Page 29 - issue08.03.2019

Royal Air Force News Friday, March 8, 2019 P21

n Please note letters must be a maximum of 300 words and Post: RAF News, Room 68, Lancaster Building, HQ Air Command,
any accompanying pictures sent as attached, hi-res JPEG files High Wycombe, Bucks, HP14 4UE Email: editor@rafnews.co.uk Letters

The wrong folk Postings had

I AM reading the latest RAF
News (No. 1461) which I buy their part in
every fortnight, being a veteran of
25 years service in the RAF (1962 making me
to 1987).
May I please point out your
mistake on page 17, under Defence an Odiham
News, MPs in the Firing Line and
inform you that RAF Honington is divorcee…
in Suffolk and not Norfolk as stated.
This I know for sure being a
‘Suffolk Boy’ and over my 25 years REF RAF News No:1459, I
of service had three tours there read with interest the Star
which I enjoyed: Victors in the early Letter from Al Mudge [about being
1960s, Buccaneers and Tornado – away from home on detachment]
great station. and as a friend and associate of
May I add that I do enjoy reading his on some of his postings I can
RAF News. empathise.
Richard Allison I imagine he would have had a
By email REAPER: Crews good laugh at an article in my local
Star
newspaper, The Petersfield Post,
set to get medal
A great concert letter where Christmas parcels were sent
to a local airman detached to Mali.
MAY I say a huge thank you Op Shader medal I spent several Christmases
to RAF News for the fabulous overseas and considered it lucky if
tickets I won to see the RAF band I got a letter – and PTSD was non-
in Canterbury existent. As Al says, you “got on
last November. with it.”
They were ‘for all’ not right My only ‘environmental posting’
brilliant and an was from Odiham to Marham and
added bonus was so adverse they would only tell
was that the me I was posted to 57 Squadron,
evening was when all I wanted to do was to
compered by I READ the article in the the medal for the Canal Zone was being looked at,” and that was 17 leave 230 Squadron for Air Radio
Alan Dedicoat latest RAF News (No. 1461) issued 50 years late, I think there’s years ago. Servicing Section.
(left). An excellent evening was had about the award of the medal for a precedent. Finally, I served in Cyprus during After a year on 57 and some
by all. Op Shader with interest. Secondly, I served on the UN the Gulf War and was awarded the overseas detachments I managed a
Marion Anslow, by email I don’t have a problem with the force in the Former Yugoslavia, Gulf Medal. My discharge docs ‘semi-compassionate’ posting back
Book prize joy award of a medal for personnel in there was talk at the time of a GSM say it’s with clasp, but I was never to Odiham, but the damage was
Cyprus. After all, everyone serving clasp being awarded for those who awarded the clasp. But personnel done and I joined the long list of
awarded the Gulf Medal. But how about this. Some people will say clasp, I know as I worked with an was no third party and I remained
WHAT A lovely surprise to in Cyprus in the first Gulf War was served there. But I’ve heard nothing serving in Oman were awarded the Odiham divorcees – luckily there
have won the book SAM, the can it be justified for personnel that you can’t have two medals air traffic controller who was on friends with my ex.
biography of Lord Elworthy [Reaper crew] at Waddington or for the same campaign, well what loan service to the Sultan of Oman’s In spite of a rollercoaster
by Richard Mead. the USA to qualify? about Korea? Canadian Australian Air Force. And, it must be said, RAF career, I managed to find
I was stationed at Bracknell in And now I must raise three and New Zealand personnel were Cyprus is much nearer Iraq than employment in Civvy Street,
the RAF Police at the same time as matters about medals: awarded a campaign medal for Oman is. obtained a good aeronautical
Sam was stationed there. Firstly, I was detached to the Former Yugoslavia, so why not I’m not trying to stir up qualification and had an unbroken
I am enjoying the book Waddington in ’94 on Op Deny Britain? After all, they have the controversy, but the subject of career in several locations, re-
immensely, bringing back happy Flight, does this mean I can now same Head of State. campaign medals has long been a married, and made many friends
memories. Thank you so much. claim the Nato medal? As the After I left the RAF I sent an bone of contention. on the way.
P Stapleton precedent has now been set with email about this to both RAFA and Richard Elwell David Lloyd
High Wycombe Op Shader, I think I can. And as RBL. I got a reply saying “it was Preston, Lancs Sent by email

Sobering thoughts over RAFA OAP drinking clubs

Royal Air Force News Friday, February 22, 2019 P21
THE HARD-HITTING article by Vet’s view Market Branch. Its membership age would need looking at by their regional HQs and
veteran Lawrence McGowan [about the Hide and Seek’s no game be from around the mid-50s up to the age shown the error of their ways.
RAF Association] was long overdue and no for our biggest charity of people such as myself, 78, and older, but It doesn’t matter if it’s a teenage member of
doubt will ruffle a few feathers. Royal Air Force News Friday, February 8, 2019 P9 News under the chairmanship of Len Algar it is a today’s RAF or the old and bold of the Cold
His opening comments about even Lawrence McGowan woman who approached me at a to local media to explain the story when Icarus first got his wings. thriving club. War era, we wear – or once wore – the same
However, far too many members
Local branches cannot normally
supermarket Wings collection. “I be expected to have journalistic skills simply want to operate in
Veterans Correspondent
didn’t know you did welfare work,” in-house but a simple telephone call exactly the same way as they did
THE NATION’S largest single-
she said.
serving members having little or no idea service charity, the Royal Air She explained that she was ex-RAF will often produce results. Some are happy with a DAM RAID HERO: Canadian airman Fred However, the devil of the situation is uniform.
But actions always speak louder monthly personal re-enactment
Forces Association, appears to and single mom who had sunk all her
Last Canadian
Sutherland was one of only two survivors
have finally learned lessons from savings into a deposit on a house. She than words. What message about of the Monty Python ‘Four
Dambuster Fred
Sutherland dies
the Sermon on the Mount and and her young daughter were facing a RAFA locally did the public and Yorkshiremen’ sketch (“Eee, we
Significant resources have been the only option was to approach the his wife and former WAAF Edna just long enough provide a guard ‘We are family’
ONE OF the last two survivors
of the Dambusters raid in 1943,
about RAFA shows how poor advertising of is the process of removing its winter without central heating. media get at the internationally were billeted in’t cardboard box Hundreds answer call as Dambuster engineer Victor charged years old when he took part in that it’s a 30-mile round trip, and not a very One of the many problems with RAF
Canadian Fred Sutherland, has
The air gunner was just 20
died at the age of 95.
I was gobsmacked when she publicised Telford funeral of in middle of runway...”) and are
considerable light from under the
the iconic operation and his death
leaves 97-year-old British airman
George ‘Johnnie’ Johnson as the
added: “All my RAF friends said Dambuster engineer Victor and content for their branch to last
Of the 133 men who took part in
only crew member still living.
proverbial bushel.
the historic raid on the industrial
of honour to watch their own boxed and WAAF Edna take their final journey together
heart of the Nazi war machine in
Sutherland joined the Royal
the Ruhr valley, 53 died.
arrived in England a year later
Canadian Air Force in 1941 and
pumped into public relations at British Legion for help.”
with 50 Sqn.
Barnett? (see page 9 ).
The service ended with
emotionally
our Association is on RAF bases. the Leicester headquarters. The I passed her details to the at there in force. Five British Legion organisation as ‘old mens’ drinking wife Lawrence McGowan 91-year- aircraft Victor couple who had no known living the hearts of people “ Although they FAREWELL: Cosford personnel carry couple’s by a bugler from the Central now only living Dambuster crewman pleasant drive over the Fens in wintertime trade or squadron associations is that young
performance of the The Last Post
an
The RAF and Air Cadets were mortal remains pass by.
Band of the Royal Air Force.
More than 200 military
Victor, a Flight Sergeant
personnel and civilians who
relatives.
radar technician (inset, far left)
at the time of the Dambusters’
appointment of an experienced charity’s
responded packed into Telford
who served with 617 Squadron
It is so bad at a few branches
HUNDREDS OF mourners
Telford
Crematorium to see them off,
permanent
staff
operation in 1943, joined the
gave a 101-year-old Dambuster
while many more unable to get
veteran and his wife an
into the small chapel listened to
worked on Chain Home, the
RAF in 1937. Originally he
emotional send off after an
appeal for people to attend their
first line of radar built to warn of
the service outside.
The Rev Lee Plummer
editor, Annie O’Brian, at the Birmingham who, I understand, standards were noticeable. I felt sorry that they are known within the joint funeral.
told the congregation:
He became a friend of Barnes
coffins into chapel and line the route. PHOTOS:
approaching enemy aircraft.
“The story of Victor
WWII
Barnett, and his
and Edna has touched
engineer
RAF Shawbury flew a double pass bomb used on Operation Chastise
CPL SCOTT ROBERTSON
service a Juno helicopter from Wallis, inventor of the bouncing
for the lone RAFA standard bearer.
flagship quarterly publication Air were able to help with her problem.
locally, nationally and
– the military name for raids on
SURVIVOR: Bomb aimer Johnny Johnson is
It’s one thing signing up new members Mail is just one instance. But things seem to be changing. The absence of standards clubs’. RAFA has, in recent years, been Cosford put out an died local CALL UP: RAF News covers Dambuster vet’s funeral Australian Les Knight he completed during the foggy and darker nights, so our Service/ex-Service personnel feel that they
Flying alongside 21-year-old
in an airborne salute.
served with the
throughout the world.
old Edna, who
Victor met Edna, a WAAF
The coffins, both draped with the Ruhr dam.
along with Knight to take part in
WAAF,
25 operations before he volunteered
roundel wreath, white webbing working in air traffic control,
relatives they are here
the Union Flag surmounted by a
belt and No1 cap, were carried in 1944. They were separated
have no surviving
the top secret dam raids with the
by NCOs from Cosford as RAF by wartime postings but were
of each other.
within 10 days
today among the family
newly formed 617 Sqn.
He was the front gunner with
Their
from
that played a significant role
in their lives and was always
personnel and local Air Cadets reunited after the conflict and
As a branch Wings organiser The Association is now publicising
RAF station at
RAFA
other
lined the route to the chapel.
Knight’s crew who launched three
married in 1950.
important to them.”
As the two hearses arrived at
appeal on social media
branches
the crematorium ahead of the
my contact with the public proves its three subsidised housing
low level bombing runs under
within
who feared few would attend
after being contacted by friends
easy
heavy fire before breeching the
Wg Cdr John Butcher, the
highly successful in recruiting serving the service for the childless
personnel. supported by hundreds of Forces personnel and the
Eder dam.
driving distance was an personnel, mostly during training. Home run for Harry’s Games
that community support is based communities in Dumfries and
current Officer Commanding 617
Sqn, was among those who paid
tribute to Fred.
The Royal British Legion’s
He said: “We mark the passing
British Legion – but where was RAFA?
ever UK only Invictus competition Director of Operations, Antony
I have been grateful for member wounded and injured Service Baines, said: “The UK Invictus
SHEFFIELD IS to host the first
on the iconic raid, acknowledging
during recruit training, but possibly another largely on affection for the RAF as Galloway, Leicestershire highlighting and observable PR disaster is needed in revitalising branches at predicted that membership would of one of the last aircrew who flew visits are limited. have no incentive to join because of the “it
Games Trials will cater to those
the debt we owe to their gallantry
The four-day event will take place who wish to take part in Invictus
for
inspiration to us all. With the
and dedication.
“Fred Sutherland was an
trial for the next Invictus Games recovery journeys and their friends
a service. Older ladies in particular Northumberland,
and, in the circumstances, and non-member RAF help at in July this year and act as a selection 2020, those just starting out on their
which take place at The Hague, in the and family members who play a
deepest condolences from all
ranks of the squadron.”
● See p26 for full obituary
have fond memories of the the benefits, including affordable
critical role in their recovery and
take part in a range of disciplines personnel can register to compete by
an inexcusable insult to fundraising events. But major help More than 500 competitors from wellbeing.”
Wounded, sick and injured
Netherlands in 2020.
across the British Armed Forces will
wheelchair contacting Help for Heroes.
athletics,
two veterans.
‘Brylcreme Boys’.
rents, to lonely retired RAF
SPORT SUPPORT: Harry and Meghan at the
2018 games trials in Sydney
including
basketball, powerlifting, swimming
and sitting volleyball.
RAFA
ground level.
Most
However, I am surprised by personnel, their widows and
fall to around 40,000 with only a
thing altogether in keeping them. the number of questions posed by widowers. branches send and around I know of one branch that has few active members. RAFA fundraising seems to be fairly good wasn’t like that in my day,” attitude from some
out a forward-
people, including serving members
Take that as a warning if you
‘give-as-you-earn
As a retired journalist
800
looking
members’ but struggles to get a dozen really believe what RAFA stands
of the RAF, who have vague or and PR consultant my
no awareness of the Association’s view is that the most
for – providing friendship. help and
positive image people at the annual general meeting.
I was 21 years into my service before welfare role. effective communication to their local president, Sir Dusty Miller, of need. USE IT OR LOSE IT. and last year, with the RAF100 events, large of these ancient worthies. I personally know
A report by former RAFA support to the RAF family in times
I was recently startled by a young takes place at local level.
community.
joining in 1978, while stationed in Germany. HARD-HITTING: Lawrence McGowan’s column sums were raised. that from my membership of the Armourers
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