The King’s Birthday Honours List, published on 14th June, included an MBE for OC BBMF, Squadron Leader Mark ‘Suggs’ Sugden.
Having been pre-selected as a future OC BBMF in 2017, Suggs first display season as a BBMF fighter pilot was in 2018. He flew with the BBMF as a volunteer for four years, gaining experience, whilst continuing to fly and instruct on the Eurofighter Typhoon which he had flown operationally from 2013.
Suggs took command of the BBMF in October 2021 for what was intended to be a three-year tour of duty. The accident in May 2024, when BBMF Spitfire MK356 crashed shortly after take-off from Coningsby and the OC BBMF designate, Squadron Leader Mark Long, tragically lost his life, set in train an incredibly challenging period for the BBMF and for Suggs as the Officer Commanding. The resulting ‘pause in flying’ prevented the BBMF single-engine fighters from flying for the rest of 2024 and the Lancaster until the end of July that year. In addition, Suggs was not able to hand over command of the Flight to a successor in October 2024, as had been planned. He willingly agreed to extend his commitment to the BBMF as Officer Commanding for a further year, and set his sights firmly on leading the Flight’s recovery and getting BBMF back to “business as usual”, one step at a time. Suggs has always spoken positively about the future of the BBMF and his dedication and desire for the BBMF to endure has always been clear.
This is Suggs’ eighth display season with the BBMF and his fourth as OC. He has led the BBMF through the difficult times of the last year and, as evidenced by the Flight’s successes so far this year, has brought the BBMF fully back to “business as usual” for the 2025 display season.
