Len Leveridge
A man who served the late King George VI, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, and the Russian leaders Kruschev and Bulganin.
Mr Leveridge worked at the Officer's Mess at RAF Marham.
Below is the text of a piece published in the Eastern Daily Press on the occasion of his retirement - believed to be in 1964; This is deduced from the fact that Group Captain Kennedy, who presented the retirement gifts, was Commanding Officer at Marham in 1964.
The visit of Kruschev and Bulganin to RAF Marham took place in 1956.
Len Leveridge
A man who has served drinks to the late King George VI, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, Mr Kruschev and Marshall Bulganin throws in his barmam's cloth today.
Mr Len Leveridge is leaving the officer's mess at RAF Marham after 28 years as a steward. With Mr Jack Morrison and Mr John Smith, his colleagues behind the bar, he has seen thousands of officers come and go.
At a presentation in the mess yesterday he recalled the war years when he would cycle home at four or five in the morning after waiting for men to touch down after night operations.
There were other late nights at party times, he remembered, when he has worked as long as 48 hours without a break. It was nothing unusual for Mr Leveridge to work 18 or 19 hours a day.
Ill health in past years has made him work more regular hours and has eventually forced his retirement, although he is 65 tomorrow in any case.
At the presentation of a dinner service and standard lamp, the station commander, Group Captain F A Kennedy, thanked him for serving the mess so well for so long.
Mr Leveridge and his wife live at Fair Green, Middleton, and their only daughter lives next door.
