9th May 2022
Tributes To Peter Corfield MBE Who Passed Away on 5th May 2022
Peter Corfield MBE, chair of the Ludlow Hospital League of Friends, died at Hereford Hospital on Thursday after an illness. Mr Corfield was a “tireless campaigner” for Ludlow Hospital, and was awarded an MBE in 2014 at the age of 73 for his selfless efforts.
Dr Catherine Beanland shared some heartfelt words, saying: “It is an honor and a privilege to write this tribute to Peter—a friend, health campaigner, loving father and husband and chair of the Ludlow Hospital League of Friends since 2006. In whatever role we knew him, from whatever vantage point, he stood apart as someone very special.
“Peter was the leader of the campaign for the new hospital and health village on the Eco Park that was approved in May 2012 only to be blocked in July 2013 on the grounds that it was not economically viable. He was awarded an MBE for his efforts in 2014.
“He continued to fight for improved services in Ludlow Hospital, and indeed still had time for a meeting about the hospital a few days before his admission to Hereford Hospital. He sadly passed away with his family and loved ones present.”
She added: “Peter was born at Broseley in Shropshire as a war baby in November 1940. As a 16-year-old he joined the Royal Air Force at RAF Hereford and this led to a military career that saw him serve in the Middle East, Africa and in Germany. His work in the UK included helping to set up the museum at RAF Cosford that opened in 1974. After leaving the RAF, Peter had a business career with the Ever Ready Group and then in advertising with Alan Brady and Marsh followed by Ogilvy and Mather, where he helped to lobby for infrastructure projects in London.”
Mr Corfield retired to Shropshire with his wife Gloria in 1997 and soon became involved in local community activities and charities. During his time as a member of the Friends of Ludlow Hospital he has been involved in helping to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for equipment including dialysis machines.
TRIBUTES have started to pour in for Peter Corfield, the long serving chairman of Ludlow Hospital League of Friends, who died on Thursday.
Mr Corfield was a great champion of health services in Ludlow and led a fight to save the existing community hospital and then to have a new hospital and health village built on the Eco Park.
This was dropped at the eleventh hour after a change of Government spending rules determined that it was no longer viable.
Dr Catherine Beanland, a partner at the Portcullis surgery in Ludlow and Philip Dunne MP, a former health minister, were amongst the first to pay tributes to Mr Corfield.
“It is an honour and a privilege to write this tribute to Peter, a friend, health campaigner, loving father and husband and chair of the Ludlow Hospital League of Friends since 2006,” said Dr Beanland.
“In whatever role we knew him, from whatever vantage point, he stood apart as someone very special.
“Peter was the leader of the campaign for the new hospital and health village on the Eco Park that was approved in May 2012 only to be blocked in July 2013 on the grounds that it was not economically viable. He was awarded an MBE for his efforts in 2014.
“He continued to fight for improved services in Ludlow Hospital and indeed still had time for a meeting about the hospital, a few days before his illness which resulted in his admission to Hereford Hospital. He sadly passed away with his family and loved ones present.
“Peter was born at Brosley in Shropshire as a war baby in November 1940.
“As a 16-year-old he joined the Royal Air Force at RAF Hereford and this led to a military career that saw him serve in the Middle East, Africa and in Germany.
“His work in the UK included helping to set up the museum at RAF Cosford that opened in 1974.
“After leaving the RAF Peter had a business career with the Ever Ready Group and then in advertising with Alan Brady and Marsh followed by Ogilvy and Mather, where he helped to lobby for infrastructure projects in London.
Peter retired to Shropshire with his wife Gloria in 1997 and soon became involved in local community activities and charities. During his time as a member of the Friends of Ludlow Hospital he has been involved in helping to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for equipment including dialysis machines.
“It was an honour and a privilege to have known him. Rest in Peace Peter, a caring and beloved family man, a cherished friend and constant supporter of Ludlow Hospital, will be missed by many, but never will he be forgotten by those who were fortunate enough to have known him.”
Ludlow MP Philip Dunne said that Mr Corfield had continued to work for the hospital despite his own ill health.
“I am truly saddened to hear that Peter had passed away,” said Mr Dunne.
“Peter has been a pillar of strength to all those groups with whom he has become involved since moving to Ludlow, notably the League of Friends of Ludlow Community Hospital, of which he became chairman more than a decade ago.”
“I had worked closely with Peter over the years, and saw him twice in recent months. “On both occasions he was uncomplaining about his own ailments, although these were evident, and utterly committed to trying to work towards the next solution to improve Ludlow Hospital.
“My thoughts are with his wife, Gloria, for whom Peter was a rock and helped her through some difficult times, and with all who knew him. Peter is a real loss to us all, and to the causes to which he was so committed.”
Mr Corfield had been in poor health for the past two years although he had continued as chairman of the League of Friends.
He had been aware of the need to introduce new blood into the group and this had been one of his objectives.
Recently, Mr Corfield, who believed that community hospitals like Ludlow, have a huge role to play in taking pressure off larger hospitals, had suggested it was time to reopen a debate on the need for a new facility like the one that had been planned for the Eco Park.
The pictures below were kindly sent to me by David Drinkwater who was briefly at Credenhill (30th entry Suppliers) before leaving to train as a Halton apprentice. Many thanks David. His account of his time at Hereford is detailed below. If anyone recognises any of the guys in the photos would they please let me know administrator@rafadappassn.org
Some Comments By David Drinkwater
I was recently asked if I remembered Cpl Drinkwater (my namesake) at Credenhill when I trained as an admin apprentice.
The answer is of course YES I DO but let me put the meeting in context.
I applied to join the RAF in January 1957 but failed the aptitude tests, but I was told that I could join as an Apprentice Supplier. ( not suitable for technical training) I did join up with the 30th Entry later that month. My meeting with Cpl Drinkwater was in the Mess when he sought me out and asked me directly if I was going to uphold the name of Drinkwater. My “off the top of my head” answer was “Well it depends on what sort of name it has already” – probably not the best way to start my Service career.
Later on after enduring weeks of bin stock cards I went to see my Flt Cdr (Sqn Ldr Holland) and told him that I was like a fish out of water at Credenhill. We talked for a while and to my astonishment there was another guy called I believe, Bell, ,who wanted to leave Halton and come to Hereford. Sqn Ldr Holland (bless him) arranged for us to transfer – me to Halton and Bell to Hereford. To cut the story short I graduated from Halton and a couple of years later I qualified as a Flight Engineer flying all sorts of large aircraft from the Belfast to the Lancaster.(BBMF) During my time as a flt engineer I also qualified as an instructor and after some 32 years left the RAF to become the Flt Deck Training Manager with
UK airlines.
Sorry to hear that Reg Drinkwater has left us. I will never forget that first meeting with him. I do see that my name is still on the Entry list for the 30th.
Peter Corfield Receives the MBE
November 2018
A Letter From Mrs Margaret Parrish – Wife Of The Late Mick Parrish (30th Entry)
I am attaching a photo of my husband, ex GO593312/593312 Michael Parrish, who enlisted as an apprentice at the age of 15 in 1956. initially as a ground mechanic, I think, but he very quickly changed to become an administration apprentice. During his time he served in Hereford, from where the photo is taken. He also served at Bircham Newton, and then at R,A.F Oakington Cambs where we met and later on December 23rd 1961 after which we went to R.A.F.Butweilerhof, Germany. After we returned to U.K. Michael was posted to R.AF Bicester where he was in charge of the office at and then we were posted to R.A.F. Episkopi Michael went as the P.A. to the C.in.C there and later became P.A. to the Education officer We returned to Uk in 1969 and after a few years Michael was sent to Ramstein Germany to find and open an office there , working with the American Forces. Here he was awarded with the B.E.M. and then he was posted to R.A.F. Rheindahlen, as P.A.to the C inC Sir Michael Beetham. From here Michael went to Wellington New Zealand as a Flight Sergeant and then as Warrant Officer. In Wellington, the CinC of the New Zealand forces asked him to stay there as his P.A. and also to work in the headquarters. However, we had to return to England and Michael worked at R.A.F Stanbridge, Leighton Buzzard and then to R.AF Catterick, before going to Moscow in 1984 until September 1986.
On returning to England Michael became the Families Officer at R.A.F Coltishall where he remine until his retirement when he was asked to join SSAFA. He used one of the quarters as his office for a number of years.
We settled here in Roughton, Norfolk and Michael then joined the North Norfolk University o the Third Age and became the Administration Officer and Web site organiser. He was still enjoying this until he became ill on 6th September 2017 and after 2 months at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital he died on 6th November 2017.
This is very brief resume of Michael’s service in the Royal Air Force and I was lucky to join him in most of the places in which he served, apart from his 6 months tour in Ascension Island.. I did manage to spend a couple of weeks there with him on holiday.
If there is anyone who knew us and would wish to see some o his photos from all over the world, I would be very pleased to write to them
Thank you for forwarding the newsletter. I love to hear abut people who were in the forces.
Yours sincerely,
Margaret Parrish
Your Entry Has Reunion Photos! To View Click Here
Have You Any Photographs Or Other Memories Of the 30th Entry RAF Administrative Apprentices? If So You Can E-Mail Them To: administrator@rafadappassn.org
administrator@rafadappassn.org
The THIRTIETH Entry was attested at the Administrative Apprentice Training School RAF Hereford on 23 January 1957. Training was undertaken there in the trades of Clerk Secretarial, Pay Accounting and Supply until 31 July 1958.
