friend and Observatory Director, Stuart Grainger, at the age of 81. Stuart had been a member for some 17 years, and served on the committee for much of that, being instrumental in helping to shape the society into the organisation it is today. Every year for the past 5–6 years he had announced he would retire from his role, only to decide to carry on for "just one more year". His passion and commitment to the society were second to none. Anyone who has attended one of our public lectures, stargazing nights at Great Notley, or school or scout group outreach events is likely to have met Stuart, who continued to attend virtually every one of these up until very recently when ill health prevented him (reluctantly, we might add!) from doing so. Stuart worked tirelessly to keep our observatory running smoothly, often carrying out maintenance and repairs himself, and was always...
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Les Sayer MBE DSM (1915 – 2008)

By North Essex Astronomical SocietyNo Comments
It is with great sadness that we have to report the passing of our Society president and good friend Les Sayer. Les lived a varied and textured life. He served as a Telegraphist Air Gunner (TAG) of the Fleet Air Arm during the Second World War, flying in the Fairey Swordfish. TAGs were responsible for providing Morse code communications as well as protecting the aircraft with a machine gun. While stationed on the aircraft carrier HMS Victorious in 1941, he took part in the final , vital attack on the German battleship Bismark. His squadron were part of the first wave which crippled the famous ship with torpedo bombing. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) for the part he played. This and other memoirs were featured in the book "Tag On A Stringbag" which Les co-wrote. You can find out more about these remarkable aircraft at the Navy Wings charity. Upon leaving the Navy, Les spent over thirty years in a...
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