ISSUE No. 40 DECEMBER 2007
DEDICATION
We who
served alongside other nations in the armed forces
are proud of our association with
and are justly proud of our place in the
history of NATO.
Through
our Association we have found old friends and made new ones.
We are
grateful for the opportunity to meet together in the spirit of comradeship
which will endure until the last.
To
those who are unable to join us and our colleagues who have passed on
Thankfully we will remember them.
EDITORIAL
We have reached
another milestone with this the 40th issue of your Newsletter. So much has
happened in the world, not all for the good, since the Association was founded in
1995. During this period we have been reunited with many friends from those
halcyon days at
With Christmas
approaching fast Seasonal Greetings are sent to all our readers. May 2008 bring
you all good health and happiness.
OBITUARIES
Dave
Bennett had not enjoyed the best of health since he lost his wife, Zena, in April last year and following a short illness he
was admitted to hospital where he received his “home call” at end of September.
Dave was the Orderly Room NCO in the RAF Element at
Malcolm Hughes had suffered stoically with motor neurone disease for a couple of years before it finally
took him away from us in September. Malcolm was a driver in the Motor Pool at
Brigadier
General Paul Tibbits who
will be remembered as the Captain of the B29 Bomber “Enola Gay” that dropped the
first nuclear weapon used in warfare over
A LIFE REMEMBERED
On Thursday 18th October, along with Mike
and Ann Capon, Peter & Ruth Fryer and Terry and Victoria Vine, I attended
the funeral of our friend David Bennett. Following the service at St. Peter's
Church, Portishead, we were present at the burial in
the local cemetery , where he was laid to rest
alongside his late wife, Zena. The funeral had been
arranged with the Royal British Legion with whom we participated in forming a Guard
of Honour for the coffin draped with the Union Flag.
Thankfully, a bright sunny day helped
lighten this sad occasion and we were able to spend time with his sister, two
sons and their families.
David was a staunch, loyal member of our Association
and responsible for introducing several to our ranks through his tireless
efforts. Both very involved with the Royal Air Forces Association, we would
often meet at functions. But our friendship goes back a long, long way. At Guynemer, back in 1958, while I was being given the sad
news that my brother had died in an accident, it was David, then Orderly Room
NCO, who packed my kit and made arrangements to get me to
Although we had spoken on the phone, we
met for the first time Maureen (Mo) Pelling David's
friend who had shared his final months. Many of us will recall how low and
depressed he was last year after losing Zena. But his
friendship with Mo gave him a new lease of life. He called me a few times in
Goodbye David !
On behalf of us all.........Many Thanks for your friendship !
Brian
Gibbons (
I was really shocked to learn that Dave
Bennett has passed on because it is only a few short months, really, since the
Elaine
Swift (Rotherhan)
Elaine and I are sorry to hear of the
passing away of Dave Bennett. Unfortunately we have been away and were
holidaying in
Tony
and Elaine Bowdler (Droitwich)
I was sorry to read that David had passed away,
I hope he didn't suffer for too long.
Jean
Allen (
Another old team mate/member leaves us.
Jeff
Lester (Oldbury,
Thank you for the two donations received
on behalf of my father David Bennett. I know how much it would have meant to
him. His passing
happened very suddenly and we are still coming to terms with it. Thank you for
your kind words and thoughts which are much appreciated.
Dean
Bennett (
FROM THE POSTBAG
I have
just downloaded Issue 39 Newsletter - very well presented, and thank you for
the coverage !
Harry Horn's letter is a masterpiece and clearly he is a budding
author. He has reminded me of some of
our mutual chums and I would like to 'phone Harry for a chat. Do you have his number ?
Peter Goldsmith has been in touch with me at the weekend, and we
enjoyed a long reminiscence - his voice has not changed in 50 years nor his
enthusiasm for all things mechanical ! I must say this website of yours must be
giving many people much pleasure.
Ian
Davis (Horsham)
We had a great visit to
Thanks for a marvelous
piece of work that I'll re-read but won't ever forget.
David
Block (
Glad
the reunion was a success. I expect we will meet up again sometime. Jack also suggests I come to the next reunion
and by then it might be something to look forward to so that I can meet up with
everyone again. Gwenda Millin (Hermitage, Berks)
I am sorry that I
missed the last Reunion because I was in
Peter Argent (Bexleyheath)
Anyone want a Beverley pullover made by
Dennis Johnson’s late wife Jean around 1990/91 for my wife - never used -
hardly necessary since our move to Queensland in 91! 32" chest or tight
36" dark blue with grey Beverley motif. Email me and I will post it
on if you give full address.
Christine and Ronald Fraser, Clairinsh,
Tel : (07) 4934
4422 E-mail : clairinsh@cqnet.com.au
Christine & Ronald Fraser (
The article on the research on Air Chief
Marshal Sir Basil Embry struck a cord with me as an
RAF Museum Cover Collector, and RAF Escaping Society Cover collector.
On the 21st February 1977 RAF Escaping
Society Cover SC16 was issued to commemorate the escape activities of Sir
Basil. The cover was taken by car to St Omer and the route of Sir Basil's
capture and escape completely retraced as far as Neufchatel. This was from Devres,
Hucqueliers, Contes, Hesdin, Dreuil-Hamel, Cayeux Eu and Neufchatel.
1047 Covers were produced and sold towards
funds for the RAF Escaping Society. I
have a copy of this cover and if Les Hills would like to have it I would
appreciate his address.
Don
Dykes (
Thank you once
again for a first class Newsletter. Some very interesting letters some of which
took me back to my days in
Dave Keery (
Well another re-union has come and gone, I
must congratulate you and others who make this happen, A
lot of work must be done to achieve this success. It was very good, and enjoyable and I look forward to the next one.
Malcolm Degville (
Fay and I had a
very enjoyable week-end in
The Hotel informed us that all rooms will be
modernized and the heating sorted by next year.
George Durant (
In June Gwen and I were having lunch at Dunkerswell Airfield, near Honiton
when some diners behind us were talking about
Gilbert Wilkins (Yeovil)
Just a
quick one to congratulate and thank you for another great reunion. Ann
and I have no complaints. We arrived back at about 4.15 after enjoying some
hospitality with Pam and Keith in
Ted Caton (
One evening just before our 46th wedding
anniversary on the 12th May last the telephone rang. My wife answered and a
voice said this may seem strange but is your name Maureen and is your husband
Brian? My wife replied yes the voice then said I used to stay with you when I
was about 7 years old, to which my wife replied “and if I am not mistaken your
name is Chantel and your mother is called Monique”
She agreed this was a very nice surprise and wonderful to hear their voices
again.
This all came about because Monique
receives the Fontainebleau Vets Newsletter and recognised us from our
photographs as new members after nearly 46 years a surprising and welcome voice
from the past.
Whilst serving in Fontainebleau we lived
at 30 Rue De La Parroisse and the concierge there was
Monique's mother and father (Lucien and Leon) who we got on with very well -
they treated us like a son and daughter
as we where just married when we moved into the
apartment. This is how we met Monique.
Finding the Fontainebleau Veterans web
site purely by chance brought about this great event and reunion after so many
years.
Arrangements were made and we agreed to
meet the following Saturday which was exactly 46 years to the day when we first
arrived at the flat so we drove down to Hitchin. Chantel
showed us around RAF Henlow married quarters to see
how it had all changed since we where there. Then it was time for lunch after which the photographs
came out and we chatted over old times. Before we knew, it was 9.00 pm and time
for us to leave to return to
Brian Bursell (
My letter in SAGA magazine about HM
Customs ripping apart a young National Serviceman's clothing to find a diamond
ring which he had already given to his fiancee (she
had asked him for the box, from Paris) had a reply from a former Customs
officer throwing doubt as to whether his fellow officers would treat a young soldier
like this, and I have found this gem, in Road To Resistance by George Millar, M.C., D.S.O., Croix de
Guerre, Legion d'Honneur:
"I wandered up to the Rock Hotel, and met
Alan Moorhead and Alex
Clifford, now war correspondents (they
were
"The
"In Poole Harbour HM Customs hated the
sight of me, in my foreign clothes.*** The Brigadiers had a few bottles of sherry
between them, whereas I had sherry, brandy and elastic. Everybody had told me, both in
"HM Customs loathed elastic.They
demanded from me in duty what seemed like a month's rent in cash. I said that if they gave me a cheque I would
make it out. No, was the answer.
"Now see you here," one of the
brigadiers interrupted. "This young officer has just completed a trying
flight. We are not going to see him
bullied by you, are we Jim?"
"Absolutely not," said the second
brigadier.
"Here's your cheque form then," the
head Customs officer said angrily.
"And that will be twopence for the
stamp."
"I haven't got twopence."
But the first brigadier paid it. The second customs officer reappeared. "Field Security,
*** Lt. Millar, of the Rifle Brigade,
wounded and captured by the Afrika Corps, had his leg
cured by a German doctor, and he was introduced to Rommel in his tent to show
him "the kind of men we are fighting." The blonde, handsome Millar was a prisoner in
He
parachuted back into
"Another point, Emile" the
General said, "at Vielley,
do you remember the main street had a name, the street under which you hid in a
sewer? Well, it's now the rue Charles
de Gaulle. Amusing, is it not?"
Peter
Kinsley (Peckham)
PRESS CUTTINGS
The following article appeared in the
Warwick Courier on 28 September and is reproduced here by their kind
permission.
MEMBERS of the Allied Air Forces Central
Europe Association, who served in
The men were handpicked from the Royal Air
Force who, together with the founder members of the NATO countries, worked to
defend
The Association was formed 10 years ago
and has brought together old comrades, some of whom had not seen each other for
years.
Mrs D A Hogg, one of the member's wives,
said: "In those dark days after the second world war, it was the skill and
dedication of these hand picked serving airmen and
officers that provided vital intelligence to the free nations of the western
world, and their work was rated highly top secret.
"These veterans now have their own
Association, badge and necktie and wear them with pride.
"Members come from all over the
She added: "The group has returned to
Fontainebleau on a number of occasions and such is the high esteem that this
special group is held by the French that they are the only group allowed to
march up the Champs Elysee to lay a wreath at the
tomb of the unknown soldier in memory of those who didn't return from various
theatres of operations that they were involved in."
The reunion and dinner dance will be held
at the
It was reported in
the Oct – Dec issue of Air Mail that George Millington collected the grand sum
of £1736 over 4 days for the West Bromwich Branch and was awarded the Sheldonian Shield for the highest individual collection of
the year. George trained as an RAF medical orderly and served in
"Decorations
& Honours Register" <admin@honoursregister.co.uk>
The Decorations and Honours Register is
now accepting registrations for the Commemorative Edition to be published in
the spring of 2008.
We believe that many of your members are
eligible for inclusion and we would welcome their entries in this new and
unique book.
Registration is free of charge and
painless, via our website
www.honoursregister.co.uk http://www.honoursregister.co.uk
or by simply sending in an individual's name, list of medals, decorations
and/or honours with dates awarded, to us by post to the address shown below.
The closing date for registration is 29 February 2008.
Please see our press release http://www.honoursregister.co.uk/PROct07.pdf
which contains all the information your members should need to participate in
this new reference book. Perhaps you may kindly print it off and post it on
your member's notice board or mention the Register in your member's magazine or
newsletter.
The Register has been featured in the
Daily Express, the Daily Telegraph, the British Legion magazine and Medal News.
Our Editor, the honours expert Charles Mosley, was recently interviewed on BBC
Breakfast and SKY television.
If you would like any more information please do not hesitate to
contact the writer.
Adrian Checketts (Director)
The Decorations & Honours Register
KBC
Bournemouth BH1 2EF E-mail : admin@honoursregister.co.uk Telephone 01202 201405
CHANGES OF ADDRESS
You may wish to note my new address : p.a.johnston2007@btinternet.com
Alan Johnston
Please note my new email address for all RAFA, RAFPA and personal
email, effective immediately: adams@deci.orangehome.co.uk
Keith
Adams (
This is to let you know I am back on line
again - Mwoolton@aol.com Not totally out of touch now. Spoke to Terry
the other week. Was hoping to go to
Mike Woolton (
Terry Byant’s new e-mail address is : terry.hazel@tiscali.co.uk
Terry
Bryant (Warminster)
TENTH ANNUAL REUNION & DINNER
This is the item you
have all been waiting for!
On a bright sunny
week-end at the end of September after we had a group photograph take by the
Warwick Courier snapper 73 people sat down at 7 p.m. to enjoy the Tenth Annual
Reunion Dinner at the
The fare was first
class and the music provided by Mr. Bojangles had
most of the Veterans and their wives and partners on the dance floor.
Unfortunately Colin Hogg was unable to perform this year due his stroke.
Thanks to the
generosity of the members in providing prizes the raffle generated £375. It was
rewarding to see so many new members attending their first
The fact that the
function was such a success is due the contributions from Colin and Daisy Hogg
who decorated our tables, Mike and Ann Capon purchased and brought back the
champagne and wine from cross channel trips to France and provided NATO
magazines etc, not forgetting Pam Adams and Hazel Bryant for selling so many
raffle tickets.
During the
afternoon the Annual General Meeting was held. The main points arising were:
The approval of the
2006 –07 Accounts (included in the last Newsletter),
Agreement
to run a coach trip to France in September 2008 subject to sufficient support.
To hold
the next Annual Reunion Dinner on Saturday 27 September 2008.
A selection of photos taken during the evening is
attached in the supplement.
REUNION ~
2008
The
The cost is £63 per
person per night for dinner, bed and breakfast. The hotel did not impose an
increase for this year’s function so their offer was accepted although the
point was made that the increase is above the rate of inflation. It is worth noting that we have the use of
the Warwick Room free of charge ~ normally £60 per day. Moreover single
supplements are not applied. 50 rooms have been provisionally booked for the
Saturday and there is no penalty if we do not take up the full allocation. The
A deposit of £15
per person, irrespective of the number of nights, is payable. Cheques should be made payable to D M Rogerson
and will not be presented until payment is due to the hotel next April
A booking form is
attached which you are requested to complete and return.
FRANCE 2008
Subject to
sufficient support we shall run a 5 days 4 nights
coach trip to
The terms quoted
are as follows :
5 days (4 nights)
Staying at the Ibis
hotel,
COST:- £295 per person sharing twin/double room.
v Single room supplement £115
v 4 nights bed and unlimited buffet breakfast
accommodation
v All executive coaching, 49 seats with on
board toilet & beverage bar.
v Short sea crossing
v Tour of
v Use of the coach for excursions while in
v Free car parking is available at the rear
of our office at Sevenoaks
For those not wishing to join the coach in
The price is based
on 40 full paying passengers, should we have more than 40 then seats 41
and 42 will be provided free of charge. Provided we can reach this number £590
will be available to make a contribution to the single supplements and to
provide some money for extras in
A deposit of £30 per person is required at the end of December. Travel insurance is required for this holiday and if you do not have their own policy our tour operator can provide cover for a premium of £24 per person, premiums must be paid with deposit. There is no need to send your deposit at this juncture. A booking form is attached.
BOOKING FORMS FOR 2008
Booking forms for
the 2008 fontainebleau trip and 2008 Annual Reunion
can be printed from this link (CLICK)
BOOKS FOR SALE
Peter Kinsley's four hardback novels can
be bought for £12 each, (free p & p in
1. “The Shy Pornographer”
: a comedy set in
2. “The Gold Bidet” :
reveals
3. "To Catch a Paedophile" : provides an insight into the minds of the characters
involved - the victim, the attacker, the police, and the crime reporter. It
gives a behind the scenes look at the whole detection
4. “The Cambio
Killing” : The perfect crime, an airline heist, from
the criminals side.
Peter’s memoirs of the French Midi, "The Valley of the
Butterflies" in paperback £7
Sorry, but "Gunner Strikes Back" set in
Roger Northam enlisted as a
National Serviceman in the RAF in 1956 and has written about his experiences
at Cardington, Hednesford, Compton Basset and Aden
recalling his memories in his entertaining book “When the Golden Eagle Calls” ~
a must read - available in hardback with illustrations at £15 incl. p & p
Roger, a natural
writer with a warm sense of humour, has also written
an amusing book of true stories of village cricket and its characters in the
AND FINALLY……..
Your news
and tales of your experiences whilst at
Enjoy the
festive season and have a good New Year.
