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Celebrating television's This Is Your Life

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THIS IS YOUR LIFE - David Barclay, Air Ambulance officer, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews outside the BBC Television Theatre after the car taking him from London Airport to the West End had 'broken down'.

David, who was born in Greenock, Scotland, began working in his father's dairy business after leaving school at 16. In 1927, he joined the Scottish Flying Club and was flying solo after only three and a half hours of tuition. He joined the RAF in August 1929 and was commissioned to Kohat, on the Indian northwest frontier, as a pilot officer with 27 Squadron B Flight.

In 1934, he joined Scottish Airways as a civilian pilot. After BEA took over the company in 1946, he was promoted to operations superintendent, but just two years later, he was back as a pilot, specialising in air ambulance work. By 1950, he was known throughout Scotland for his bravery and skill in flying mercy missions, often in bad weather - having flown 50 air ambulance missions by 1960.

programme details...

• Edition No: 125
• Subject No: 125
• Broadcast live: Mon 29 Feb 1960
• Broadcast time: 7.30-8.00pm
• Venue: BBC Television Theatre
• Series: 5
• Edition: 27

on the guest list...

• Margaret Kerr
• Tom Caskie
• Grp Capt Ronald Cauthery
• Nina - wife
• Bill Gray
• Jimmy Mitchell
• Gordon Kerr
• Sister Jean Stalker
• Robert McKean
• Kathleen Andrews
• Harry Drysdale
• Isabella Rendell
• Margaret Rendell
• Malcolm - brother
• Bryan Fauber
• Patricia - daughter
• John Kerr

production team...

• Researcher: Ronald Vivian
• Writer: Ronald Vivian
• Director: unknown
• Producer: T Leslie Jackson

Life Savers

heroes of the emergency services

Split Second Danny

Radio Times feature on the programme's chauffeur

The Glasgow Herald 1 May 1965

Air Ambulance Pioneer Retires

From Our Scottish Air Correspondent

Captain David Barclay, the Scottish air ambulance pioneer who retired yesterday at the age of 60, said he thought it would be wrong to go back to the pre-war "hedge-hopping days" of small aircraft in the Highlands and Islands.

"Bigger aircraft are required and I look forward to the day when British European Airways will operate an all-Viscount fleet on all but one of the northern routes. Flying is much easier now than in the hedge-hopping days."

"When I started flying to the Highlands and Islands in 1934 we had no radio, de-icing equipment, and other modern safety devices. Today's better equipment and aircraft mean we can fly above the rough weather."

Captain Barclay, whose last flight as an airline pilot yesterday was at the controls of a Heron aircraft, had a "royal" reception on the islands of Tiree and Barra and at Renfrew Airport.

Piped From 'Plane

His daughter, Patricia, a stewardess with BEA, who is based in Jersey, made the last flight with him at his request. A crowd greeted him at Tiree, where he was presented with a pewter beer mug.

About 150 islanders cheered as he was piped from the Heron on the sands of Barra. There were more speeches and Captain Barclay was given a bottle of cockles.

Unknown source 8 May 1965

The pilot who saved 1000 lives

Captain David Barclay of the world famous Scottish Air ambulance Service, whose mercy flights have saved 1000 lives, has made his last official flight.

A pilot for 38 years, he has retired just a few days after his 60th birthday.

Appropriately his last operational flight was from Barra and Tiree, where he is best known and loved by the island folk.

As a tribute to the veteran flier BEA pilots and air ambulance nurses from Glasgow's Southern General Hospital formed a guard of honour as he stepped from the plane at Renfrew.

Captain Barclay's eyes glistened with tears as he gave Sister Jean Stalker a farewell hug. She has accompanied him on his flights for the past 15 years.

His daughter, Patricia (25), an air stewardess, went with him on his last flight.