Pegasus Caving Club
aka Pegasus Club Nottingham
Tributes to Tony Marshall
23rd June 1943 - 1st July 2026
Top of Eldon Hole
Snowdon
1963. A group of Pegasus Club members at the 'Hut', Dogmanslack Farm, Peak Forest.
Left to right: Lynda Potter, Peter Watkinson, Terry Wright, Geoff Tyas,
Bob Dakin, Melvin Batchford, Tony Marshall and Alan Harrison.
Tony's Eulogy
Ending are always hard, whether they are expected or not, sometimes the end is blessing in disguise, although today we are not here to talk about the end, but to share a small part of the life that Tony has lived.
Tony has left behind his wife of 56 years Ruth and their daughters Sarah and Clare, Tony has shared his love, spirit and values with you, which you will continue to carry as you continue on your own life paths.
Tony was born on the 23rd June, 1943 an only child for his mum Dorothy, who was always known as Mary.
Mary brought Tony up as a single parent, living in Radford, Nottingham. Until Mary married Frank when Tony was around 15 years of age.
Mary always managed to take Tony on holiday every summer, with them going to Mablethorpe most years.
Tony attended Forest Fields Grammar School, and was a member of the Aspley Boys Club. He was always an out doorsy boy, as in loving being outdoors and enjoying the different activities on offer. From 17 years of age (1960) Tony was a member of the Pegasus Caving Club, enjoying caving, potholing and climbing.
When Tony was 24 years of age (1967) he was part of a team of 21 people from the club who attempted the World Depth Record in the French Alps. They spent 2 weeks under ground and reached 3,680 feet, and although they didn't break that record they set a new one for the most people to bottom the cave since it was discovered.
On leaving school Tony went to work at Players as an apprentice Electrical Engineer in the Drawing Office, working as a Draughtsman.
While at Players Tony joined the Players Flying Club, taking his pilots license at Tollerton. The Squadron Leader who taught Tony to fly advised him to join the Royal Air force.
So, after spending 9 years at Players, Tony applied to join the RAF as a direct entrant in 1969, initially flying the Jet Provost before moving onto the multi engine fleet, with him flying the Varsity and Hercules K.
However, by this time Tony had met a young lady called Ruth at the Miltons Head in Nottingham, they were both out with their own group of friends.
They got chatting and the rest is history as we say. Before they could marry on the 31st January 1970 at Stathern Church Tony had to get permission from his Squadron Leader.
After receiving his 'Wings' from Princess Margaret in October 1970. Tony and Ruth then moved to Cambridge, then Portsmouth were they welcomed their daughter Sarah into their lives in 1972. Before the three of them moved to Lynham, where Clare was born just one year after Sarah in 1973.
Family holidays were normally to Cornwall in a trailer tent camping at Mawgan Porth, which just happened to be next to the Vulcan Bombers base, although they did have one holiday to Western Super Mare.
It was in 1981, that Tony was based at RAF Newton and so with the family settled in Plunger, Tony and Ruth bought their own home there, Never feeling the need to move.
Once the four of them moved to Nottingham, Sarah and Clare both had horses, Tony became taxi driver, for them both and the horses. Be it taking them to competitions all around the country.
Tony retired from the RAF in 2006 having reached the rank of Squadron Leader. Moving on to be a civilian instructor for SERCO based at Cranwell on the King Air simulator, until retiring for a second time in 2016.
At the time saying he was looking forward to spending his retirement with Ruth, enjoying walking his dogs, riding his motorbike and trying to master his mobile phone - however that was the one thing he never managed!
Along with sharing his knowledge Tony enjoyed learning, be that reading a Haynes manual to fix a car or how to lay hedges, practising on his own hedge. At one point even learning to ride to join in with the rest of the family.
Tony and Ruth have enjoyed his retirement, they went over to Australia to visit Clare, when she was travelling over there. They have cruised the South Atlantic, visiting Antarctica, Buenos Aires and the Falklands, which was somewhere Tony had been to many times but Ruth had wanted to visit.
Along with trips to China, Iceland, Ghent, Berlin and Krakow, Bruges with Ruth’s sister Sheila and her husband Dave, along with Spain and Switzerland with friends Helen and Roger, to name a few destinations.
Ruth and Tony also tried Micro-lighting, Parasailing and Hot Air Ballooning however, Tony drew a line at doing a parachute jump; he said he wouldn't leap out of a serviceable aircraft.
Tony's career has spanned from the first moon landing to the invention of the internet. Within that time aviation has seen huge changes. During Tonys instructional career there are a huge number of pilots who owe their flying careers to the instruction, advice and knowledge Tony has shared and passed on.
Tonys flying career spanned 37 years and over 15,000 flying hours.
Sadly Tony was diagnosed with dementia in January 2022, Ruth devotedly cared for him at home until his needs became greater. So two months ago Tony became a resident at Aslockton Nursing Home, where he settled well.
Tonys health took a sudden decline and he died very peacefully on the 1st July, a few days after celebrating his 83rd birthday. Tony died as he lived his life, surrounded in the love of his family.
Tony wasn't the most politically correct; he could be cantankerous with a dry, and at times inappropriate sense of humour. But always quick witted. He was like many from his era, never demonstrative with his feelings. But he was always supportive and generous with his time and sharing his knowledge, and was a very clever man.
Tony, a true legend, a real gentleman, ultimate professional and unforgettable character.