Here’s a Beauchamp Lodge Member Profile from
Andrew Mallard.
Our team has asked him a set of routine questions that
will provide you with a brief insight into his military or
civilian service.
We hope you find it of interest.

If you are interested in joining our Military Lodge simply message us using the form provided on the contact us page.

What is your name?

Andrew Mallard

Which service did you serve in?

Royal Air Force

What regiment / unit did you serve in?

51 Sqn and various Station HQs

What is the regiment’s / unit’s Motto?

Per Ardua Ad Astra (Through Adversity to the Stars)

When did you serve?

From: 13th January 1987 To: 12th January 1993

Any notable experiences in service?

Originally posted to RAF Biggin Hill (Possibly the most famous fighter station of WWII) working in the Officer and Aircrew Selection Centre (OASC), this was followed by training at RAF Hereford (an interesting place to see some near neighbours, training; then posted to RAF Turnhouse, which is now Edinburgh Airport. In 88 I also took part in a lovely expedition to Norway, trekking through the mountains, around fjords and bathing in ice cold lakes (it was July, so not exactly Arctic Warfare training, however SAC. Andrew Mallard loved it).

From there, I was posted to RAF Belize.  During one (weeklong) exercise, I calculated I had about 17 hours sleep, and I hadn’t been that deprived of sleep since a hedonistic holiday in Ibiza some five years earlier!  People think of Belize as nothing but jungle, but it also has the most amazing coral reefs and beautiful islands such as Caye Caulker, but is also within spitting distance of the Mexican, holiday destination of Cancun and so it wasn’t the hell some may have experienced (it was tough being in the RAF 😊)

In 1990, the first Gulf War came along and I, SAC. Andrew Mallard, was due to be posted to 51 Squadron based out of RAF Wyton, Cambridgeshire, but by the time I got to the UK, the Squadron had departed for overseas, so I was left at Wyton for the duration.

18 March 1991, we lost our Station Commander, Group Captain Reg McKendrick and two other officer aircrew, when the Canberra they were flying, crashed at the airfield after undertaking a simulated Engine Failure, shortly after takeoff. 

Watching the Canberra take off, all seemed as normal, but clearly something went tragically wrong, which resulted in a huge fireball as the aircraft narrowly missed some outer building and ploughed across the highway into a neighbouring, farmer’s field. Parts of the fuselage remained, but most was destroyed. That night, we had to guard the site as the remains of the crew were removed. A tragic loss of a very fine officer and our CO would have to take up temporary command of the station.

My time as SAC. Andrew Mallard, in the RAF ran its course and after 6 years, I decided it was time for pastures new.

What rank were you on leaving?

Senior Aircraftman (SAC. Andrew Mallard)

How did you join Freemasonry?

Having always been intrigued, by Freemasonry, I thought it would be interesting to join, but then life and circumstance gets in the way and the idea started to drift. 

Having been a serviceman, being part of a group of likeminded individuals, still held its attraction, but for some time, that translated more to sports such as rugby and cricket. However, having seen friends (and indeed the now master of this lodge - 2023) talk of Freemasonry, my interest was again, piqued. 

This being a West Kent Lodge, it is rather ironic that my first inclination was to reach out to East Kent. However, via some gracious exchanges between the two Provinces, I, Andrew Mallard, became a West Kent Freemason.

What do you get from Freemasonry?

Sense of belonging, friendship, camaraderie, fun, self-improvement, challenges. The list goes on, but I have found it is, once again, great to be around like-minded individuals with a can-do attitude; sense of duty and a willingness to help others. 

There are also those opportunities to visit other places that may not, ordinarily be on ones radar, but these are all things that Freemasonry offers, should you wish to embrace it.

Information supplied by Andrew Mallard and published with his consent