BATTLE OF BRITAIN DINING IN NIGHT - The Insight Online

54 Squadron97th AnniversaryReunion WeekendOn 27 September, 54(R)Squadron welcomed Associationmembers to RAF Waddingtonfor their annual reunion event.Gathering in the crew roomon Friday evening for atraditional Squadron beer calland sumptuous buffet (thanksto Mrs Karen Cropper), OfficerCommanding 54(R) Squadron,Wing Commander Tim Monk,welcomed retired and servingmembers and their families.Awarding Warrant Officer SteveCorlett with a well-deservedA2 Instructor Upgrade, WingCommander Monk receiveda gift of new model aircraftpainstakingly recreated inSquadron livery by Mr JohnGreen (probably the finest aircraftmodel maker in the country). Themodels now sit proudly amongstother Squadron aircraft in a newpresentation cabinet locatedwithin the Squadron crew room.Saturday’s events started witha visit to RAF Cranwell, where atour of College Hall Officers’ Messwas hosted by Curator Ms HazelCrozier. Association membersreturned to RAF Waddingtonwhere a families’ afternoongave them the opportunity tofly the Sentry simulator, tourthe Sentinel static display andwitness an amazing Spitfire flypastflown by Station CommanderRAF Coningsby, Group CaptainJohnny Stringer, a formerSquadron member. Followingthe Annual General Meeting,Saturday’s formal dinner washeld at the stately Branston Hall.The Squadron Standard set thebackdrop for a delicious mealattended by some 83 members.Association President WingCommander Monk was joinedby Assistant Chief of the Air Staff,Air Vice Marshal Edward Stringer,himself a former OC 54 Squadron,new Chairman Wing CommanderSimon Prior (Retd) and PadreWing Commander Kev Hart. WingCommander Monk highlightedhow busy the Squadron had beenover the previous 12 months,with training, standardisation andoperational involvement acrossall ISTAR Force Elements based atRAF Waddington.The oldest Association memberand ex-Second World WarSpitfire pilot, Mr Ken Bellamy waspresented with a 90th birthdaygift of a Spitfire Haynes’ Manualby Patron Air Marshal Sir RogerAustin (Retd). For his lifelongcontribution to the Association,Sir Roger was gifted a largepicture of Sopwith Camel – theSquadron’s First World Waraction being the subject ofhis current research. Ex OfficerCommanding 54(R) Squadron,Wing Commander Anne-MarieHoughton also presented theSquadron with an impressivenew piece of silver (in the familiarshape of a Lion rampant sable) asher departing gift.Since its reformation at RAFWaddington on 1st September2005, the 54 SquadronAssociation has gone fromstrength to strength with around250 members. The Association iskeen to attract more members(whether they served on theground or in the air) and wouldparticularly welcome interestfrom veterans of the Jaguar era(1974-2005). The Association isramping up for the Squadron’s100th anniversary celebrations,hopefully to be held where itwas formed at Castle Bromwichin 1916. However, next year’sreunion will be held overthe weekend of 19th to 20thSeptember at RAF Waddington.Membership of the Associationis free. Serving and retired 54Squadron members interested inbecoming involved with futureAssociation activities shouldcontact Secretary Flight SergeantJase Brewster at jkb100@live.co.uk. Audax Omnia Perpeti!Below:Association members assembledin front of a Sentinel R1 aircraft atthe Families Afternoon.Above:Six OC 54s reunited – fromleft to right: Air Marshal SirRoger Austin (Retd), WingCommander Simon Prior (Retd),Wing Commander Tim Monk,Wing Commander Anne-MarieHoughton, Group Captain DimJones (Retd), Air Vice MarshalEdward Stringer.InsightMAGAZINE 41