Nick De Bruyne was a young pilot well known and liked around Shoreham and Redhill Tiger Club. In his early twenties he had gained his commercial Licence and was flying out of Gatwick.

He returned one afternoon and meet-up with two pilot friends who (it is thought) were just going on a jolly to Norwich to do some instrument approaches. On the way the aircraft came down killing all three.

Nick’s father and mother were personal friends of Ken and Audrey Browne who together with friends at Shoreham, the Southern Strut and the Tiger club raised the money for this trophy.

The trophy was first awarded in 1972 and was for several years awarded to the winner of a navigation contest held during the Strut Fly-Ins at Shoreham. When Shoreham pulled the plug on our fly-Ins it was awarded to the pilot who had made the most meritorious flight with navigation during the past year. This ended with the advent of GPS and has since been awarded for various achievements.

Don Lord, April 2012

The cup is inscribed:

P.F.A. Southern Strut Shoreham Rally