FLYING ace Roland "Bee" Beamont, who became a hero as a wartime fighter pilot and later pioneered supersonic flight, has died at the age of 81.
Only last month, Wing Commander Beamont, who lived in Stratford-sub-Castle, was awarded the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators' Award of Honour - regarded as the Oscar of British aviation.
As he was too ill to collect it, his daughter, Carol Walton, received it on his behalf.
It was the latest in a long line of flying honours. During a dazzling RAF career, in which he commanded a fighter wing before he was 24, Wing Cdr Beamont won the DSO and Bar and DFC and Bar and was mentioned in dispatches.
Wing Cdr Beamont did much of his test flying at Boscombe Down and his career involved work on 167 aircraft types.
He lived with his late wife for some years at Pentridge, later moving to Winterbourne Earls before settling at Stratford-sub-Castle to be closer to his family.
He is survived by three daughters and a stepson.
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