Tributes paid to former West Norfolk mayor and Second World War veteran Vic Stapley

Tributes have been paid to a former West Norfolk mayor and Bomber Command veteran who died last week.

Wing Commander Vic Stapley, who was president of the King’s Lynn branch of the Royal Air Forces Association (RAFA) for more than 30 years until his death, died at his home in Dersingham on Thursday, aged 96, following a short illness.

King’s Lynn RAFA branch secretary Gary Walker said: “Wg Cdr Stapley was the very epitome of ‘service before self’, whether that was in serving the local community in which he had settled or to the veterans in the county whose welfare to him was paramount.

“He was a regular figure at all the annual services of remembrance in Tower Gardens and is a sad loss to the RAF Association to which he had devoted so much of his life and whose members are very saddened by his loss. He will be sorely missed by all.”

Wg Cdr Stapley, who was one of the few remaining surviving Lancaster Bomber pilots, was awarded an MBE in 1962, an OBE in 1976 and the Legion D’Honneur – France’s highest honour for military and civil merits – last year for his service in liberating France from German occupation in the Second World War.

While a pilot with 166 Squadron during the war, he flew 38 combat missions and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

North West Norfolk MP Sir Henry Bellingham also paid tribute to Wg Cdr Stapley and said his family can be “very proud of everything Vic achieved”.

“Although well into his 90s, Vic Stapley carried on working in the community, in particular with veteran groups until the end of last year,” Sir Henry said.

“Vic Stapley was not just a remarkable veteran of Bomber Command but was also highly decorated for bravery in action.”

After settling in West Norfolk in the 1970s, Wg Cdr Stapley became a borough councillor for Heacham, and during this time served as chairman of planning and borough mayor.

Sir Henry added: “Vic was a truly remarkably person and indeed in many ways an iconic figure. He commanded incredible respect across the whole borough and further afield.

“He was also one of the very last highly decorated Second World War veterans here in West Norfolk, and he will be sorely missed.

“Of course, our heartfelt sympathy goes out to his family, but they can be very proud of everything Vic achieved both fighting for his country in the war, and serving his community in peacetime.”