The late Geoff Stanton, fondly remembered as The Duck Man, at St Mary’s Hospital.
A COLLECTION of aeronautical memorabilia, amassed by one of the Isle of Wight’s most colourful characters, is due to be auctioned-off next week.
Ambulance technician Geoff Stanton, fondly known as The Duck Man because of his work caring for the ducks at St Mary’s Hospital, died in 2007, aged 50.
A former winner of the coveted NHS person of the year and Community Health Council employee of the year, Geoff’s lifetime passion was collecting aircraft memorobilia which filled his one-bedroomed flat to bursting point.
And the bulk of his impressive collection is set to go under the hammer in a sale of fine art, antiques and collectables by Surrey auctioneers, Ewbank Clarke Gammon Wellers on Wednesday and Thursday.
Among the scores of items due to be sold are RAF uniforms, sheepskin flying jackets, and even a framed piece of fabric from a Messerschmitt 109, shot down over Balcombe Down, during the Battle of Britain, in 1940.
The biggest item in the collection however, is a pilot’s ejector seat, thought to be from a Gloster Meteor jet, which Geoff acquired from the Air Training Corps.
Geoff’s interest in aviation came from his father, Ken, who worked for the Aircraft Inspection Directorate. Ken took Geoff around a disused United States airforce base, prompting Geoff to begin his historic collection.
In 2004, Geoff tracked down an American survivor of the B-17 plane My Day, which ditched just off the Isle of Wight, in 1943. The airman, former Flt Sgt John Mont, visited the Isle of Wight for the 60th anniversary D-Day commemorations and was re-united with his plane’s propeller.
Geoff’s brother, Chris, said: "At times Geoff was happiest in his own company, but on other occasions he was the life and soul of the party, and he knew how to party."
Reporter: davidn@iwcpmail.co.uk