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 Friday听听听16:00-16:30
Sunday听20:30-21:00听(rpt)
Radio 4's weekly obituaries programme |
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This week |
Friday听16th March 2007
(Rpt) Sunday听18th March |
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Captain William Anderson
Submariner听and US congressman who has died aged 85.
The Soviets had just stolen a march on the Americans in the space race by launching the Sputnik satelites. The man chosen to spearhead the American military and propaganda response was Captain William Anderson. The experienced naval officer from Tennessee was commander of the first nuclear submarine, Nautilus. His mission was to carry out the first underwater crossing of the North polar ice cap. Captain Anderson was driven back twice by unfavourable ice formations. But on August 1st 1958, the Nautilus submerged under the Arctic ice off Point Barrow Alaska. Two days later 鈥 at 11.15pm 鈥 it crossed the North Pole.
Captain Anderson鈥檚 achievement made him an instant American hero. He was airlifted to Washington where he received the Legion of Merit from President Eisenhower. Captain Anderson retired from the navy in 1962 and went on to serve four terms as a Democratic congressman, campaigning strongly against the Vietnam war. After losing his seat in Congress he founded a data management company and wrote books about his North Polar expedition.
Matthew Bannister talks to Al Charette the Chief Sonar Operator on board the Nautilus.
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Captain William Anderson was born June 17th 1921. He died February 25 2007, aged 85听 |
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Professor Neville Butler
Paediatrician听who has died听aged 86.
The concept of researching the lives of large numbers of people from the moment of their birth to adulthood is now taken for granted. These so-called longitudinal studies 鈥 which tracked thousands of participants - were pioneered by Professor Neville Butler who has died aged 86. Professor Butler began his career as a paediatrician at University College Hospital in London. He later moved to Great Ormond Street before becoming professor of child health at Bristol University 鈥 a post he held for twenty years. In the 1950s, Neville Butler saw the potential of longitudinal studies for revealing a wealth of important medical and social information. He set up two major pieces of research - in 1958 and 1970 - which are still in progress today. The influence of his work was seen in the TV series Seven Up which tracked the progress of a cohort of children at seven year intervals.
Matthew Bannister talks to Professor Butler鈥檚 daughter Claire Satow and to Heather Joshi who succeeded him as Director of the Centre for Longitudinal Studies
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Professor Neville Butler was born July 6th 1920. He died 22nd February 2007. |
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Russell Churney
Pianist and musical director who has died aged 42.
Russell Churney was a versatile pianist, performer and musical director, perhaps best known for becoming the only male member of the cabaret group Fascinating Aida. He also spent seven years as Julian Clary鈥檚 long suffering accompanist and collaborated with the singer Des De Moor on a reworking of the songs of David Bowie.
Russell Churney was brought up in Liverpool and studied law at Cambridge University where he also performed in Footlights. In 2005, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Julian Clary and Dillie Keane of Fascinating Aida pay tribute to Russell Churney. The music is Russell Churney performing 鈥淵es, But is it Art?鈥
Russell Churney as born on September 10th 1964. He died on February 27th 2007.
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Baron Bernd Freytag von Loringhoven,
Believed to be the last survivor from Hitler's Berlin bunker has died aged 93.
Baron Bernd Freytag Von Loringhoven was strongly opposed to the Nazis. Yet the career army officer was thought to be the last survivor who witnessed the terrible scenes in Hitler鈥檚 bunker as the second world war came to an end. Baron von Loringhoven came from an aristocratic German family that had fallen on hard times. His father worked in a tyre factory until the depression of 1929 forced him to leave his job and become a church administrator.
The young Loringhoven wanted to pursue a career as a lawyer, but in the 1930s this meant joining the Nazi party. So instead he joined the army which only required an oath to the German constitution. After service with a Panzer division in Poland, France and on the Eastern front - in 1944 Loringhoven became Aide de Camp to the newly appointed Chief of the Army general Staff. It was in this capacity that he found himself in Hitler鈥檚 Berlin bunker as the Russians and the Americans advanced and defeat became inevitable.
Matthew Bannister talks to journalist Francois d鈥橝lancon who helped write Baron von Loringhoven鈥檚 book 鈥業n the Bunker with Hitler鈥. Nick Rowe reads extracts from the book.
Baron Bernd Freytag von Loringhoven was born on February 6th 1914. He died on February 27th 2007.
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Jack Gaster
Solicitor and activist who had died aged 99.
For many years, left wing campaigners who found themselves in trouble with the law would call on the services of Jack Gaster. The solicitor represented tenants against landlords, trade unionists against big business and protesters against the police.
Jack Gaster was the twelfth of thirteen children of Dr Moses Gaster who was chief Rabbi of the Sephardic Jewish community in Britain. He was brought up in Maida Vale in London, became an articled clerk in 1925 and qualified as a lawyer in 1931. Gaster was a lifelong Communist.
Matthew Bannister talks to the writer and campaigner Tariq Ali and Jack Gaster鈥檚 daughter, Dr Lucy Gaster.
Jacobe Jack Gaster was born October 6th 1907. He died March 12th 2007. |
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