RAF veteran to honour members of the LGBTQ+ community in the armed forces on Remembrance Sunday

RAF veteran Bryan Timberlake, 91, will honour members of the LGBTQ+ community in the armed forces by laying a special wreath in Watford on Remembrance Sunday.

The veteran, who spent many years performing as a drag-queen under the name of Tina Lake, said he was “very honoured” to represent people who “fought and died the same as everybody else”.

“They should be recognised as much as anybody, if not more, because not only did they have to fight those battles, but had to fight their own battles as well,” he said.

Despite homosexuality being illegal in the 1950s, Bryan, who served in the RAF during that time, said he personally did not find it difficult to be a gay man in the services.

“I don’t remember one chap who said anything nasty towards me,” he said.

“I did not flaunt myself about or anything like that, I just kept myself to myself.

“They soon sussed me out but were quite protective of me, strangely enough.”

Bryan spent a large part of his life performing in drag under the name of Tina Lake, only hanging up his tiara at the age of 85.

“That stems from childhood because my parents used to give big parties so dressing up to me was just another part of life,” he said.

Bryan is a member of Proud Watford, which supports Watford’s LGBTQ+ communities.

“This will be the first time LGBTQ+ people who defended and died for our country will be specifically remembered by Watford,” the group said.