Jerry Grayson

He served in the Royal Navy from 1972-1980 as a Search and Rescue helicopter pilot. He was based on the aircraft carrier Ark Royal and later at RNAS (Royal Naval Air Station) Culdrose near Helston in Cornwall. He was involved in rescuing numerous civilians during his time at Culdrose, including yachtsmen who were taking part in the infamous Fastnet race when many of the yachts were hit by a storm on 13-14 August 1979. He was awarded an Air Force Cross by the Queen for outstanding gallantry in search and rescue, in addition to numerous other commendations. He has described his experiences in his autobiography "Rescue Pilot: Cheating the Sea".