Windy’s widow opens library in his name

The Windy Geale Archive and Library was introduced at a ceremony at the museum with an intimate gathering of navy personnel, family members and special guests.

Museum manager Terry Hetherington and Fleet Air Arm Commander Commodore Vince Di Pietro both paid tribute to the life and contributions of Windy to both the FAA and Defence as a whole.

Windy’s widow, Kit, their daughters Bev and Robyn and husbands Peter Clarke and Lyall Davis were present for the ceremony.

Robert Edward Norman Geale, MBE was born in Ontario, Canada in 1925 and joined the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve as a Naval Airman 2nd Class in 1943.

As a Royal Navy telegraphist and air gunner he served in various squadrons and on ships until transferring to the Royal Canadian Navy in 1950, where he became a Lieutenant Commander.

He joined the Royal Australian Navy in 1969 as a tracker and became the senior observer on 851 and 816 squadrons.

In 1978 Mr Geale became the Commanding Officer of 851 Squadron.

He was also RAN Fleet Air Arm Museum officer and he continued his association with the museum after his retirement in 1985 until his passing in 2009.

Through his efforts the size and quality of the archive collection grew significantly.

His foresight and perseverance meant that invaluable research material remained available for historians, individuals and institutions seeking detailed information about the history of the Fleet Air Arm.

Windy guided all aspects of the museum’s structural design and display development during the 1990s.

He was known for his encyclopaedic knowledge of the people, places and events associated with the FAA.