Sad news.  I served under Ron Sparkes twice; the first time at No 1 Air Defence Centre, Western Hill, Penang (along with Geoff) just before we handed it over to the Royal Malaysian Air Force and then again on 1 ACC, based at Wattisham when we couldn't think of anywhere else nice to deploy it. He was a great CO and influenced me hugely, as did the other "Lancaster Survivors" who populated the branch at that time - Sam Small, John Whynacht and Geoff Bibby to name but three.  Their dramatically limited survival prospects during their formative years gave them a very healthy perspective on the unexpected life that followed.

I recall that on one Summer's afternoon over at Anglia Site, Wattisham, a group of us were messing about between sorties on the grass outside with a golf club and a few balls - one of which Des Allen propelled neatly through Ron Sparkes' office window.  After the inevitable standing-to-attention bit, Ron, knowing that MPBW would charge Des at least a month's worth of drinking vouchers to replace the window, bundled him into his staff car and drove him into Stowmarket where Des was obliged to purchase the replacement pane and a tub of putty.  Ron them stopped by his MQ, picked up the necessary tools and then instructed Des, and every other junior officer not gainfully employed on a radar scope at the time, in the noble art of window pane replacement.  He then supervised Des' first attempt.  I doubt that this example appears in any leadership manual - but perhaps it should. RIP Boss.