Page 13 - issue05.04.2019

Royal Air Force News Friday, April 5, 2019 P13

News

News Bulletin RETURN OF
THE JED: Award-
winning writer Cold War killed
Jed Mercurio is
back with a new
series of gritty
BBC cop drama
cop drama king’s
Line of Duty

RAF dream

Salisbury

celebrates Tracey Allen “We had a fantastic bunch of QFIs

Forces Day IF IT wasn’t for RAF cutbacks who were real mentors in terms of
at the end of the Cold War,
what we wanted to achieve in flying
Jed Mercurio might never careers, but also in terms of what we
SALISBURY IS counting down to have become a writer. wanted to be as officers.”
Armed Forces Day after being named The creator of BBC TV hits The decision to scrap the job that
as the host city for this year’s nationwide Line of Duty and Bodyguard offered him the chance to practice
event in June. was on course to become a medicine and pursue his dream of
The announcment comes a year medical officer pilot in the Air being a frontline pilot was a tipping
after military chemical teams were Force – until the the post was point for the 53-year-old writer.
called in to decontaminate a residential axed as tensions between East “I had to do a serious rethink about
area following the use of the deadly and West thawed and military where I was going,” he added.
Novichok nerve agent in the attempted budgets were reigned in. He was offered work as an advisor
assassination of a former Russian agent. TV’s hottest crime writer on a TV medical show which
The city is also home to Army bases has revisisted his early days eventually led to an opportunity to
Bulford, and Tidworth and close to with the RAF at Cosford, write scripts.
Salisbury Plain, one of the UK’s biggest where he flew with the After delving into the dark world
military training areas. University Air Squadron of counter terrorism in Bodyguard
Defence Secretary Gavin while studying medicine at and police corruption in Line of Duty,
Williamson said: “The expert response Birmingham University in Mercurio says he is tempted by the
of the Armed Forces to the Salisbury the 1980s. prospect of a hard-hitting military
attack is just one reason why we’re all so He revealed how drama.
grateful for their service.” flying with the UAS and He said: “I think it’s very difficult
experience in to represent the Forces on
RAF fast jets at mainstream TV. There’s
Valley set the still a lot of ignorance
stage for his about what Forces life is
award-winning like and possibly that then
career. makes it very hard to do an
His novel authentic drama.
Ascent, about “There’s a pressure
a Russian pilot between the necessities
who became a of drama and the rightful
cosmonaut in the desire to give a true
space race, was, reflection of military life,
FRONTLINE FAITH: Rev (Wg Cdr) Richardson he said ‘hugely informed by so I think then it becomes very hard
is presented with award by Halton Station experiences of flying with the to secure the kind of cooperation
Commander Gp Capt Katherine Wilson University of Birmingham you would need from the Ministry of
Padre David’s Air Squadron and some of the Defence and any Forces units to make
fast jet flying I did during my
Shader honour detachments to Valley’. the drama appear authentic.
“It’s a double-edged sword. It would
He added: “When I was
based in fact.”
AIR FORCE Padre Rev David thinking of the airfield the be very interesting to do something
Richardson has become the first Soviet Air Force was using in Mercurio said he would ‘heartily
UK military Chaplain to receive the novel, ‘An-Tung’ in northern recommend’ an Air Force career. He
the Operation Shader medal. China, I actually did no research added: “My time in the RAF was some
The Halton-based Reverend GOOD COP BAD COP: (from right) Line of Duty on this, it was a fictional base and of the best days of my life. You make
worked with UK teams training stars Vicky McClure, Martin Compston and Adrian I just imagined RAF Cosford. friends for life, are a part of something
Dunbar. Inset right, Keeley Hawes and Richard
Iraqi and Peshmerga forces at Madden in The Bodyguard. PHOTOS: BBC. MAIN “My fondest memories of bigger and have experiences you could
the height of the mission against PHOTO: PA being on the UAS at Cosford is just not get in any other organisation.”
Daesh, in 2016. the camaraderie - that building of l The fifth series of Line of Duty
He said: “Being out on the team spirit, working together and continues on BBC One on Sundays
ground seeing personnel training achieving together. at 9pm.
was inspiring.”
SAC is choked

at his success

RAF Martial Arts Championship: p31