Model plane sparks Geoff's interest in father's Royal Flying Corps service
As a young man, 98-year-old Geoff Hickman dreamt of following in his father's footsteps by joining the Royal Flying Corps.
Unfortunately circumstances did not allow Mr Hickman, from Ironbridge, to make his dream a reality, and instead he joined the Army.
But on Christmas Eve Mr Hickman's son Graham, 65 was out shopping when something caught his eye.
In a little gift shop in Ironbridge there was a wooden model of a World War One bi-plane.
"It really stood out to me as my grandfather was in the Royal Flying Corps during World War One," he said. "My father was in the Army in the Second World War, but I know that he wanted to join the RAF but wasn't allowed to.
"My grandfather, James Maxwell Hickman, was on ground mechanics rather than up in the air flying the aircraft.
"Sadly we have no idea about where he was based, or any information about his time in the Royal Flying Corps as his records have been destroyed, so it would be nice to fill in the blanks.
"But when I saw the plane in the shop I had to get him it – plus what do you buy a 98-year-old these days?"
Graham said that his father loved the present and hopes to find out more information about his father.
Sadly Mr Hickman was the victim of theft just before Christmas, when a wreath on his front door was stolen, along with the house number.
Graham said the theft did not ruin the family's Christmas, and that they brought a new wreath, but kept it in the hall to be safe.
Born in Market Drayton in October 1916, Geoff Hickman worked for J.C. Lloyd, a grocery store, in Market Drayton before being called up into the Royal Artillery.
He and his comrades were sent around Africa to India before being sent to the Middle East and on to Italy where he first saw action on the River Sangro.
