Meet The Father And Son Working Together At RAF Akrotiri

Forces News has followed a father and son duo working together at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. 

Flight Sergeant John Spanton, Joint Movements Squadron, and his son, Senior Aircraftman Harry Spanton from 1 Air Mobility Wing, have been working alongside one another for several months in support of operations.

Flt Sgt Spanton told Forces News it is "very surreal", joking that when he tells his son what to do "he does it, which he didn't do previously".

"I never thought we’d have this opportunity and it’s tremendous," Flt Sgt Spanton said. 

"Not many people get that chance and it's really good."

"It’s cost me a fortune in beers because he never buys any," he also joked.

The similarities between the pair go further than just being father and son.

They are both movers - responsible for handling freight, as well as loading and unloading the aircraft arriving at the base each day as part of wider operations in the Middle East.

SAC Spanton, who is on detachment from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, said his dad is "always down checking up on me", making sure he is "behaving" and doing his job.

"It’s definitely been a really good experience, not one I was ever expecting to have, [but] one I'm quite happy I’ve had," he said. 

And there is another member of the Spanton family set to join the RAF.

"My wife and daughter, they both qualified as nurses at the same time...and my daughter has now just been accepted to join the Royal Air Force as a nurse, so she’s just awaiting her medical,” Flt Sgt Spanton said.