An Angus man has told how his search for a former RAF colleague abruptly ended in a blaze of publicity.
Raymond Ferguson from Brechin served with the 751 Signals Unit in Cyprus in the late 1950s alongside Douglas Lamond from Dundee.
Mr Ferguson had “great memories” of his time with Mr Lamond and tried to find him 10 years after his name was mentioned at a reunion in Huntington.
The search sadly ended when Mr Ferguson found out that Mr Lamond had died after being given another patient’s prescription.
The inquest made national headlines and Mr Ferguson expressed great sadness at hearing of his former colleague’s passing.
Mr Ferguson said: “I was demobbed in May 1959 and lost contact with most of my fellow airman.
“About 10 years ago I was invited to a 751 SU Reunion in Huntingdon and Sergeant Lamond’s name was mentioned.
“All I knew was that he was from Dundee, however my search proved unsuccessful, like may other searches for former friends.
“That search ended when I saw the newspaper article about him.
“It is always sad when a fellow airman dies and there have been a few in recent years and they all leave many great memories. Sergeant Lamond will be amongst them.
“He was always a fair man and as they say ‘old airman never die they just fade away’.”
751 Signals Unit was a RADAR Station based at Cape Greco Cyprus from 1956 until 1959, with about 180 personnel – the bulk being RADAR operators.
Mr Ferguson said: “We operated 24 hours a day on a three-day watch system which consisted of approximately 12 airman, an officer in overall charge, with a sergeant and a corporal and us the RADAR operators.
“Sergeant Lamond was our watch sergeant and I may say a good one at that.
“He always looked after his watch and provided you did your job he supported you, but if you didn’t he could be a strict disciplinarian.
“If there was a party in any of our tents – and there were a few – he would join us for a few beers and join in the fun.
“On December 1958 our new cinema was opened and as a bit of fun I borrowed his tunic and went round ordering fellow Creconians around – including Sergeant Lamond. He saw the funny side to this caper.”
The inquest heard that 86-year-old widower Mr Lamond received weekly medicine boxes from Boots, which were assembled in-branch and contained pills in separate plastic compartments to take on different days.
Mr Lamond had been receiving many different medications for complaints including type 2 diabetes, heart problems and glaucoma.
His weekly pack, when opened, contained seven labels in the name of Anthony Lampard, but the label on the outside said Douglas Lamond.
Mr Lamond died at Ipswich Hospital after a friend called an ambulance for him.
