September 2010 - RAF Regiment Association Official Website

NO ONE HAS YET COME
FORWARD Page 2
GOODIES FOR OUR
INJURED BOYS Page 2
RAF REGIMENT NEWS
Page 4
NATIONAL MEMORIAL
ARBORETUM UPDATE
Page 7
FROM THE RAF REG.T
SECRETARY Page 11
ONLY FIVE MORE
MONTHS TO GO
ROYAL AIR FORCE
REGIMENT
ASSOCIATION
www.rafregt.org.uk
BIRMINGHAM BRANCH
IMPORTANT NOTICE
My Retirement as Your Branch Secretary Page 2
No One has Yet Come Forward Page 2
Branch Appeal – Goodies for Our Injured Boys Page 2
Help For Heroes – a Calendar Page 2
Centurion Journal – Moving to an Annual Edition Page 2
Branch Birthdays Page 2
Spring Reunion Bodelwyddan Castle Hotel, North Wales Page 2
Belton Park Page 3
Two Reports from Hughie Cooper Page 3
Our Visit to Belton Park Page 3
Smith Gun & Northover Projector Page 4
Our Visit to the NMA Page 4
National Memorial Arboretum Update Page 5
RAF Regiment Memorial Garden Page 5
Future Events at the NMA Page 5
RAF Regiment Books Page 6
Books about the RAF Regiment Page 6
Books Containing References to RAF Regiment Page 7
From the RAF Regiment Secretary Page 7
Death Notices Page 7
New Notices Page 7
Corps Diary Dates Page 9
Dates for Your Diary Page 10
Birmingham Branch Committee Page 10
YOU WILL HAVE NOTICED THE GRADUALLY
DIMINISHING SIZE OF MY NEWSLETTERS
FOR I AM WINDING DOWN MY WORK AS
YOUR BRANCH SECRETARY
The Best Fighters in the RAF
Operate on the Ground
The Royal Air Force Regiment.
Ground-based specialists,
protecting RAF assets from
enemy attack.
I AM COUNTING DOWN – FIVE MONTHS
UNTIL I RETIRE AS YOUR BRANCH
SECRETARY. A NEW SECRETARY IS
REQUIRED IF THE BRANCH IS TO CONTINUE.
PLEASE GIVE IT SOME THOUGHT
NEWSLETTER NO: 255
SEPTEMBER 2010

2
THE BIRMINGHAM BRANCH NEWSLETTER
NUMBER 255 SEPTEMBER 2010
Dear Readers.
My Retirement as Your Secretary
No one has yet come forward to volunteer
to stand as the Branch Secretary at the Branch
AGM next February. Please would you all give it
some thought for after three attempts to retire as
your Secretary, this time I will be - so if the
Branch is to continue to function efficiently,
someone needs to volunteer their services.
Goodies for our Injured Boys
It is most important that we remember the
dangers that our young men and women serving
on operations are all facing, so please remember
the appeal your Branch Committee have set up.
With your help, we can continue to
provide these small comforts and any other items
that members of the military staff ask us for. We
can never get enough goodies for the lads, so in
the mean time, your continued support is
appreciated for we need much more money.
It is very much appreciated for it is a huge
boost to the lads who are treated at Selly Oak to
know that the general public offer the wounded
lads and lassies such wonderful financial and
moral support. It is difficult to work out just how
much money we have raised so far, for as a result
of our Appeal, many of you send money directly
to the lads but from what I have been told we are
well on our way to £5,000. . It may be more, so
well done lads.
If any of you would like to contribute
items or cash directly for this appeal, you must
contact Major Ian Cheesman, Officer ficer I/C Patient
Support Services, or post them to him at RCDM,
Selly Oak Hospital, Raddlebarn Road, Selly Oak,
Birmingham, B29 6JD. If cash, please make your
cheques out to RCDM - PSS.
HELP FOR HEROES
Chris Yelverton has done a sterling job in
producing a 2011 calendar costing £5.00 plus
P&P based on the well-known “Calendar Girls”
and just like them, all the photographs are on
“ladies of a certain age”. I understand that they
feature ladies discreetly attired in items of military
equipment. If anyone would like one of these
calendars please let me know.
CENTURION JOURNAL
In recognition of the workload involved in
producing the semi-annual Centurion Journal
against the pressures on peoples time, the
Commandant General has directed that the
Journal will move to an annual edition from 2011.
As such the Spring Edition will not be produced.
The copy for 2011 will be produced in the
autumn and will cover the Corps life. Further
details as to submission will be published in due
course. However, contributors will need to factor
this into their programme, not least to capture the
necessary detail in preparation for their
submissions.
It is intended that the size and
number of colour pages will be increased to
reflect the “Year Book” approach.
BRANCH BIRTHDAYS
A very Happy Birthday to the following
Birmingham Branch members whose birthdays
are this month, may you all have many more.
3rd Sept Bernard Wynn Birmingham West Mids
7th September Clive Cumber Woking Surrey
9th September Spencer Wilcox Tipton West Mids
15th Sept Roy Thomas Sutton Coldfield W Mids
17th Sept Derek Trust BEM Torquay Devon
23rd Sept James Patterson Wolverhampton WM
SPRING REUNION WEEKEND
The Spring Reunion Weekend will be held
at the Bodelwyddan Castle Hotel, North Wales
from Friday 8 th to Monday 11 th April 2010. Prices
are from £209.00 per person in comfortable ensuite
rooms.
The Bodelwyddan Castle Hotel

3
You will all by now have with your latest
copy of “The Flash”, received a booking form
and with its superb location and military
connections it is sure to be a great hit so get your
bookings in early. This majestic Grade II castle
with spectacular views of the North Wales
coastline is home to the National Portrait
Gallery’s Victorian Collection. It is set amid
beautiful woodlands and sensory gardens, less
than an hour from the Snowdonia National Park.
With its magnificent views stretching to
the Clwydian Hills and its feast of live
entertainment on offer, this is a hotel where you
can really spoil yourself. Outside, the beautifullytended
grounds include a maze, an aviary and a
tranquil woodland walk.
The scenery could best be described as
magnificent and dramatic. It is just under an hour
from Chester, 10 minutes from the seaside town
of Rhyl, and half an hour away from the Victorian
Pier at Llandudno. As well as being a historic
house and museum with a free audio tour
available, the Castle also boasts large areas of
formal garden and natural woodland.
A particular feature is the area of practice
trenches dating from the First World War. In
1914, the house that a century earlier had been
designed to look like a castle was requisitioned by
the army for nearby Kinmel Barracks.
Within the grounds, there is a reminder of
the Great War years. Training was an important
activity during the First World War (1914-1918).
It helped to prepare newly recruited soldiers many
of whom had never considered the intricacies of
'modern' warfare. The local training camp for the
area was Kinmel Park Camp, which is located not
too far from the Castle. The camp has operated
for many years but is remembered by many as the
camp where the infamous riots took place after the
First World War.
The training trenches are located in the
Bodelwyddan Castle Parkland. A set of
interpretive panels will be available shortly that
will provide information on what it was like to be
a soldier living, fighting and dying in the trenches
and illustrations of how the trenches were
constructed.
BELTON PARK
Now for a couple of reports from Hughie
Cooper the Branch Research Co-ordinator who
visited the site of the first RAF Regiment Depot
Belton Park, Lincolnshire and on the following
day visited the NMA.
At the beginning of World War I, like
many other British landowners, the 3rd Earl
Brownlow offered his house and park to the
Government for war service. The offer was
accepted, and in 1915, the home depôt and
training ground of the Machine Gun Corps were
established in the southern part of Belton Park.
The lie of the land there, where the River
Witham passes between the Lower Lincolnshire
Limestone and the Upper Lias mudstone, lent
itself to the development of the necessary firing
ranges close to good communications by way of
the Great North Road and the East Coast main
line railway station at Grantham.
The depôt was closed in 1919, the site
cleared and the land restored to Lord Brownlow in
1920. Little sign of the Machine Gun Corps's stay
remains in the park, but plaques and inscriptions
can be followed from the south gate of Belton
park to the memorial gate on the way from there
to the town centre and in the north aisle of
Grantham parish church.
Belton Park again saw war service during
World War II.
On the formation of the RAF
Regiment in 1942 the park became the first home
of the Regiment, when soon afterwards it moved
to Belton where it was housed in nissen huts in
the park. In January 1984 as a result of death
duties, coupled with the rising costs of the
upkeep, made Belton too much for the Brownlow
family and ownership of the house, garden and
some of the contents was transferred to the
National Trust.
OUR VISIT TO BELTON PARK
14 th August 2010
By Hughie Cooper
When I first heard about this event we
decided to go and at the same time, as they lived
in the same area, meet two of my brothers. When
we were discussing the visit, one of them said that
they could do with some rain in Lincolnshire as in
July; they had only had 5 mm of rain whereas in
other areas they had 134 mm.
I told them their worries were over as the
RAF Regiment would solve their problem, for in
my experience at various Regiment functions,
particularly ceremonial events, it always seemed
to rain. Were therefore arranged to meet at
Sleaford and then travel down to Belton Park for
the Saturday and Saturday if weather permitted,

4
which of course it did not. We met as arranged
but because of the torrential rain decided that it
was too bad to continue with our proposed visit.
Anyway, in spite of the appalling weather
on the Saturday, my wife Eileen and I decided to
go to Belton Park and in spite of the weather, we
found it to be extremely interesting with various
military re-enactments taking place and chatting
with people in between the heavy showers.
It was quite surprising how many people
attended, so much so that the car park was
absolutely crammed but everyone was rewarded
for their efforts in attending by the displays.
Two RAF Regiment recruitment trailers
were there as well as 2503 RAuxAF Squadron
from Lincoln as well as various military vehicles,
both those in current use and previously used
vehicles that also took part in the displays. There
was also a climbing wall which the youngsters
enjoyed immensely.
The commitment and professionalism of
everyone who is involved in the current situation
is quite firm and confirms their absolute belief in
the onerous tasks and risks they undertake both at
home and abroad.
Amongst several topics raised was about
the Home guard Re-enactment where they had
what appeared to be a rather ancient mortar with a
vertical magazine on one side capable of holding
four – thee inch mortar shells in cylindrical pipes,
apparently called a Smith Gun. We were told that
there were only four still in existence and that
they had been issued to the Home Guard.
When we returned home I looked through
my various reference books on different weapons
without success. I then searched my archives and
found an article that had been published in the
RAF Regiment Association “Rocks” Bulletin No
1 dated 1 st July 1990. It was entitled the:
“Smith Gun and Northover Projector”
Early in World War Two when, just after
Dunkirk, things looked very black indeed, those
who had managed to get out of Dunkirk were
billeted all over the country. Weapons were in
short supply and until better, more efficient ones
could be produced, a series of odd, cheap and
mainly inefficient weapons appeared on the scene.
The Smith Gun was amongst the first. It
consisted of two very large wheels, about four feet
in diameter with two inch rubber tyres. Its barrel
was smooth bored and about four feet in length.
The projectiles ranged from converted three inch
mortar cases to 3 inch by 7 inch cast iron cases
containing smoke ingredients and HE.
The idea was that the weapon could be
towed behind a small car or other vehicle to the
spot where it was required - a towing eye was
fitted to the end of the barrel for this purpose - and
then the weapon was turned onto one wheel on its
side. The other wheel was conical and served as
overhead protection.
As everyone knows a smooth bored barrel
without rifling offers no spin and therefore no
accuracy. The result being an indecisive
trajectory and a total absence of accuracy, not
only that, it was very unstable when being towed
and frequently the towing eye snapped or the gun
took over and caused the towing vehicle to
somersault. It wasn’t a weapon to either have
faith in or to like and after a short while it was
phased out and handed over to the Home Guard.
The second weapon, also to go to the
home Guard, was the Northover Projector. This
consisted of a piece of piping roughly four feet
long and with a 2 ½ inch bore. It was mounted on
four legs and the sighting was rudimentary and of
the type later to be found on the “Energa”.
The sight slipped up and had sighting
holes along its length which was roughly 11
inches. Some models had a “Heath Robinson” No
8 battery firing pin, others were purely spring
loaded and again, it was smooth bored and of
course highly inaccurate. Its legs were also badly
finished and may were the injuries sustained from
its angular construction.
The main thing that both weapons had in
common was that they offered a tangible means of
defending a position and gave a feeling of being
armed. Their faults were not readily apparent
owing to the lack of proper ammunition and
above all, they looked like guns, which I suppose
was psychologically the intention.
********************
Hughie ended this article with “we
sincerely hoped that the weather would be better
on the following day as we had a prior
appointment at the National Memorial Arboretum,
so we left Grantham early on the Sunday morning.
OUR VISIT TO THE NMA
15 th August 2010
By Hughie Cooper
Dave Harris and I had completed our
Basic Training together and so we arranged to

5
meet him and his family at the NMA so after we
had arrived from Grantham we met them there.
The weather was much better than that we had
experienced at Belton Park and over the last two
days.
The day was the 65 th Anniversary of the
ending of the war in the Far East and services
were being held to commemorate this, particularly
from the Far Eastern Prisoners of War
Association. It is always a very poignant
reminder of the terrible things that happened then.
Also, it gave me the privilege of meeting
once again, Jack Plant who was one of the prime
movers in the erection of the Sumatra Railway
Memorial that was dedicated in 2001 on the
Anniversary of VJ Day, an event he attends every
year.
Again the events were well supported and
very busy. It impressed everyone who we spoke
to and many could not believe the amount of work
that had been carried out in such a short time.
********************
Many thanks for your reports Hughie and I’m so
glad the weather did not put you off.
NATIONAL MEMORIAL
ARBORETUM (NMA) UPDATE
RAF Regiment Memorial Garden
The RAF Regiment Memorial Garden's
new block paving has enabled the establishment
of individual and personalized Memorial Stones
in the pathway. The Memorial Stones,
manufactured in honed light grey granite and
available in several distinct styles, may be ordered
by anyone who may wish to commemorate a
Corps individual, unit or event.
A bespoke order form is now available in
hard-copy and electronic formats from the RAF
Regiment Secretary and may also be downloaded
from the RAF Regt Assoc website at
www.rafregt.org.uk.
Individual Memorial Stone
For commemorating individual Corps
members 8 in x 4 in x 1.2 in, with chamfered
edges and containing three lines each of up to
sixteen characters at £80.00.
Unit Memorial Stone
For commemorating a numbered unit or
group of individuals. 8 in x 8 in x 1.2 in with
chamfered edges and containing five lines each of
up to sixteen characters at £125.00.
De-Luxe Unit/Corps Event Memorial Stone
For commemorating a numbered unit or
group of individuals or Corps Event. 8 in x 8 in x
1.2 in with chamfered edges, RAF Regiment
Crossed Rifles motif and containing five lines
each of up to sixteen characters at £165.00.
Special Corps Event Memorial Stone
For commemorating a Corps Operational
Event or Theatre of Operations. 12 inches square
or 16 inches square.
Design to be agreed.
Number of lines and characters dependent on
design selected. Price on application.
Future Events at the NMA
Thursday 16 th September 2010
At 2.00 p.m. in the Millennium Chapel
and later onsite the Ambulance Service
Benevolent Fund will hold its bi-annual service to
honour all ambulance personnel and especially
those who have died in Service.
For further information contact Simon
Fermor, National Secretary, by telephone on
01323 721150, or by e-mail at <
asbf.enquiries@hotmail.co.uk>.
Thursday 30 th September 2010
At 2.30 p.m. the Royal Anglian Regiment
will hold a dedication of the memorial to the
Royal Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire
Regiments.
For further information contact Lieutenant
Colonel Tony Slater on 01603 400290 or by email
at .
Saturday 2 nd October 2010
Ride to the Wall for 2010 organised by the
Harley-Davidson Riders Club Great Britain
(HDRCGB) will take place on Saturday 2 nd
October 2010 and is open to riders of all makes
and models of motorcycles. Participants are
asked to pay a registration fee and all money
raised after necessary expenses have been covered
will be donated to the National Memorial
Arboretum.
Everyone who registers will receive a
commemorative 2010 year bar. Drayton Manor
Theme Park, near Tamworth will once again be
the assembly point for the 11 o'clock start of the
official ride to the Armed Forces Memorial at the
National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas
Staffordshire. Registration will open on 1 st March
2010 and can be done by post with a cheque /
postal order to HDRCGB, PO Box 62, Newton
Abbot, Devon, TQ12 2QE, or by telephone to
their 24 hour answer phone 01179 600779.

6
Sunday 24 th October 2010
The Vulcan Crew Chiefs Register has
received a Big Lottery Fund grant and is installing
a bench in the RAF section. At 11.00 a.m. MRAF
Lord Craig of Radley, their President and Patron
will unveil the memorial bench at a dedication
service. There will also be a wreath laying
ceremony. For further information Tony Regan
on 01297 20280 or email .
Thursday 11 th November 2010
At 10.30 a.m. the annual Armistice Day
Service of Remembrance will be held on the
Armed Forces Memorial. There will be a limited
number of tickets available for this service and
application details will be publicised from 1
September.
RAF Regiment Books
I am often asked for information about
books about the RAF Regiment. The following
list is of the books that I know of that I am
regularly adding to. If anyone knows of any other
books about the RAF Regiment, please let me
know. All the books are listed by their date of
publication.
Books about the RAF Regiment
"Khaki and Blue" the early ground defence of
the RAF in WW2 by Colonel Ronald Sherbrooke-
Walker TD DL. Published in 1952 by The Saint
Catherine Press Ltd. Now out of print. No ISBN.
“A Brief History of the RAF Regiment 1942-
1960” by Air Vice Marshall J. H. Harris, C.B.,
CBE. Published in 1960. Now out of print. No
ISBN.
“A Short History of the RAF Regiment” from
1942 to 1970 with a brief account of the approach
to the problems of airfield defence in the RAF
from 1918 to 1942 by Kingsley M Oliver. Printed
by Thanet Printing Works in 1969. No ISBN
Number and now out of print.
“The Royal Air Force Regiment – A Short
History”. A 40 th Anniversary edition. An
updated short history of the RAF Regiment from
1942 to 1982 with a brief account of the approach
to the problems of airfield defence in the Royal air
Force from 1918 until the formation of its own
defence Corps in 1942. By Group Captain
Kingsley Oliver and Wing Commander Keith
Batt. Published in 1982 by Adlard and Son Ltd,
Bartholomew Press, Dorking, Surrey. No ISBN
Number and now out of print.
“No Tigers in our Jungle” about life in the RAF
Regiment in South-East Asia Command 1943/45.
By ex-Flight Lieutenant Harry Homer. Service
number 127613. Published in 1982 ISBN 84 398
8656 X.
“The Edges of War” An RAF Regiment Story by
Tim Hillyar. About 2804 Armoured Car
Squadron, from landing in France at the end of
June 1944, through the fighting in Europe to the
British Victory Parade in Berlin on 21 st July 1945.
Privately published in 1992 by Tim Hillyar. In
1996, he lived at 36, Trefor Jones Court,
Brookfield Avenue, Dover, Kent, CT16 2QP.
“The Blue and Khaki Hunters” Privately
published in a Limited Edition of 500 copies in
1993 by D F Sampson through Newton
Publishers. ISBN 1-872308-34-1. Can be
obtained directly from Mr D F Sampson, 17
Shelley Close, Highcliffe on Sea, Christchurch,
Dorset, BH23 4HW. Telephone number 01425
279206.
"Below the Bottom Rung" the RAF Regiment in
Palestine by Edward Grocott. Published in 1996
by J and K H Publishing. ISBN 1 900511 57 6.
"Through Adversity" the History of the RAF
Regiment 1942 - 1992 by Kingsley M Oliver.
Published in 1997 by Forces and Corporate
Publishing Ltd. ISBN 0 9529597 0 4.
"In Adversity" Exploits of Gallantry and Awards
to the RAF Regiment and its Associated Forces
1921 - 12995 by Nicholas G Tucker. Published
in 1997 by Jade Publishing Limited. ISBN 1-
900734-08-7.
With British Snipers to the Reich” by Captain
Clifford Shore, first published in 1997 by
Greenhill Books, London and Stackpole Books,
Pennsylvania, USA. ISBN 1-85367-292-0. As a
Flying Officer with 2834 AA Squadron, RAF
Regiment, after landing in Normandy on 7 th June,
Clifford Shore served through France and
Germany during World War Two.
"The RAF Regiment" History, Colours,
uniforms and Equipment of the RAF Regiment.
Edited by Stuart Asquith. Published in 2000 by
Nexus Special Interests Ltd. Book Number
001772. Foreword by Air Commodore R C
Moore, MBE, RAF, Commandant General, RAF
Regiment. But now out of print.
"The RAF Regiment at War" 1942 - 1946 by
Kingsley M Oliver. Published in 2002 by Pen and
Sword Books Limited. ISBN 0-85052-852-6.

7
"On the Road to Mandalay" featuring the life of
the author Randle Manwaring focussing
particularly on his time with the RAF Regiment in
the Burma Campaign. Published in 2006 by Pen
and Sword Books Limited. ISBN 1844154971.
"Constant Vigilance" the RAF Regiment in the
Burma Campaign by Nigel W M Warwick.
Published in 2007 by Pen and Sword Books
Limited. ISBN: 9781844155002.
“Gunner’s Tales, Warts and All” by Ron
Taylor. This is a collection of stories, myths and
legends from the RAF Regiment. A cartoon book
similar to the Giles cartoon books only all
Regiment cartoons.
A Limited Edition book
privately published in 2009 at £10.00. Copies can
be obtained from Mr. R Taylor, 710A Hern Road,
Pondersbridge, Ramsay St Mary’s, PE26 2TL.
Ron can also be contacted on 01733 844817.
Books containing references to the RAF
Regiment
“The Lost Lady” all about the American Bomber
"Lady Be Good". No publication date available.
By Mario Martinez. Published by Leo Cooper at
£19.95. Mentions 2926 Squadron RAF Regiment.
“Flugplatz Gutersloh”. A Short History 1937/87
with references to the RAF Regiment. Published
in 1987. By Gerry Lewis. Published 1987.
“The Battle of the Airfields 1st January 1945”
by Norman L Franks. About “Operation
Bodenplatte” when the Germans attempted to
destroy the advanced Allied Airfields. First
published in 1982. ISBN 1 898697 15 9.
Republished by Grub Street in 1994 in an updated
version.
“Britain's Modern Royal Air Force” which
contains a complete chapter on the RAF
Regiment. Published in 1994. By Peter F Guiver.
ISBN 1 85260 4328.
“The Autobiography” by Brian Clough.
Mentions his service at RAF Watchet. Published
in 1995. ISBN 1 85225 198 0.
“The Royal Air Force” an Illustrated History
by Michael Armitage. Published by
Brockhampton Press in 1995. ISBN 1 86019
8511. Contains several references to the RAF
Regiment.
“Esprit de Corps” by Walter Archibald Elliott.
A Scots Guards Officer on Active Service 1943 -
1945. Published in 1997. In Chapter 7 it’s about
the Transfer of RAF Regiment Personnel to the
Scots Guards. ISBN 085955 220 9.
“Sunset in the East” by John Hudson published
by Leo Cooper in 2002. ISBN 0 85052 846 1. It
briefly mentions The RAF Regiment on page 43.
Its main interest is the fact that to maintain order
and to control the nationalist in Java, the author
employed captured Japanese army personnel. It
also gives a lot of detail about the war in Burma.
“Joint Force Harrier” by Commander Adrian
Orchard, with James Barrington. The true story
of a Royal Navy Fighter squadron at war.
Published in 2008 by Penguin Books and Micael
Joseph. ISBN 9780718153991.
FROM THE RAF REGIMENT
SECRETARY
DEATH NOTICES:
WATKINS GEORGE. Former RAF
Regt LAC George Robert Watkins, born 23 Sep
21, died on 4 Aug 10 aged 88. He enlisted into
the RAF in 1940, was assimilated into the RAF
Regt in 1942, and served in various parts of the
UK during WWII before being discharged in
1945. He was a member of the Norfolk Branch of
the RAF Regt Assoc.
The funeral was held at 13.30 on Thu 19
Aug at the Earlham Crematorium, Norwich.
Family flowers only were requested but
donations, if required, may be made to the RBL
and/or RAFA (Watton Branch), c/o Breckland
Funeral Services, 25 Norwich Road, Norfolk.
Next of Kin details are not known but
correspondence may be sent to Mr R Wheeler of
21 Ovington Road, Saham Toney, Thetford,
Norfolk (tel 01953 881068. The Corps extends it
sincere condolences to the surviving family.
MARLOW GEORGE. Former RAF
Regt Sgt George Marlow, born 10 Apr 26, died on
12 Aug 10 aged 84. He served in the Corps from
Oct 44 until Apr 48, and was employed firstly on
bomb disposal duties and then as a Para Instructor
with 2 Sqn RAF Regt. He was a member of the
Notts & Derby Branch of the RAF Regt Assoc.
The funeral was held at 11.20 on Wed 25
Aug 10 at the Wilford Hill Crematorium,
Nottingham, NG2 7SE. Family flowers only were
requested but donations may be made to the
RAFBF via the Funeral Directors, A W Lymn of

8
Varney Road, Clifton. (tel 01159 456232). He is
survived by his daughter, Ms Barbara Marlow of
18 Barnet Road, Bakersfield, Notts, NG2 7AQ, to
whom the Corps extends its sincere condolences.
NEW NOTICES:
THANKSGIVING SERVICES
McNEIL IAN. A Thanksgiving Service
for the Life and Service of the late Air Cdre Ian
McNeil, CG RAF Regt 1995-99, who died in Apr
10, will be held at the RAF Church of St Clement
Danes in London at 11.00 on Thu 7 Oct 10.
Further details will be issued in due course but
those interested in attending the Service and
Reception afterwards may register with the Regtl
Sec in the first instance.
DUNHILL BRYAN. A Thanksgiving
Service for the Life of the late Bryan Dunhill,
who died on 22 Mar 10, will be held at the RAF
Chapel at Biggin Hill, Kent, at 11.00 on Fri 3 Sep
10, after which will be a burial of the Ashes. All
are welcome to attend and Medals may be worn.
Further details may be obtained from his wife,
Mrs Jane Dunhill of 4 Lullarook Close, Biggin
Hill, Kent TN16 3XG (Tel No 01959 571571).
MEMORIAL STONES FACILITY IN RAF
REGIMENT MEMORIAL GARDEN -
UPDATED
The RAF Regt Memorial Garden's new
block paving in late-2009 enabled the
establishment of individual and personalized
Memorial Stones in the pathway. The Memorial
Stones, manufactured in honed light grey granite
and available in several distinct styles, may be
ordered by anyone who may wish to
commemorate a Corps individual, unit or event.
A bespoke order form is now available in hardcopy
and electronic formats from the Regtl Sec
and may also be downloaded from the RAF Regt
Assoc website at www.rafregt.org.uk .
RAF ARMOURED CAR ASSOC & AUTUMN
REUNION
The RAF Armoured Car Assoc was
originally formed to link former members of the
RAF Armoured Car Companies (ACCs, 1921-46)
but it was expanded to include the RAF Regt
armoured car involvement post-1947. There is no
membership fee but those wishing to join the
Assoc should contact the Hon Sec, John Rolph at
no1.rolph@btinternet.com .
RAF REGT SQN STANDARD
PRESENTATIONS
26 AND 27 RAF REGT SQNS' STANDARD
PRESENTATIONS - DATE CHANGE
Further to previous CPeNs, the
presentation of the new Standard for 27 Sqn RAF
Regt (and recovery of the 26 Sqn RAF Regt
Standard) will now take place at RAF Honington
at 14.00 on Tue 28 Sep 10 (not 30 Sep as
previously listed). Former members of either 26
or 27 Sqns RAF Regt who wish to attend should
contact the relevant Sqn Dep Sqn Cdr for further
details and to register attendance.
26 Sqn RAF Regt: Flt Lt Dan Quayle (GPTN
95991 7128; BT 01359 237128; email 26fpsqndsc@honington.raf.mod.uk.
27 Sqn RAF Regt: Flt Lt Jamie Milne (GPTN
95991 7230; BT 01359 23 7230; email
jcbrnregt27sqnsc@honington.raf.mod.uk
QUEEN'S COLOUR SQUADRON 50 TH
ANNIVERSARY DINNER - 5 NOV 2010
The QCS will host a formal dinner to celebrate its
50 th anniversary on Fri 5 Nov 10 and former
members of the QCS are invited to participate in
the event to be held at the RAF Northolt Junior
Ranks' Mess. Dress for serving members will be
No 5b Service Mess Dress for officers and
SNCOs, Interim Mess Dress for JNCOs and Gnrs,
or Black Tie (Dinner Jacket) with medals and
decorations. Pre-dinner drinks will be held at
19.30 in the Junior Ranks' Mess Foyer and the
dinner will begin at 20.00.
Regrettably, owing to the current fiscal
constraints, the dinner will attract a charge of £35
per head. Those wishing to attend should register
by sending their details and a UK Sterling cheque
for £35 (payable to Service Funds, RAF Northolt),
to the Proj Offr to arrive no later than 22 Oct,
together with details of any dietary requirements
and vehicle registration details if a parking pass
will be required. Unfortunately, places will be
limited and will be allocated on a first-come-firstserved
basis. Places may only be reserved with
pre-payment and cancellations without penalty
will be accepted no later than 29 Oct 10.
The dinner is a stag event and there will be
no accommodation available at RAF Northolt.
Those attending are asked not to approach the
Messes direct and are advised to seek their own
accommodation in the local area. Further details
including a list of nearby accommodation are
available on request from the Proj Offr, who may
be contacted at: Fg Off Dunne, 50 th Anniversary
Dinner Proj Offr, QCS, RAF Northolt West End

9
Road, Ruislip, Middlesex, HA4 6NG (Email:
qcs63fp-ocswflt@northolt.raf.mod.uk, BT Tel:
0208 8426094). [CPeN 150]
CORPS FORMATION DINNER 2011
The Corps Operational Review and Formation
Dinner 2011 (CFD11) will be held at RAF
Honington on Fri 4 Feb 11. All RAF FP Force
RAF Regt Officers not operationally deployed or
on essential duty are to attend; all other serving
RAF Regt officers are invited to attend, as are up
to 30 retired officers. Further details will be
issued towards the end-2010. [CPeN 150]
A CPeN MILESTONE
This marks the 150 th CPeN and, since the
inception of the service in late 2006, well in
excess of 150,000 have been sent to Corps
members and a significant number of supporters.
They are often re-transmitted on to other groups
and many addressees are in far distant lands,
including Cambodia, Thailand, Australia, New
Zealand and the Americas. They provide up-todate
Corps news and information that, for the
majority, would go unseen or be received long
after the event has passed. The service is free and
just needs the registration of an Internet Email
address with the Regtl Sec. Please encourage
friends and colleagues to sign up.
RAF REGT FUND CHANGES OF ADDRESS
Please advise any RAF Regt Fund/Centurion
journal changes of address to the Fund
Membership Secretary Flt Lt Paul Norry at
RTS(C) Trg Wg, RAF Honington, or by Email at
ocsigsschool@honington.raf.mod.uk, or by BT tel
01359 237957.
RAF REGT ASSOC PRESENCE AT
SERVICE REPATRIATIONS - UPDATED
The National Executive Committee (NEC)
of the RAF Regt Assoc has determined that an
Assoc presence at Service repatriations, centred
upon the town of Wootton Bassett, should be
instituted formally, since with the intensity of
operations in which British forces are currently
engaged, it seems sadly inevitable that there will
be more to come. It was agreed that the Assoc's
National Standard should always be on parade for
a RAF Regt repatriation.
However, it was also agreed that it was
desirable that the Assoc should be represented, at
least at Branch level, at all repatriations,
regardless of the Service(s) of the individual(s)
being repatriated. It is worth noting that a number
of other Service and ex-Service organisations
attend all repatriations, and the NEC agreed that it
would be wholly fitting to similarly honour the
fallen.
Regardless of whether it is to be a RAF
Regt repatriation, or that of another Service, the
Assoc should try to parade as a single body, to
maximise our impact on the parade. Clearly this
requires some coordination and Mr Tich Taylor,
of the Hereford Branch, will act as the Assoc's
Repatriations Coordinator.
Branches and individual members of the
Assoc are therefore encouraged to contact Mr
Taylor (contact details below) to register their
interest in attending repatriations. He will then be
able to advise those interested on when
repatriation is due to take place and of the
necessary coordinating arrangements.
The act of registering an interest does not
mean that branches or individuals are committed
to attend, but the greater the pool of those
interested, the greater the chances of the Assoc
having a fully representative turnout. Mr Taylor
may be contacted on Tel: 01446 730894 or via
Email at linda.49taylor@tiscali.co.uk.
20 YEARS IN IRAQ CONFERENCE
The Defence Studies Department of King's
College London and the Royal Air Force Centre
for Air Power Studies is hosting a one day
conference, on 30 Sep 11 at JSDC Shrivenham,
involving air power academics and specialists,
military historians, experts on the Gulf Wars, and
RAF and other veterans of theses conflicts. This
conference intends to bring together scholars and
practitioners in the various phases of the Iraq
development in order to explore the following
themes:
RAF transformation: from Cold War air
force to expeditionary air force ; The evolution of
air-land integration from 1990 to 2009 ; Modern
air operations and the media ; Non-kinetic and
psychological warfare ; Air policing and the
utility of air power in low intensity operations ;
Casualty tolerance and intolerance ; Prisoners of
war ; International perspectives on the RAF's role
and performance in Iraq ; The legacy of Iraq on
the RAF today and the immediate future.
Serving personnel are invited to attend.
For more information, or to book a place, contact
your Unit Representative.
CORPS DIARY DATES:
28 Sep Standard Presentations to 27 and 26 Sqns
RAF Regt (RAF Honington)

1-4 Oct RAF Regt Assoc AGM and Annual
Reunion (Nr Hereford).
7 Oct Thanksgiving Service for the Life and
Service of the late Air Cdre Ian McNeil (London).
21-22 Oct RAF Armd Car Assoc 2010 Autumn
Reunion (Nr Derby).
29 Oct RAF Regt Officers' Dinner Club Annual
Dinner (RAF Club, London).
11 Nov Garden of Remembrance - Westminster
Abbey.
14 Nov Remembrance Sunday Cenotaph, London,
and nationwide.
Well that’s all for now, keep smiling if you can
and stay happy.
Malcolm
10

DATES FOR
YOUR
DIARIES
Sunday 3 rd October 2010 Merchant Navy Day
Fri 1 st -Mon 4 th October 2010 Ass AGM and Reunion
Thursday 14 th October 2010 Branch Night
Thursday 21 st October 2010 Battle of Trafalgar
Sunday 7 th November 2010 Midlands Fest of Rem
Thursday 11 th Nov 2010 Remembrance Day
Thursday 11 th November 10 Westminster Abbey
Thursday 11 th Nov 2010 Branch Night
Saturday 13 th Nov 2010 B’ham Poppy Ball
CHAIRMAN
Ron Sharp
46 Lightwood Road
Yoxall, Burton on Trent
Staffordshire DE13 8QE
Tel No: 01543 472411
r.sharpe@homecall.co.uk
MAKE
A
DATE
10
SECRETARY
Malcolm A Baldwin
61 Pear Tree Crescent
Solihull Lodge, Shirley
Solihull, B90 1LE
Tel: 0121 608 3791
Baldwinmalc@blueyonder.co.uk
Sunday 14 th November 2010 Remembrance Sunday
Sat 27 th -Sun 28 th Nov 2010 B’ham Int Tattoo
Tuesday 30 th November 2010 St Andrew’s Day
Thursday 9 th December 2010 Branch Night
Thursday 13 th January 2011 Branch Night
Thursday 10 th February 2011 Branch AGM Night
A NEW BRANCH
SECRETARY WANTED
AGM THURSDAY 10 th
FEBRUARY WHEN I
RETIRE
REMEMBER
TREASURER
Tom Magee
11 Pavilion Avenue
Smethwick, Warley
West Midlands, B67 6LA
Tel: 0121 429 5635 e-mail
rockape2005@tiscali.co.uk
MINUTE SECRETARY
Ken Bridgwood
29 Claverdon Drive
Great Barr
Birmingham
West Midlands, B45 5HR
Tel: 0121 357 4242
Kenbridgwood@aol.com
PRESIDENT
Peter Swash
‘Mdina’ Rowney Green Lane
Rowney Green
Redditch
Worcestershire, B48 7QF
Tel No: 01527 60870
peter.swash1@btinternet.com
BRANCH
QUARTERMASTER
Tom Magee
11 Pavilion Avenue
Smethwick, Warley
West Midlands, B67 6LA
Tel: 0121 429 5635 e-mail
rockape2005@tiscali.co.uk
VICE-PRESIDENT AND RBL
LIAISON OFFICER
Dave Gooding
31 Queen Elizabeth Road
Rubery, Rednal
Birmingham, B45 0NE
Mob: 077597 36879
legionaire480@msn.com
STANDARD BEARER
Dave Gooding
31 Queen Elizabeth Road
Rubery, Rednal
Birmingham
West Midlands B45 0NE
Tel: 0121 604 4637
legionaire480@msn.com
RESEARCH CO-ORD/
LINK-UP DATA BASE
Hughie Cooper
11 Sandringham Close
Baswich Lane
Stafford, ST17 0AB
Tel: 01785 242269
loz@monarchs.freeserve.co.uk
PUBLIC RELATIONS
OFFICER/SOCIAL SEC
Michael Beard
21 Abingdon Road
Bloxwich, Walsall
West Midlands
WS3 2SX
Tel: 01922 491453
FINANCIAL AUDITOR
Trevor Round
7 Board School Gardens
Dudley
West Midlands
DY3 1XA
Tel: 01902 672597
FINANCIAL AUDITOR
Joan Round
7 Board School Gardens
Dudley
West Midlands
DY3 1XA
Tel: 01902 672597
THIS NEWSLETTER IS PHOTOCOPIED AND BOUND BY KIND
PERMISSION OF WRAGGE AND CO SOLICITORS