Sidney EricALLITTOf Mickleover, died on Saturday September 7th, shortly after his 98th birthday. Born and raised in Birmingham, son of a steel forger and a school-teacher, he joined the Royal Air Force in 1940. In 1941 he was aboard the troop-ship "Muncaster Castle" en route to Singapore when it was sunk by an enemy submarine, and he survived for a week in an open lifeboat. After postings to South Africa, India, and Egypt, he spent the later years of the war at an RAF station near Tel Aviv, in what is now Israel. After the war he earned a degree in physics at the University of Birmingham, then trained to be a teacher. Married in 1952 to Sylvia Doris Bird (1925-1982), also of Birmingham, he came to the Derby area in 1956. Here he worked as senior physics master at Derby School between then and his retirement in 1981, and published "Comprehensive Exercises in Advanced-Level Physics" in 1965. For many years an enthusiastic musician, he played the bassoon in Derby Philharmonic and Concert Orchestras, and later enjoyed making and playing replicas of such ancient wind instruments as racketts, crumhorns, and shawms. In retirement he was active in U3A, played bridge, traveled widely in Britain, Europe, and the USA, and was a close friend and companion to Rena Summerbell. He is survived by his three children, Malcolm, Patrick and Deborah, by three grandchildren, Forest, Martin, and Frances, and by a great grandson, Ozzie, who was born in Hanoi, Vietnam, just six days before his death. A Celebration of Eric's life will be held on Thursday 26th September in the Main Chapel at Markeaton Crematorium at 1.20pm. All welcome. No flowers by request donations in Eric's memory for The National Trust may be sent care of Wathall's 01332 345268 www.wathalls.co.uk
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