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BRITISH AND German Typhoons scrambled for the second time in a week to intercept four Russian aircraft.
Two jets launched together from Ämari Air Base after a military Tu-134 passenger aircraft, known by the Nato name of ‘Crusty,’ escorted by two Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker fighters and an AN-12 Cub transporter were detected close to Estonian airspace.
OC IX (B) Sqn, Wg Cdr Richard Leask, said: “We were scrambled to intercept an aircraft that was approaching Estonian airspace. We quickly identified the Russian aircraft and then monitored them as they flew close to Nato airspace.”
Commander 140 EAW Wg Cdr Scott Maccoll said: “Now the two Air Force detachments here in Estonia have fully integrated, this interception demonstrated that we are working extremely well together as one team.”
The German Air Force unit is from the 71 Tactical Air Wing ‘Richthofen’.
AIR FORCE chiefs from the UK and Japan have signed a deal outlining future space cooperation.
The arrangement will see the RAF and the Japanese Air Self Defence Force share operational knowledge, collaborate on exercises and training, and exchange personnel.
The deal was signed by Chief of the Air Staff ACM Sir Mike Wigston and the JASDF’s (KokuJietai) General Shunji Izutsu at DSEI Japan – a gathering of 200 exhibitors from at least 15 countries in Tokyo.
ACM Wigston said: “Japan is a valued international partner of the UK.
“We share common values and strategic interests, and we are working ever more closely in the face of global security challenges.”
“The past year has been the hardest graft of my life”
“It’s really cool that there are three of us playing
“Being based
Hampton
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Simon Mander Cranwell
A PATHFINDER who won the Military Cross for taking on thousands of armed rebels, allowing British citizens to escape from civil war-torn Sierra Leone, has become the latest hero to sign on at Cranwell’s Wall of Honour.
Former Paratrooper Steve Heaney was one of a 26-man platoon sent to delay rampaging Revolutionary United Front guerrillas while RAF Chinooks and Hercules lifted personnel to safety.
Survival specialist Steve and 25 other pathfinders launched a jungle mission to halt members of the
brutal Revolutionary United Front.
Aircrew Survival, Evasion and Resistance (SERE) Training Centre
Instructor Mark Fairhead said: “This gang were making their way towards Freetown raping, pillaging, killing and maiming as they went, and this small band of brothers was all that stood in their way.
“Facing 2,000 enemy at odds of 80-1 they had to be disciplined, and, expecting to be deployed for two days with Quick Reaction Force support, they were there for much longer without food, with little ammunition, and no QRF.”
Outgunned and outnumbered but by winning over and collaborating with local people they engaged the
TWO POSEIDON aircraft have completed a major Nato subhunting exercise.
The CXX Sqn P8s operated alongside allies from nine nations including the US, Canada, France and Italy on Exercise Dynamic Manta, from Naval Air Station Sigonella in Sicily.
The twice-yearly training aims to challenge crews in a realistic complex warfare environment to hone their maritime patrol skills.
Detachment commander Sqn Ldr Ian Birchall said: “The highend training with so many allies is invaluable.
“Our presence is also a further demonstration of the UK’s commitment to maritime patrol and deepening cooperation with Nato.”
Submarines and surface ships joined maritime patrol aircraft in the Mediterranean with CXX Sqn helping to locate vessels below and above the surface by coordinating search efforts.
Sqn Ldr Birchall said: “Deploying two Poseidon aircraft to Sicily for this major exercise, while still conducting training and operational flying from Lossiemouth, is a great example of the progress being made as we work towards our full operating capability.”
RUF in an intense battle, showing enormous courage in the face of adversity.
“Existing on meagre rations of snails, roots and local bread baked by villagers these 26 brave men kept the RUF at bay long enough and executed their mission, demonstrating the courage, teamwork, self-belief and moral fibre so typical of the pathfinders,” said Mr Fairhead.
Steve’s exploits are captured in his books X-Platoon and Operation Mayhem, and he told trainee aircrew about the importance of having a library of knowledge and skills for all the environments they may need to survive in.
GERMAN PRESIDENT FrankWalter Steinmeier visited RAF and Luftwaffe personnel deployed on the first combined Nato Baltic Air Policing mission by an integrated multinational force.
Speaking to 140 Expeditionary Air Wing and German Air Force Tactical Air Wing 71 personnel at Amari Air Base in Estonia, he said the Typhoons were vital to defending smaller partners threatened by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
He added “The message we are sending from here is very clear: Nato is ready to defend every square inch of alliance territory. We stand by the Baltic states and assure them of our protection.”
UK AIR chiefs are set to launch a new generation of ISTAR capability following a £6 billion investment programme as Nato steps up surveillance and security on its eastern borders.
The arrival of the first of three Boeing E-7 Wedgetail aircraft at Lossiemouth in 2024 and the new unmanned Protector platform at Waddington this year will mark a ‘step-change’ in the RAF’s surveillance and intelligence gathering capability, in addition to the already delivered Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft and further expansion of the Shadow aircraft fleet.
The UK’s first Protector technicians graduated in the US earlier this month, while the
RAF has more than 20 personnel training alongside the Royal Australian Air Force on the E-7.
There is a further lift with the arrival of the first of eight updated Shadow Mk2 aircraft, backed by a £11 million synthetic training deal.
ISTAR Force Commander Air Cdre Simon Strasdin said: “We have spent 30 years preparing for expeditionary warfare largely in the Middle East and we have been highly successful.
“With the advancement in technology we now have the ability to project air power over the horizon to the other side of the world if necessary to gather intelligence.
“In Eastern Europe the fight has got a bit closer to home. We are able to launch from the UK and monitor what is happening in
Eastern Europe and contribute to both national and Nato objectives.
“We have a new generation of ISTAR capability. We have a force in growth with significant investment.”
Under a slimmed down procurement deal, the RAF will receive three P-8 Wedgetails, which will join the growing Poseidon maritime surveillance fleet at a purposebuilt facility at Lossiemouth.
The first of 16 Protectors will land at RAF Waddington, also home to the Rivet Joint fleet, later this year ahead of the retirement of the Reaper platform it replaces.
The ‘B’ Protector variant boasts twice the endurance and range of the Reaper, can carry a heavier payload and will be able to
operate in civilian air space for the first time. Although based at the Lincolnshire ISTAR station, it can be operated anywhere in the world.
The latest additions to the RAF’s ISTAR inventory follow the introduction of the Poseidon P-8 subhunter in 2021, operated by
Currently operating at intermediate capability level, the maritime surveillance aircraft is now spearheading Nato anti-submarine exercises alongside nine other nations in the Mediterranean.
Air Cdre Strasdin added: “P8 Poseidon is by any stretch of imagination a success story – delivering to the frontline in five years is phenomenal.
STEP CHANGE:E-7 Wedgetail will boost UK ISTAR Force
PROTECTOR: Improves on Reaper UAV it replaces
ISTAR CHIEF: Air Cdre Strasdin
“At intermediate capability level for Poseidon we are able to project our nine aircraft into the Atlantic and into the North Sea in support of our partners and allies, as well as protecting our own shores.
“We bid farewell to the E-3 AWACS last summer. E-7 is a step change and will be firmly part of the Nato early warning and control force. It’s a potent capability compared to the E3 and we look forward to integrating our E-7 platforms from Lossiemouth later next year.
“Protector is bigger, carries more fuel, flies longer than Reaper and will be fully certified to operate in civilian air space, giving increased freedom throughout the UK, Europe and globally.”
As the ISTAR Force prepares for the new arrivals it has gone through
major restructuring. The bases have split from the frontline units and under the reorganisation an estimated 1,000 personnel will move from 1 Group to 2 Group, with over 2,000 remaining in 1 Group operating the platforms.
The reorganisation of a key frontline capability has been a challenge for Air Cdre Strasdin, who took up the post last year.
He trained as a navigator on Tornado GR1 before moving to the GR4 as a qualified weapons instructor. After an exchange to the USA flying F-15 Strike Eagles, he returned to the UK to take command of 12 Sqn at Lossiemouth.
More recently Air Cdre Strasdin took up the post coordinating operations against Daesh as the
Middle East Air Component Commander with 83 EAG and was responsible for overseeing the £500 million development programme at Lossiemouth ahead of the arrival of Poseidon and the growth of the Typhoon force. He added: “Managing the change within our Service offers huge opportunities and huge benefits. Having the air wing stood up to look at tactics, training and procedures to improve our combat
capability while bases focus on enabling and supporting the air wing and lodger units is a major development.
“As we continue to grow, making sure we increase the capability and support of our people is essential –not only growing their own skills on new platforms but increasing the number of people in the ISTAR force.
“As with all growth, that challenge of recruiting, selecting
and training is a difficult challenge that will take a few years to fully realise but it’s hugely positive.
“We are looking to embrace the whole force concept more readily than before. We already have a strong cadre of contracted support. Each of those new platforms comes with that element. We have a good number of civil servants and we are looking to grow our reservist component in line with the Reserves 2030 programme.”
UK CYCLING star Flt Lt Megan Walker has been selected to join the Service’s Elite Athlete programme.
The 25-year-old medical officer, who graduated at Cranwell earlier this year, will now pursue her professional sports career alongside her role with the Armed Forces.
She said: “The past year has been the hardest graft of my life to balance elite sport alongside full-time ICU and military training.”
Jane Shepherd
COUNCIL CHIEFS have paid tribute to World War II Lancaster designer Roy Chadwick, naming a new relief road in his honour.
Roy Chadwick Way, which passes close to the site of the Avro plant in Woodford where the first Lancaster bombers were produced, will upgrade road links with Manchester Airport.
The WWII design pioneer died during a test flight of an AVRO Tudor from Woodford in 1947. A memorial board listing his achievements was unveiled at the side of the new road last November.
RAF Reservists Wg Cdr Stephen Chaskin and Flt Lt Peter
Riding from 611 Sqn joined local councillors and contractors for the ceremony, which was followed with a flypast by an Avro Anson aircraft
made in 1953, the type was used by the RAF for reconnaissance and training during the Second World War.
THE RED Arrows will be performing at this summer’s Royal International Air Tattoo, organisers have confirmed.
Simon Mander
FIGHTER JETS from across the world arrived in Britain for the RAF’s largest and most important exercise in the UK.
Saudi combat crews were the first to arrive at Coningsby and Waddington to be closely followed by Indian, Finnish, and Belgian aircraft and personnel for Exercise Cobra Warrior that ran during March.
The twiceyearly training teaches crews high intensity, large force, tactical air warfighting operations with 70 jets directed by Waddington personnel.
Station Commander Gp
Capt Mark Lorriman-Hughes said: “Cobra Warrior is a world-
class air exercise that provides an invaluable opportunity for international allies to train together in developing operational tactics in the air.”
It’s the first time Saudi
Typhoons, Indian Mirage 2000s, and Finnish F-18s have taken part and they were joined by Belgian F-16s.
The jets were refuelled by Brize Norton-based Voyager tankers, and helicopters operating out of
Leeming deployed elements of 16
Air Assault Brigade on a ground mission that formed part of the exercise scenario.
Sqn Ldr John Mcfadden, whose unit ran the exercise with the RAF Air and Space Warfare Centre, said: “92 Sqn developed a challenging air-led multi-domain exercise focused on pitting our partners against a capable peer adversary within a challenging and complex environment.
“Over three weeks we delivered defensive and offensive counterair and strike operations. These included RAF Regiment teams, air manoeuvre operations to support ground forces and joint personnel recovery operations.”
Most RAF bases took part in the exercise and the air space for the training included the north of England, Scotland and over the North Sea.
The RAF’s famous aerobatic aces will be one of the star attractions at the three-day event in July, billed as the world’s biggest military air show.
A RIAT spokesman said: “We’re delighted to welcome back the Red Arrows for RIAT 2023.
“Our aspiration is to deliver an eclectic mix of aircraft on both flying and static displays, focusing on our various themes.
“The operational theme for this year’s Air Tattoo is ‘Skytanker 2023’, which will highlight the vital role of airto-air refuelling in modern military aviation.
“We aim to display the history of air-toair refuelling from humble beginnings in 1923, evolving through the last century, to the modern aircraft which we see in service around the world today.”
AN AIR FORCE engineer is carrying on a family tradition of military aviation that predates the RAF itself.
Brize-based 47 Sqn FS Scott Drinkel is currently keeping a C-130J Hercules flying on Operation Shader and is proud to be the fourth generation of groundcrew to don uniform.
The first was his great grandad Harry who joined the RFC in 1914 as an ‘Air Mechanic 2nd Class,’ and served throughout WW1.
On the first of April 1918 he was transferred to the newly formed RAF as one of its first sergeants before being discharged in 1920.
Harry’s brothers, Scott’s Great Uncles, both joined the RAF as aircraft engineers and served during WWII.
Bert, Scott’s grandfather, had three sons, one of whom, Scott’s dad Malcolm, joined the RAF as an Air Frame Technician and served for 24 years leaving just six months before his son joined up.
FS Drinkel said: “My father had a huge influence on me, cementing my career choice by the time I was seven years old. He worked on the Belfast, VC10, spent time in
AN OUTSTANDING group of 11 medals won by Britain’s Great War ‘Ace of Aces,’ has fetched a hammer price of £36,000 at auction.
As reported in RAF News the collection was awarded to former RFC and RAF pilot Air Cdre Phillip Fletcher Fullard who at 20-years-old had 40 confirmed aerial victories in just eight months during 1917.
Air Cdre Fuller is likely to have had many more if he hadn’t broken his leg in a football match.
The decorations were bought by a private collector of early flying pioneer and WW1 artefacts.
Bahrain and Midway, and worked with legendary aircraft such as the Nimrod, Phantom and Vulcan.
“He also served on 431 Maintenance Unit at RAF Bruggen in Germany where he was modifying Jaguar, Harriers, and numerous helicopters.”
FS Drinkel signed on in 1990 as one of the last RAF Halton Apprentice entries and after leaving training was posted to Brize to work on the VC10 transport aircraft.
“Brize is an important unit important to me,” he said.
“My Mum lived in Curbridge in Oxfordshire, while my Dad served at Brize when it was newly handed over from the Americans, and it was during this time that he met and married my Mum.”
During his career FS Drinkel has also been associated with several of his Dad’s former units.
He was at Leuchars with 56 Sqn which his dad had served with when it was the Tornado F3 Operational Conversion Unit.
At Odiham, Scott served with 27 “Dumbo Sqn” that flew the Vulcan in his father’s time from Scampton.
FS Drinkel returns shortly to the UK as the acting 47 Sqn Warrant Officer and will see the iconic Hercules out of service.
DEFENCE CHIEFS have signed an £83 million deal to devcelop facilities at Lossiemouth ahead of the arrival of the RAF’s first E-7 Wedgetail aircraft, due in late 2024.
The facility which will be built by Scottish firm McLaughlin & Harvey Construction, will include training and engineering areas and is expected to safeguard more than 100 jobs.
It is the second major construction at Lossiemouth to accommodate the growing ISTAR fleet and follows the completion of the Poseidon maritme surveillance aircraft facility in 2020.
Air Cdre Alex Hick said: “The construction of the UK Wedgetail operating facility is a significant
achievement and I would like to thank everyone involved in making it happen.
“The facility is a critical enabler for the Wedgetail capability allowing the full potential of the aircraft to be realised. It will also play a significant role in providing industrial resilience to the local community and wider Scotland.”
The E-7 will provide intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance.
Capable of simultaneously tracking multiple airborne and maritime targets, the aircraft uses the information it gathers to improve situational awareness and direct assets such as fighter jets and warships.
Simon Mander
SimonMande
SURVEILLANCE CREWS are to train on a new state-of-the-art system in Britain as part of a multi-million pound upgrade of the RAF’s Shadow Mk 1 fleet.
Defence contractor Raytheon is to build an £11.5m full flight King Air 350 simulator at Waddington for personnel, saving £200,000 a year in overseas travel costs and reducing carbon emissions.
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The news comes as the station’s 14 Sqn prepares to receive its first updated Shadow Mk2 aircraft, due to enter service in 2024 under a £110m contract.
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Air Cdre Alex Hicks said: “The provision of a new synthetic training facility represents a further enhancement to an exceptionally capable ISR asset to Defence.”
Raytheon says it is now ready to expand the current fleet of six reconnaissance aircraft to eight and equip them with the latest defensive aids systems.
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MILLIONS OF Commonwealth citizens who fought for Britain during two World Wars were remembered at a special service in London.
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Defence chiefs including Chief of the Air Staff, ACM Sir Mike Wigston, joined foreign dignitaries to lay wreaths at Memorial Gates on Hyde Park Corner in an annual ceremony started by Queen Elizabeth II.
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The monument was erected in 2002 to honour five million people who left their homes in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean to fight alongside British forces.
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There are currently 5,200 Commonwealth citizens serving in the UK military and this year personnel from Australia, New Zealand and Canada have helped train more than 10,000 Ukrainian recruits to defend their country from Russian aggression.
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Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: “Commonwealth Day is an opportunity to celebrate the longstanding and historical Defence relationships and values that have united our nations for over 70 years.”
The service included a twominute silence sounded by a bugler and a piper from the Irish Guards with music provided by the Band of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
CHINOOK CREWS celebrated a successful deployment to Estonia by challenging their allies to a football tournament at Amari airbase.
Eight teams took part in the indoor matches, culminating in a showdown between RAF aircrew and a German side in the final.
But while the prowess of Odiham’s 18(B) Sqn on the battlefield was unquestionable – flying 220 hours and moving 1,000 personnel and 85,000kg of freight for Nato’s Battlegroup – on the football pitch it was a different, if familiar, story.
A draw at full-time led to the almost inevitable result: Germany winning on penalties.
Organiser Flt Lt Aidan Robinson said: “It was a great opportunity to play against different nations and a brilliant way to unite through the universal game that is football.”
BRITISH AND Qatari aircrew will continue to operate together for another two years under a new agreement.
The deal was signed by the two governments following the return of 12 Sqn from the Middle East after completing the RAF’s longestever Typhoon deployment, to provide security for the World Cup.
During the six-month mission the Coningsby-based unit supported the formation of 7 Sqn – the Qatar Emiri Air Force’s first Typhoon unit – in time for the arrival of the first of 24 jets with weapons on order from BAE and MBDA under a £6 billion contract.
The extension was signed by QEAF commander Major General Jassim Al-Mannai and RAF Deputy Commander Capability Air Marshal Sir Richard Knighton.
AM Knighton said: “Qatar is an important regional partner and the RAF looks forward to continuing to develop this close partnership, to the benefit of both nations.
“This partnership makes an important contribution to promoting peace and stability in the region.”
RAF and QEAF personnel will continue to work together at the Lincolnshire station to build on the lessons and operational skills developed to date.
The first Qatari pilots started flying with 12 Sqn in June 2020 and so far 16 have been trained on Typhoon.
FALKLANDS-BASED SKY Sabre Battery operators outgunned rivals from the Joint Operations Centre on the court to lift the trophy during a mixed netball shootout.
The match at the Mount Pleasant Complex was organised to mark International Women’s Day and was followed by an awards ceremony.
BRITISH AND German jets carried out Nato’s first joint intercept after being scrambled to investigate two Russian aircraft.
Two Typhoons launched from Ämari Air Base in Estonia to meet an Ilyushin Il78 Midas aerial refuelling tanker and an Antonov 148 military transport.
The RAF and Luftwaffe are conducting the first-ever joint Nato Air Policing mission in the Baltic state, to reassure regional allies after Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
Armed Forces Minister James Heappey said: “This joint UK and German deployment
clearly demonstrates our collective resolve and combined strength.”
A IX (Bomber) Sqn Typhoon pilot on Quick Reaction Alert duty at the time said: “Any aircraft not communicating with Air Traffic Control or on a recognised flight plan will be intercepted by us to ensure we know who they are and to maintain flight safety for all airspace users. As a fighter pilot this was routine business, even though I was flying alongside a German colleague. We operated seamlessly together.”
The Nato Baltic Air Policing mission, dubbed Operation Azotize, is led by a detachment from the German 71 Tactical Air Wing ‘Richthofen’ until March before being
handed over to the RAF’s 140 Expeditionary Air Wing.
Joint missions will fly until the end of April.
Detachment commander Wg Cdr Scott Maccoll said: “It was great to see the UK and German elements operate as one team. As Nato continually adapts its structures and workforce, this shows us the next evolution.”
Four Typhoons have deployed to Estonia for the RAF’s fourth visit to Amari following their last deployment in 2019.
TWO RAF officers are to walk from Wolverhampton to Westminster in five days as part of a nationwide campaign to help victims of an incurable disease.
Valley-based Sqn Ldr Nick Smith and Sqn Ldr Liam Summerfield will take on the 265km ultra-hike to raise cash to combat cystic fibrosis and persuade Parliament to drop prescription charges on lifesaving drugs that keep sufferers alive.
“Combatting cystic fibrosis is a fight very personal to me as my daughter Charlotte was diagnosed with the condition at three weeks old,” said Sqn Ldr Smith.
“As her father, this issue naturally could not be closer to my heart and the more eyes I can get on the event and its goals the better.”
Cystic fibrosis is a lifeshortening genetic disorder that slowly destroys the lungs and digestive system.
At any one time more than 10,400 people live with it in the UK, and each week five babies are diagnosed.
There is currently no cure, and each week two people die of the condition.
“Most research and development into new therapies are funded through charitable organisations, such as the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, who do an amazing job in helping my daughter and the wider community,” said Sqn Ldr Smith.
“It’s full of incredible personalities who show real bravery in the face of adversity that chimes with the grittiest elements of Forces life.”
So far 6,519 people have signed
an online petition calling for free prescriptions for all cystic fibrosis patients, with 100,000 needed to force a debate on the issue in Parliament.
Currently sufferers in England pay £9.35 for each drug although patients in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland receive them free. According to the Trust, extending the 50-year-old medical exemption list to cover all UK cystic fibrosis sufferers would cost £270,250 a year.
The ‘Trek 4 Charlie’ challenge will see the pair, who both have more than 14 years’ RAF service, traverse the Grand Union Canal, linking Birmingham to London, from September 4-8.
l To support the event, go to: justgiving.com/trek4charlie or to: petition.parliament.uk/ petitions/633794
THE RAF Museum has been awarded accredited status for the management of its collections and engagement with users.
Home to the world’s oldest Spitfire and the Lancaster bomber ‘S for Sugar,’ its sites in both London and the Midlands were given the accolade by Arts Council England. The accolade could lead to funding opportunities to host touring exhibitions and attract potential donors and sponsors.
THERE IS an understandable belief that the RAF men who served afloat were part of the Air Sea Rescue (ASR) service or those who manned the marine craft and tenders at flying boat units. However, a review of the recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (DSM), awarded to petty officers and ratings of the Royal Navy for gallantry at sea, indicates that 23 men of the RAF received this award during World War II. Of those, just four went to men of the ASR units. So, who were the others?
THE collapse of France and the German occupation of the Atlantic and North Sea coasts created a grave menace to shipping in the English Channel, particularly from the German Air Force. This was graphically exposed on July 25, 1940 when a convoy en route from Southend to Portsmouth was heavily attacked from the air. Eight ships were lost and a further five damaged. If the crucial Channel convoys were to survive, their defences had to be greatly strengthened. Within days, the Channel Mobile Balloon Barrage Flotilla was established, and a number of tugs and small vessels were fitted with balloon winches and additional accommodation.
Initially, eight vessels were modified. They sailed under naval command and the balloon crews were drawn from 952 Squadron, based at Sheerness, where a special flight known as ‘Q’ Flight was formed.
Convoys sailed between Sheerness and Falmouth, taking two-and-a-half days. Between six and 12 hours was spent at Falmouth before the convoy sailed on the return journey. Accompanying each convoy was up to six balloon ships.
The first convoy sailed on August 4 when six balloon ships joined a convoy leaving Falmouth. The passage passed without incident, but the return from Sheerness on August 7 came under heavy attack. Some 30 merchantmen, with six balloon ships flying their balloons at 3,500 feet, headed westwards and, after passing The Needles, Messerschmitt Bf 109s attacked the balloons, shooting down five. The convoy suffered badly, losing many ships.
After this inauspicious start, many changes were made, including flying the balloons at a lower height. New tactics began to take effect and by October
the losses of merchant ships had been reduced dramatically. The enemy resorted to shelling from coastal batteries. By the end of October, further changes were made to the composition of the mobile balloon barrage with eight vessels sailing with each convoy.
The convoys continued to sail throughout the winter of 1940-41 by which time the operation had become a comparatively uneventful one.
The RAF balloon operators had faced attacks from the sea, by German fighters and dive-bombers, and from coastal batteries. Their gallantry was recognised by numerous awards, including five DSMs and a number of British Empire Medals (BEM).
Waterborne Balloon Barrage
ESTUARIES and ports were particularly vulnerable to air-laid mines, and the German Air Force had a good capability in this role. The Humber Estuary was a prime target so the local 942 (East Riding) Sqn, based around Hull, had an element afloat on a number of drifters and tugs. One was commanded by a World War I veteran, Cpl Tom Mould. On June 3, 1941, a Junkers 88 approached his vessel at 1,500 feet. He attacked the enemy aircraft with machine gun fire and it was seen to crash into the sea. On another occasion his drifter came under attack from a Junkers 88, but Mould held his fire until he was sure to hit and the enemy aircraft was destroyed. His courage was recognised by the award of the DSM. Later in the war, RAF balloon operators served afloat maintaining balloons flying from ships during the Normandy landings in June 1944.
Fleet Air Arm Squadrons
DURING the early years of the war, a number of RAF wireless operator/air gunners served on Fleet Air Arm squadrons. Three were awarded the DSM and others were Mentioned-in-Despatches. The first award went to Sgt Gartrell ‘Sailor’ Parker who served on 830 Sqn flying the Swordfish from Malta. Two other members of the squadron were also decorated. After training as a pilot, Parker became very successful on Mosquito night fighters, and was credited with destroying nine enemy aircraft. He was twice awarded the DFC. After the war he became a
LONELY LIFE: Aboard a barrage balloon ship, 1943
test pilot and was awarded the AFC. He later joined Blackburn Aircraft Company and was killed on February 19, 1963, test-flying a Buccaneer.
Aircraft Carriers
THROUGHOUT the war, small numbers of RAF fitters served aboard aircraft carriers. They saw service in every theatre of war and seven were decorated with the DSM. One was former Halton apprentice Flt Sgt
Arthur Brett. He had joined HMS Implacable in September 1944 and became the senior engineer rating on 1771 Sqn with Fireflies. He saw service in the Arctic when Implacable’s aircraft attacked the German battleship Tirpitz. The carrier then headed east to join the British Pacific Fleet. After flying operations in the West Carolinas, the carrier moved to the east of Honshu, Japan and commenced attacks against Japanese
airfields and radar sites before the Fireflies flew their final operation on August 10, 1945. Brett was first Mentioned-in-Despatches and at the end of the war he was awarded the DSM.
SOME airmen found themselves afloat in warships. Wireless operator Flt Sgt A. Docherty served on HMS Bololo, which acted as a
By Air Cdre Graham Pitchfork (Ret’d)and tenacity in a most hazardous situation.” As a result of his wounds, he was medically discharged from the RAF on July 1, 1943. His award is unique to the RAF Regiment.
AT THE outset of World War II, there was no particular gallantry award available for RAF men serving at sea. This was rectified in the summer of 1940 when RAF personnel became available for naval gallantry awards. This development came about, in part, as a result of an action on June 2, 1940 during Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of Dunkirk. Cpl Leslie Flower was the coxswain of an RAF seaplane tender, sent to assist in the evacuation, when his vessel came under intense attack from German dive-bombers. Despite his launch being hit repeatedly, he landed a naval party ashore and then searched for survivors of another launch that had been sunk. In due course, he brought his badly damaged tender back to England. He was recommended for the Empire Gallantry Medal or the BEM. The Air Ministry thought his actions deserved the DSM, and the Admiralty agreed. However, there was no provision for this award at the time, so he was awarded the Military Medal, an award for “bravery in the field”, for his action at sea.
Four motor boat crewmen received the DSM, with others being awarded the BEM. In addition, eight officers serving as skippers on the High-Speed Launches (HSL) received the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC). Many of the awards to men of the ASR units were for great bravery in the face of intense enemy attack. Launches were sunk and men lost their lives, with others being seriously wounded.
The action of Aircraftman 1st Class S.G. Whitlock is a fitting example of the gallant work of the men manning the HSLs. He was a member of the crew of HSL 138 at sea rescuing downed airmen in the Straits of Dover when it was attacked by 12 or more Focke-Wulf 190 fighters. In spite of the launch being hit repeatedly, the skipper badly wounded, another member of the crew killed and the engine room set on fire, Whitlock remained at the exposed guns and returned the enemy’s fire until his ammunition was exhausted.
communications link and signals intelligence gathering ship during the amphibious operations in North Africa, Sicily and at Anzio. A TriService party of wireless operators were embarked to provide two-way radio communications with the invasion parties and Docherty was the senior NCO in the RAF section.
He also saw service during the Normandy landings in June 1944 when Bololo served as a HQ ship
off Gold Beach in support of Naval Force ‘G’. He too was Mentioned-inDespatches before being awarded the DSM.
A unique award went to Aircraftman 1st Class R. O’Neil, a ground gunner in the RAF Regiment. He was on board the merchantman SS Aagtekirk. Among a convoy sailing from Egypt with supplies for Malta, O’Neil was part of a party to reinforce the
island’s defence units. The convoy came under intense attack and the Aagtekirk was forced to sail alone when O’Neil manned one of the air defence guns. During an air attack, O’Neil was blown from his gun and badly wounded. He continued to assist as the ship began to sink until he was forced to jump into the sea when he saved the lives of two shipmates. He was awarded the DSM for “displaying great fortitude
THE DSC has been awarded to RAF officers four times since WWII. RAF medical officer Flt Lt M. Fearnley attended the wounded on HMS Amethyst during its escape down the Yangtse River in April 1949. Two awards were made to RAF aircrew serving afloat with the Fleet Air Arm during the Suez conflict in 1956, and the final award was made to Flt Lt D. Morgan, a Sea Harrier pilot serving with the Royal Navy Task Force during the Falklands War.
AS PART of their longstanding collaboration and partnership with the Royal British Legion, AVI-8 Watches has brought the Flyboy Royal British Legion Tri-Service Chronograph back by popular demand.
Since AVI-8’s partnership with the charity first launched in 2021, the brand has raised more than £50,000 for the RBL, continuing to help provide vital support to the Armed Forces community throughout their lives.
Celebrating the three branches of the British Armed Forces, the Flyboy Royal British Legion TriService Chronograph captures the legibility and aesthetics of the military issue timepieces of the 1980s, but with the accuracy and precision of a modern watch.
It has a case size of 42mm, equipped with tidy but well-designed piston-like chronograph pushers and a
red, two petal poppy seated at the crown. The face of the dial itself is transformed at night, with a field of luminous poppies developing as a visually compelling reminder of those who have sacrificed and served.
This stunning timepiece is available in four colourways from March 31 at AVI-8.co.uk, priced £380. The watch is limited to 500 pieces of each colourway, and £15 from the sale of each one will be contributed to the RBL.
Ben France, head of corporate partnerships at the charity, said:
“We are delighted that AVI-8 is launching another bespoke military-inspired timepiece for the Royal British Legion.
“Since our partnership first launched in May 2021, AVI-8 has raised over £50,000 for the charity, for which we are very grateful.
The RBL provides a lifeline for serving personnel, veterans and their families, supporting them in the face of hardships, injuries and bereavements. The money raised from the sale of the AVI-8 Flyboy
will help the charity continue this vital work.”
A spokesperson for AVI-8 said: “While operating as a high performance and durable military ready timepiece, the watch incorporates all the necessary build and engineering for use in any field of combat.
“Practical and precise, the AVI8 Flyboy Royal British Legion TriService Chronograph is powered by a TMI VK series Meca-quartz hybrid chronograph movement incorporating the pinpoint accuracy of a quartz movement with the charm, character and hand feel of a mechanical chronograph.
“The choice of movement is of particular interest given the UK’s Ministry of Defence issue of a watch from Seiko to its military forces in the 1980s to update previous watch selections from British or Swiss watch companies.”
We have an AVI-8 watch with brown strap and black dial for one lucky reader to win. For your chance to own this coveted timepiece, answer this question correctly:
In which year did AVI-8’s partnership with the Royal British Legion first launch? Email your answer, marked AVI-8 watch competition, to: tracey.allen@rafnews.co.uk or post it to: RAF News, Room 68, Lancaster Building, HQ Air Command, High Wycombe, HP14 4UE to arrive by April 11. Please include your full postal address with your entry. l Go to: avi-8.co.uk for more information.
THE TROUBLES engulfed Northern Ireland in conflict for nearly 30 years, now IWM London is to stage its first exhibition about the era, featuring newly-collected objects and first-hand testimony.
Northern Ireland: Living with the Troubles open on May 26 and runs until January 7, 2024. A IWM London spokesperson said: “The exhibition will unpack this complex chapter of our shared history through the multiple perspectives of individuals affected by the conflict in Northern Ireland. It will shine a light on the different narratives that have allowed people who lived through the conflict to share their version of events.
“While there are key events and defining moments that make up the history of the Troubles, there is often no single story that everyone involved can agree on. People have different perspectives on what took place. Rather than offer a narrative history of the conflict, this exhibition will introduce four themes – the night of June 27-28, 1970; the heightened violence of the 1970s and 1980s; the everyday experience for those affected by the Troubles; and the legacy of the conflict within Northern Ireland today – to explore the events, communities and paramilitary factions that underpin this difficult and complex 30-year period.”
The spokesperson added: “Visitors will hear from individuals on all sides of the conflict, from republican and loyalist paramilitaries to British soldiers, local police and ordinary civilians. These first-hand testimonies – recorded in 2022 for IWM’s
oral history collection – highlight what it was like to live through the Troubles.
“Recounting everyday scenes of violence and the reality of living among deeply divided communities, these different perspectives help us understand the nuances and challenges of this conflict and the motivations, attitudes, anxieties, hopes and fears felt by those closest to it.”
The exhibition will also present new
objects, never displayed before in the museum. Acquired as part of an initiative to grow IWM’s Northern Ireland collection, they cover the familiar – rubber bullets, propaganda posters and a Good Friday Agreement booklet – as well as rarer items, such as a screen-printed handkerchief made by prisoners in the Long Kesh internment camp.
Craig Murray, the exhibition’s curator, said: “So much of what took place during the
Troubles is contested. This complex conflict, which happened on our very own doorstep, is remembered differently by those who lived through it and little understood by many of those who didn’t.
“In this exhibition, we hear from individuals who experienced the conflict first-hand. Sharing their stories is crucial to deepening understanding of this difficult period, which is still felt in life and UK politics today.”
l Go to: iwm.org.uk for more information.
IN April 2023, IT²EC returns to the Rotterdam Ahoy in the Netherlands for its 32nd edition.
With the strong support of Dutch Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces, around 2,000 visitors and more than 75 exhibitors are expected to convene for the three-day exhibition and conference to discuss the future of military training and explore the technologies that will shape it.
The 2023 edition of IT²EC takes place during a critical time for Europe, with the Russia-Ukraine conflict along its Eastern border continuing to drive a renewed consideration of how innovation and training can benefit nations and their allies in evolving their response for future and current operations – and the role of NATO within them.
To focus minds on these issues, the event’s theme has been focused on “Accelerating simulation and training for NATO and global partners,” alongside “Enhancing multi-domain operational capabilities”.
The conference will carry these themes throughout the three-day programme. Papers and presentations will investigate topics including the current challenges and future opportunities pertaining to accelerating training across all disciplines whilst deployed; synchronisation and integration across all defence; and the consideration of how wargaming may be exploited to enhance training and education outcomes in defence.
IT²EC 2023 committee chair, Sanjay Khetia, said that across the conference, the emphasis will be on informed discussion on these topics, rather than simply the presentation of findings.
“We want to get down to the ‘so what’ level on these topics, which will be delivered by a greater focus on panel sessions, where discussion will inform not only what is happening in the training and simulation world, but how we respond to what is occurring, and what solutions
In the ‘Emerging Solutions’ pillar, the core applications theme will focus on accelerating training development: rapid responses to global dynamics; advances in large-scale, distributed collaboration and training, civil and cyber training with medical, first-responder and mass casualty simulation; and AI/Machine Learningenabled instructional agents and synthetic teammates.
we can deliver to support that response,” he said.
“We do that by drawing in the multi-domain elements as reflected by the three conference pillars of Technologies and Architectures, Human Performance and Emerging Solutions.”
The core technical pillar, Technologies and Architectures, will look at topics including C2 and simulation interoperability and architecture; Machine Learning within the generation of Digital Twins; Big Data collection, analysis and results delivery; and AI architecture and xR and distributed training for support functions. Rapid mission-specific synthetic environment generation will also be considered, as will “Cloud” architecture for supporting data acquisition and remote treatment (analysis) (experimentation, experience, recommendation,
trends for future standardization), and the drive to upgrade legacy systems to support today’s training needs.
Representing the core Human Social, Cultural and Behavioral theme, the Human Performance conference pillar will look at connected educational delivery especially for transmedia learning across synthetic environments; HumanData and Human-sensor interaction, experience and behavior; the use of AI in tracking responses and results; and developing a network-based intelligent and individualised learning system through machine learning and data mining. Improving knowledge exploitation with AIsupported decision-making models, and the ethics of AI or ML-enabled interactions will also form part of discussions.
Solutions to enhance immersion and realism in simulation training will also be discussed, along with interpreting and managing learner information: Data solutions for readiness insights.
All of these different facets must be considered in order to adapt the way training is delivered for today’s battlefield.
“When assessing the delivery of training for a particular scenario - whatever it may be - we need to understand who we are training, what they are being trained for, and to what level,” Khetia said.
“The level of fidelity required, the human factors that influence the individual being trained, and the technologies available to deliver the capability required – how to understand and adapt to these issues and formulate effective solutions, these are the core critical issues we aim to work through at IT²EC 2023.”
* Interested in joining us in Rotterdam, the Netherlands from 24-26 April 2023? Register now: https://www.itec.co.uk/raf
FROM A humble background, Donald Finlay rose to become a double Olympic medallist and competed at the highest levels of international athletics while serving as an RAF fighter pilot –one of ‘The Few’.
He joined the Air Force in the mid-1920s as a boy apprentice and went on to become a Spitfire pilot, commanding a squadron during the Battle of Britain. He was awarded the DFC and an Air Force Cross, to add to the medals he had won on the running track. But, sadly, he died aged just 60, under tragic circumstances.
Andrew White examines Finlay’s amazing achievements in his biography Flyer (fightinghigh. com).
He said: “Few people can claim to have followed two lengthy careers with such outstanding success in each as Don Finlay. Fewer still will have pursued both at the same time.”
Finlay’s mother was a widow and raised eight children alone while running a small general store from the converted front room of their terraced house in Southampton. He joined the RAF as an apprentice engine fitter in 1925.
Both track and field
events came naturally to him, and he chose to specialise as a hurdler. The Olympic sprint champion Harold Abrahams (immortalised in the film Chariots of Fire) called Finlay ‘The greatest hurdler that Great Britain (if not Europe) has ever produced’.
White explained: “Don competed in his first Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 1932, where he won a bronze medal. A second Olympiad beckoned in 1936 [where he won a silver medal], the infamous Berlin games held under the auspices of the Nazi regime that Finlay would, a short time later, fight in the skies over Britain. Twelve years after Berlin he ran in the post-war ‘austerity’ Games in London in 1948, captain of the British team. By that time, he was almost 40 and had a full war, in which he had been badly wounded, behind him.
“Competing in three consecutive Olympics is about the limit for today’s athlete, but to do so with a break of more than a decade between the second and third appearances is nothing short of astounding.”
Finlay was appointed CO of 54 (Fighter) Sqn in 1940 at RAF
Hornchurch. His Spitfire was shot down by a Messerschmitt Bf 109 and he baled out, landing in a field near Canterbury, badly injured, having been shot in the left buttock and with small shrapnel injuries to his head.
After discharging himself from hospital, he took over command of 41 Squadron at the height of the Battle of Britain. He shot down a Bf 109 in September and by the end of October 1940 was credited with a ‘share’ in a second Bf 109 and a Dornier Do 17 bomber. He also damaged three more Bf 109s and shot down two more in November.
Promoted to Wg Cdr in 1941, he received the DFC in 1942. Finlay then commanded 608 Sqn in the Middle East, became a Gp Capt in 1945 and commanded 906 Wing in Burma. He retired from the RAF in 1959.
In 1966 Don was seriously injured in a car crash. White said: “His spinal cord was severed and one of Britain’s greatest athletes was left paralysed from the waist down. The accident also left him in constant pain.
“The combined effects of his immobility and the relentless agony began to take its toll on his mental health, and he started to slide into depression.”
On the morning of April 19, 1970 Don’s daughter could not
wake him – medication bottles and a half-empty bottle of gin were next to his bed. Still breathing, he was rushed to hospital but could not be saved.
The coroner recorded a verdict of suicide and said a letter Don left clearly indicated that he ‘contemplated doing something drastic because he felt he could not cope with conditions.’
White added: “Sadly, few of Don’s sporting medals and trophies have survived. Some can be seen
at the Trenchard Museum at RAF Halton but his Olympic, European Championships and Empire Games medals were stolen (along with his DFC, AFC and wartime campaign medals) during a burglary in 1980.”
He added: “Don’s rather plain headstone in St Michael’s churchyard at Halton gives away little of his remarkable life… there is no hint of him having been one of The Few, and neither is there any reference whatsoever to his outstanding athletics career.”
IN THE Battle of Britain, the importance of the squadron leaders over southern England in 1940 who led the squadrons into battle, and their supporting flight commanders, has been rather neglected, according to author Patrick G Eriksson.
He said: “The tactical abilities of these small unit leaders were critical in winning the battle and the many innovations and even experiments which they tried out during the active fighting merit a closer examination.”
In new book Tally-Ho (amberley-books. com) Eriksson takes that closer look at RAF tactical leadership in the legendary battle during July 1940.
He explained: “During the Battle of Britain Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding [pictured right] played the strategic role, adopting an attritional approach, keeping Fighter Command in business while minimising losses and emphasising knocking the German bombers down.
“This was directly related to small British fighter formations, essentially a squadron, and any raid would thus be attacked by a number of discrete squadrons; this approach reduced the possibility of catastrophic losses to RAF fighters and ensured a sequence of attacks on German formations giving rise to a lot of
Who was the leader of 11 Group during the Battle of Britain?
Email your answer, marked Tally-Ho book competition, to: tracey.allen@rafnews.co.uk or post it to: RAF News, Room 68, Lancaster Building, HQ Air Command, High Wycombe, HP14 4UE, to arrive by April 11.
confusion for the incoming and outgoing raids.”
He added: “Dowding’s subordinate Group commanders, mainly Air Vice-Marshal Keith Park of 11 Group, fought the actual tactical battle, deciding every day how many squadrons would be allocated to every raid, choosing those sectors to supply them; then sector controllers vectored their own fighters to the enemy formations, with hopefully a good tactical position. Once contact was made, it was up to the squadron leader to decide what to do.”
Eriksson said: “The RAF unit leaders really had their hands full. Once airborne they had to follow the instructions of the senior controller, navigate the small formation, keep them in formation and change that formation once the enemy were close. When the enemy formation was sighted, there would be little time for them to think, decide and act.”
He added: “An RAF Squadron Leader or Flight Lieutenant leading a squadron into battle must be judged against a far more complex canvas than merely performing as an ace fighter pilot. Many leaders essentially had to sacrifice their own scoring ambitions to do their job properly, and to ensure the right balance between the success and casualties of their own men.”
The book is focused on the Sqn Ldrs and flight commanders who, the author said: “…
day-in and day-out performed these critical duties, and on unravelling the tactics they applied at such very short notice, in the air, against German bomber formations.”
THE ACTOR currently playing Winston Churchill in Sky History channel’s dramadocumentary series U-Boat Wargamers is taking up the charity challenge of re-enacting Churchill’s famous “We will fight on the beaches...’’ speech in each of the four nations of the UK during Armed Forces Week this June.
Patrick Legge, 63, who recreates the wartime PM’s fighting spirit in a set of live performances called The Churchill Experience, has vowed to “address the nation’’ with the historic speech at selected venues in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland in the run-up to Armed Forces Day on June 24.
Proceeds from the performances will go to charities across the UK supporting military veterans and their families, he said.
Legge added: “The idea of making Churchill’s ‘...on the beaches’ speech in each
nation of the UK focused on Armed Forces Day is logistically possible with the right preparation and planning.
“As the speech is so famous, perhaps the real challenge is to make each performance fresh and impactful each time. Once the gauntlet was thrown down, I felt duty-bound, in a typically Churchillian style, to take the challenge on.”
Armed with Churchill’s favourite brand of cigars, iconic Homburg hat and silvertipped walking stick, the reenacted Churchill performances are set to take place in Monmouthshire and Cornwall, while arrangements for Churchill appearances in Scotland and Northern Ireland are still being finalised.
Legge added: “History shows that Churchill relished a challenge, so he would probably have approved of this one.’’ l U-Boat Wargamers continues on Sky History on Tuesday evenings at 9pm.
I HOPPED off the plane at LAX, with a dream and my cardigan… No, wait, that’s a song by Miley Cyrus. My version was slightly different, I hopped off a plane at LAX in a suit, with a tight deadline, and made my way straight to the Hollywood sign to get my initial location shots.
It didn’t rhyme, at all, but it certainly made a few friendly Angelinos smile as they passed me halfway up Mount Hollywood. “You hiked all this way in a suit?” said one. “I did indeed. It’s a new trend called formal speed-walking.
I don’t think it will catch on,” I joked, taking off my tie in the 23˚C sunshine. “Ah, you’re from England, that explains everything,” came the reply as the man and his family walked away laughing.
The truth is that the USA is one of my favourite places on Earth. Wherever I’ve been in the States, I’ve always felt welcome. It’s a bit like going home.
Stay Mama Shelter, Los Angeles, is becoming one of the hottest boutique hotels in LA. Situated in the heart of the Vinyl District, it sports a trendy bar downstairs and a roof-top bar that overlooks the Hollywood sign. Sipping cocktails, as the California sun sets on a Saturday evening, lines you up for the perfect night on the town. Featuring live music, it really does represent the beating heart of a city that boasts the best party scene in the world.
Designed by Thierry Gaugain, Mama Shelter LA has 70 rooms, spread over five floors. Each room has a unique feel, but all are modern in style. A pack of cookies and a bowl of fresh fruit awaits you and a personalised welcome message is written on the mirror.
An iMac computer, with Apple TV, free movies and Skype is standard, plus a radio with AirPlay for streaming music. Pristine bathrooms have marble floors and glass, walk-in, showers. There’s also a range of complimentary ‘Mama’ branded products to choose from.
The staff at Mama Shelter LA are incredibly friendly and helpful. The receptionist went out of her way to book me in and ensured that I’d successfully reserved a place for my evening meal. She put up with my dippy English confusion with patience and a smile.
Cost
Rates vary throughout the year, but a 3-night stay in a medium room, with a view of the Hollywood sign, will cost you around £216 in April for two adults.
There is no pool and no gym. Business facilities are limited to a small corner that’s equipped with a few online computers with printers. Some of the rooms have thin walls and you can hear what your neighbours are up to, which is not necessarily a serene experience, if you know what I mean.
Eat
Without leaving the hotel you can savour inventive dishes, designed for both carnivores
and vegans, in three distinctive environments.
The main restaurant serves up some mouth-watering options, including a host of Californian favourites. Homemade burgers, guacamole and a range of desserts are all on the menu. For a more informal dining experience, try eating in the bar or the awardwinning roof bar.
Following a good night’s sleep, you’ll find that breakfast is a hearty size and suitably yummy, while everyone makes their way down to the sociable coffee shop at some point during the day.
Alternatively, if you want a more traditional fast-food experience,
Johnny Rockets American Diner is right around the corner on Hollywood Boulevard.
Relax
Take a short drive up to the famous Griffith Observatory and enjoy an amazing show in the Planetarium. The observatory has been featured in everything from Terminator to La La Land, so you can’t get closer to the movies than right here.
It’s then an enjoyable walk along winding hiking trails up Mount Hollywood to see that world-famous sign. Stand above it and look down on the whole of LA. Remember to stay on the
trail though…rattlesnakes live in these hills! If walking (and rattlesnakes) are not your thing, you can book a tour with a local ranch and ride up on horseback, or really do the Hollywood thing and enjoy spectacular aerial views by helicopter.
Adventure
Take a stroll down the Hollywood ‘walk of fame’ or enjoy one of the many celebrity home tours on offer. Take in a show at the Dolby Theatre, home of the Oscars, or spend some time exploring the Vinyl District, including the landmark Capitol Records building and some wonderfully quaint
record stores. Universal Studios is also just down the road if you want to go full Hollywood (more on that in the next feature). Finally, remember that LA is Party Central so, to borrow a few famous lyrics, be sure to enjoy a night in ‘a state where ya never find a dance floor empty’ (Tupac) and ‘have some fun, until the sun comes up over Santa Monica Boulevard’ (Sheryl Crow).
Just don't get rattled by the snakes
DESPITE THE best efforts of the legendary German marque’s marketing team, traditional car snobbery still holds that anything that isn’t a 911 isn’t really a Porsche.
Fun as it is, the Boxster puts you in the cheap seats while the latest generation of profit-generating Cayenne SUVs and electric milk floats make die-hard purists blush with shame.
Pitch up in the latest Cayman 718 GTS 4.0 and the auto-cognoscenti will give you a knowing wink and a warm masonic handshake.
The glorious flat-six engine is a show-stopping automotive work of art delivering 400 horsepower. Pound for pound, Porsche’s Stuggart stallions are a match for any of the prancing ponies liveried by Ferrari in Maranello.
The perfectly weighted throttle makes it easy to drive and it’s beautifully well-behaved at low speeds. You might even get 30mpg out of it.
Kick open the stable doors and this car takes off like a stampede.
It’s lightning fast off the mark and the mid-range punch is awesome – pulling relentlessly up to the (limited) 8,000 red line.
Porsche claims 0-60 in 4.5 secs and a top speed of 185mph.
Entry to the thrill-packed Cayman GTS rodeo will cost you just over £65,000. It’s so accomplished it begs the question: When this thoroughbred middleweight contender punches so hard, do you really need to spend footballer’s wages on a genuine ‘super-car’ to get real race-bred thrills?
With the engine sitting midships rather than slung over the back axle in classic Porsche style, it has none of the wilder handling characteristics of its beefier 911 stablemate.
On the winding Cotswold roads it is peerless and exhilarating. The manual six speed gear box may seem old school in the paddle shift era but is so precise you can’t wait to downshift and pile on the revs.
The internally-vented and cross-drilled aluminium 350mm brakes are a match for the storming performance and it’s inch-perfect
through the corners, with barely a twitch from the rear end as you power out of the exit.
Our review was interrupted by snow and sleet and the kind of conditions that would have 911 drivers locking up the garage. Tread carefully through the slush and the Cayman still feels sure-footed. It’s that usable.
Fully loaded with all the gadgets it will cost you £75,000. Fill your boots if you can – it is still a bargain. The Cayman GTS 4.0 is the best all-
round performance car you’ll find this side of six figures and a genuine classic of the future.
The body-hugging racing seats are superb and visibility is great through a panoramic windscreen. The GTS boasts Porsche’s signature body shape but it’s sleek and low. From the low driving position the front wings bulge licentiously into view, while from the kerb it will turn heads.
If you need to save a few quid don’t bother with the optional £800 Bose sound system. There’s nothing you can pump through the speakers that will sound half as good as the
Pros
l Storming performance
l Knife-edge handling
l Bargain price
l Top build quality
Cons
l Limited luggage space
l Baffling auto-handbrake
Daniel Abrahams
NORMAL SERVICE on the courts resumed with a winter tournament at Halton Tennis Centre.
After a disappointing end to 2022 with the RAF Summer Champs cancelled because of the passing of Her Majesty The Queen, 35 people competed in the singles event, including Director of RAF Sport Air Cdre Rich Fogden.
Acrylic courts were allocated to the men and the indoor clay courts the women, with a four-game rule
over the first two days. Full sets resumed from the quarter-final stages, with plenty of good tennis on show.
The first of the men’s quarterfinals saw Flt Lt Tom Elwick against No.1 seed and newbie AS2 Mike Greedy. A gruelling match saw Elwick take the first set 6-4, before Greedy came back to take the match tie-break, winning 4-6, 6-2, 10-3.
In the other quarter-finals, AS1 Javiel Ma narrowly lost by tie break to No.2 seed FS Martyn Ledbury; Cpl Ben Simkin beat Sgt Chris Gregg and Sqn Ldr Alistair Johnson
triumphed over Sgt Luke James.
First-time finalist Greedy and two-time finalist Ledbury battled it out in the final, with Greedy winning 6-0, 3-6, 6-3.
Cpl Kev Watson beat debutant AS1 Sam Bartholomew 6-0, 6-0 in the Plate final.
Sandra Butcher took the win
over Jane Evelegh-Hall in the women’s round-robin event.
The first doubles competition at the championships saw Ledbury and Greedy prove too strong for Johnson and Gregg, winning 6-4, 6-0.
In the men’s plate final Sqn Ldr Steve Hawkins and Cpl Owen
Barnes beat Bartholomew and AS1 Joe Turrell 6-2, 6-3.
Wg Cdr Suzi Willis and Flt Lt Karen Redgate won the women’s round-robin doubles, beating Flt Lt Louis Waterhouse and WO Hilary Dimeck.
l Follow RAF Tennis on Instagram @raflta.
THE SERVICE’S most successful motor sport team of 2022, Cpls Rob Atkinson and Mark Middleton, kick-started their season at Brands Hatch recently.
The pair were crowned British F2 Cup champions last year and will now ply their sporting trade in the ACU British Championship Super class competition.
The sidecar aces were at the famous track for some testing and to team up with main sponsor Artic Facilities Management for a second year.
Middleton said: “After purchasing a new bike at the end of last season to help push the next step on to the Isle of Man TT dream, we spent the winter modifying the outfit and making it our own. This really paid off as we were 0.3 seconds quicker
around the Brands Hatch Indy circuit than ever before, and we’ve been coming here five years.
“We came away from the weekend pleased with the progress and even more pleased that we weren’t that far off multiple Isle of Man TT winners and front runners.”
l Follow the pair on Facebook @ RAFF2sidecar.
THE SERVICE swimming fraternity set the new gold standard at the recent Royal Navy Master event with podium finishes galore.
The team of six RAF swimmers started the event, held at Millfield School, Yeovil, how they meant to go on, with Flt Lt Hannah Dodwell taking first place in her age group in the 400m Freestyle – almost breaking the RAF Club record – followed in quick succession with a second in 100m Butterfly.
Competing in a selection of events ranging from 50m in all strokes to 400m Freestyle, plus relays, the team then saw AS1 Matthew Holland awarded three gold medals for his endeavours in the 100m and 50m Fly and 100m Individual Medley (IM).
Having hung up his swimming trunks competing at National level last year, it has not taken him long to return to competition.
Additional notable performances came from AS1 Phoeby Finch, collecting two third places, in the 50m Freestyle and 100m IM. While AS1 Jade HorsfallMather triumphed in the 50m Breaststroke and Backstroke and 100m Freestyle, receiving two thirdplace finishes and one runner-up.
A meet that saw many personal bests broken culminated in victory over the RN and civilian counterparts in the women’s 4x50m Freestyle relay. The race was closely contested, with the RN and RAF stroke for stroke throughout. The light blues took the win in dramatic style on the final touch.
Association spokesperson Cpl Olivia Duckworth said: “Displaying a positive start to the year, the RAF swimmers will now look ahead to future competitions, including Inter-Stations, Inter-Regions and civilianorganised events.
“The season will then conclude with the vital Inter-Service Championships, where those selected will contest for the crown of IS Champion, the title of which has been secured by the Army in recent years.” l Follow RAF swimming on Instagram @ rafswimming.
HE MIGHT be doing things for fun, but Sgt Dave Adam has been showing endurance race entrants he needs to be taken seriously.
The Assistant Defence Attaché in Tunisia, Adam has returned to running while in the country and produced a series of wins and impressive top 10 finishes in road and trail events.
He said: “Some of the athletes here are international standard so it has not been easy, but I just enjoy it, and having run in Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait while on tours of duty I am used to the heat.”
The former Fife, Combined Services and RAF runner has so far finished first in the over-50 class in a 7km Hilly Trail Race in the Gaafour Mountain, followed by fifth overall on a 15k run on the same course, coming first in the masters 50 class. Last month he won the Tunisian National Master 5 Cross Country Championship.
Adam, who also ran for the Herne Hill Harriers, made CS level during his time as a member of the
RAF athletics team but recalled an administrative error halted his appearance.
“I was in St Andrews when I got a call at about 5pm saying I’d been selected, I asked when the race was and they informed me 'Berlin, tomorrow morning', so there was no way I was making that.”
The 54-year-old added: “The level of competitors at the last race here really shocked me –the runner-up boasts a lifetime 10km personal best of 29 minutes and 15 seconds, that’s not far off a Commonwealth Games medal time.
“It’s been great getting back into the sport, I am working towards the National Half Marathon Championships, although that might be too much, but we will see, and then the Tunisian National 1500 metres in July.”
Adam recently read in RAF News about Service athletes competing in the Sir Sefton Brancker Cross Country event. He said: “I have run in a few of those and it brought back great memories.”
SERVICE SLIDERS banged the drum loudly at Lillehammer taking home two of the three ice sports Inter-Service crowns.
In Olympic Luge RAF team manager Sgt John-Paul Kibble stormed to glory in the IS champs, forming part of a RAF first and third with Flt Lt Scott Steele sandwiching the Army’s Cpl Steve Webb.
Sgt Kibble said: “With us missing several of our experienced athletes it was time for this year’s competitors to step up. They did that. We won.”
The women’s team secured an excellent third place through AS1(T) Ailsa Dermidy (2.02.551), which was enough to seal an overall team win, with the Army runners-up and Royal Navy third.
Skeleton team captain Flt Lt Rhys Thornbury stormed to his ninth individual IS victory.
AS1 Toby Edghill’s second
and a first for AS1 Chelsea Ainsley-Anyan, supported superbly by Flt Lt Nicole Burger, insured the 11th team win and the 17th year in a row for the Service men as a whole.
RAF Skeleton OIC Thornbury said: “With so many first or second season sliders, this made the team win even better as we all had to dig deep to pull off the victories.”
The bobsleigh fraternity were hit by injury and a crash to derail their hopes of InterService glory. The women’s team had to settle for a runner-up slot with Flt Lt Rachel Herod and AS1 Emily Cantley claimed individual gold.
The men’s team finished third after losing the sled through a crash on the first run.
Flt Lt Keith McLaughlin said: “Everyone worked incredibly hard. Even though the results were not what the team was capable of achieving.”
IT IS set to be a record-breaking women’s Six Nations with RAF rugby union at the heart of it.
Fg Offs Carys Williams-Morris (Wales), Amy Cokayne (England) and, barring an unsuccessful rehab, Scottish international Sarah Bonar, are the Service stars set to represent their countries at the tournament, which starts in Cardiff on March 25.
Having been selected for the Welsh squad following her World Cup heroics in New Zealand late last year, Fg Off WilliamsMorris said: “I am delighted to be involved. I have built up some momentum for my club side
Loughborough Lightning, so I would love to keep that going with a Welsh shirt on.”
On the Service representation at
the tournament, Williams-Morris (pictured inset below) added: “It’s really cool that there are three of us playing for different nations and for the RAF, at the same time we have the IS running alongside it, I am hoping that I can make the second game for the IS against the Army as the Six Nations opening fixture clashes with the IS game against the Royal Navy.
“The support from the girls is brilliant, we are all building towards IS success, plus I have such great support from the RAF, and since gaining Elite Athlete Status in 2013 the opportunities have been amazing. I am so grateful for all their support and backing.”
Fg Off Cokayne said: “It is great to get back
“THE SCORELINE doesn’t reflect the effort and intensity the girls played with.”
That was how RAFRUW forwards coach Sqn Ldr Ian Cokayne summed up the women’s team’s 41-7 IS warm-up defeat against Leicester Tigers.
Leicester Tigers Women 41 RAF Women 7
into the Red Roses camp, where we can put the disappointment of the World Cup final behind us and concentrate on the Six Nations campaign.
“It looks like it’s going to be the best Six Nations ever, with record crowds anticipated.
“I believe the Scotland game in Newcastle is sold out, while there are a few tickets left at Northampton for the Italy game and the final game at Twickenham against France will be a record attendance for a women’s game, with 40,000 tickets sold already. I can’t wait, it’s so exciting, hopefully I’ll see some of my light blue family in the crowd.”
The Tik Tok Six Nations begins on March 25 with Wales versus Ireland at Cardiff Arms Park, KO 2.15pm. Visit: womens. sixnationsrugby.com for full fixtures list.
He added: “Tigers have a professional programme ready for their transition into the Women’s Allianz Premier 15s next season, and they were definitely well drilled and fit.
“So, for where we are on our journey, we are all very pleased with that performance. So many more positives than negatives from that game.”
Led well by team captain Flt Lt Lucy Nye at scrum-half, the Service side held their auspicious hosts for the opening 15 minutes of the game at Hinkley Rugby Club.
The Tigers had to use all their guile to unlock the RAF, which they did in the second quarter of the half (the game being played in quarters).
Following the hosts’ initial scores the RAF bounced back, forcing some scrambled
defensive plays from Leicester, before an adventurous chip over the top was picked up by Tigers’ Italian international fly-half Lucrezia Lavarone to close out the half at 24-0.
Starting the third quarter still needing to impact the scoreboard, the RAF looked in good shape, and competed across the field, but it took a further lift in their game in the final quarter to cross the line. After some heavy defending being required by the hosts to push back the RAF attacks, Cpl Chelsey Greasley popped up for a clever intercept on the right wing and showed a clean set of heels to touch down. Flt Lt Sarah Graham was successful with the conversion.
The score was just reward for the RAF, who did not let their heads drop for a moment and competed in every tackle against a team who are sprinting clear of their rivals in the Women’s Championship.
Daniel Abrahams and Montgomery Wharf
“WE HAVE given ourselves a cup final against the Army,” said SRT head coach WO Andy Kuchta after his side’s 1-1 Inter-Services draw against the Royal Navy in Portsmouth.
Pulling no punches after snatching a late draw at a rainsoaked Fratton Park, he added: “I thought we were poor. The lads have said they felt sloppy, whether it was
the occasion or not, I don’t know.” Trailing until the 86th minute, current IS champions the RAF were given a lifeline as AS1(T) Brodie Gray slotted home from five
yards after RN defender Bradley miskicked the ball to him.
With both sides producing few goalscoring opportunities throughout, the game turned on a
foul on Farrow provided the breakthrough.
first-half mistake, this time in the RAF penalty area.
As the half appeared to be heading towards a goalless outcome, a soft Navy cross from the left was spilled by keeper Cpl Christian Paulat-Brig when he appeared to have it covered.
The wet ball rolled free and as Navy forward Powell looked to pounce, he was pushed to the ground by Cpl Sam Rawlings.
CORPORAL CHRIS Hamilton’s WRT charges stuck to the IS mantra of not losing their first championship game beating the Royal Navy 3-0 at HMS Temeraire.
Defending the title, the RAF got off to a slow start, but having weathered the Navy first-half storm produced a second-half display that warmed the cockles of their head coach and sets them up nicely for the second match against the Army at Leek Town FC’s Harrison Park ground.
Hamilton said: “It was a really good result, that first game is important to put a marker down. The first half was a bit chaotic, we let the Navy have a foothold in the game, which wasn’t really like us.
“We got the team together at half-time, we reminded them of
what makes us a good team and in the second half we played how we wanted to and dominated.”
The hosts looked buoyant in the first period, producing several half-chances –with a scrambled corner off the
RAF goal line the closest the hosts came. They were left to rue not being more clinical, when the RAF stepped things up a gear, AS1 Lucy Farrow heading a good chance just over before seeing a one-on-one well blocked by the Navy keeper. Farrow was wreaking havoc on the left while Cpl Philippa Wilson was on the right. A 51st-minute
Good interplay by AS1 Abigail Hayes and Farrow saw the nippy forward turn between two Navy defenders, who were left with no option but to bring her down.
Sgt Cat Beaver calmly put the ball into the far corner of the Navy net and the supporters’ roar almost lifted the roof off.
Minutes later Beaver fed a delicious pass into the onrushing Farrow, who took her chance from a similar spot to where she was upended for the opener, unleashing a stunning right-footed drive to make it 2-0.
Hayes then collected a long 79th-minute free kick from Flt Lt Emma Hollingsworth before half volleying the slowly dropping ball home to complete the rout.
Hamilton added: “We trusted the girls to sort things and they did. Our preparations put us in positions where we had to grind results out. We had to do that here. We never panicked and we have set it up well now for our closing game. Playing first and third, we know what we have to do.”
Paulat-Brig had further bad luck after appearing to save Elliot Holmes’ kick to his right, only for the slippery ball to slide under his body and into the net.
The best chance of the half was created by the visitors, as a ninthminute cross-cum-shot from AS1 Jack Debnam was narrowly missed by captain Sgt Michael Campbell. Paulat-Brig then saved smartly at his near post to save RAF blushes in the 21st minute.
The second half started without Campbell, who was substituted for AS1 Josh Storey-Randall.
The RAF could not muster a telling chance until Cpl Jake Gosling produced a bit of magic late on, before feeding Debnam to cross into the box. Then Brodie saved the day.
Kuchta said: “We were the better side in the second half. We showed our resilience, we played three different formations in that game, tactically we changed things and how the lads adapted to that shows character. So, we go again, we can only play better, which is a positive.” l The RAF play the Army at Shrewsbury Town FC on March 29, KO 7pm.
A CLINICAL and calculated display saw the RAF senior rugby union stars smash home 66 points against Coventry RFC to close out their IS warm-up campaign.
After blitzing the young West Midlands side 17-66 at their Butts Park Arena, head coach FS Justin Coleman said: “It was great to see the lads step up and improve again from the performance against the British Police.
“We knew we had to deliver with it being the last match before we take on the Navy and shirts for the Inter-Services are on the line. We created a lot of opportunities, and the forwards provided a great platform to attack from.”
The first-half tries were sparked by Cpl Joe Parkin after a series of probing moves from the airmen. The steady, patient play then resulted in Fg Off Dave Manning passing to Parkin, who dashed over the line.
AS1(T) Kieran Prescott added to his IS warm-up try tally following a line-out on the hosts’ 22-yard line. A cross-field kick was coolly taken by Prescott, who then jinked inside to go over.
A scrum on the Coventry 10yard line was then collected and touched down by Parkin to get a step closer to his hat-trick, as the airmen led 5-33 at the break.
A second-half interception saw Cpl Tom Windibank break through and touch down under the posts.
Cpl Jon Haywood then went over for a score, before a Coventry attack was broken up close to the RAF try line. Following a series of passes Windibank then fed Parkin to touch down for his hat-trick.
A blast from AS1 Kev Raqio was the last of the
highlight scores, powering home from close range.
Coleman added: “We know we won’t get as many scoring opportunities against the other two Services, so our finishing had to be clinical and we saw a lot more of that against Coventry.
“But we still have a few areas to improve on when we go into our next training camp.
“There’s a great buzz around the place with the players pushing each other every day and although the Navy are looking strong this year we are confident we can travel down to Plymouth and take them on, on their home turf.”
l Follow RAF Rugby Union on Instagram @rafrugbyunion.
SIR GEOFF Hurst is a football legend – and yet the documentary Hurst: The First and Only shows him to be incredibly grounded, with an old-fashioned sensibility that warrants intrigue and celebration.
Now in his 80s, Hurst gained his legendary status from the World Cup-winning side of 1966, scoring the first and only hat-trick in a World Cup final. This phenomenal achievement, yet to be repeated, is broken down here as highly unlikely and perhaps even illegitimate: what with starting on the bench at the beginning of the tournament, and having his famously contested second goal, which many of the film’s commentators playfully deny or avoid.
Put together by Matthew Lorenzo and Sky, there is a huge line-up of talking heads each recounting this particular competition, and England’s only ever World Cup success to date. Players from England squads throughout the decades
give their views, including Lineker, Shearer, Southgate and Kane to name but a few, along with German players from that iconic final game, and others just as passionate.
The film opens with Hurst giving a rundown of the winning squad –succinctly capturing the personality and
Frankenstein (12)
The Invisible Man (12) Out on DVD and Blu-ray from March 27 (Fabulous Films/Fremantle Media Enterprises)
AN ALL-STAR cast led by James Mason featuring John Gielgud, Ralph Richardson, Jane Seymour, Tom Baker and David McCallum appear in Frankenstein The True Story, hailed as one of the most acclaimed versions of Mary Shelley’s masterpiece.
In 19th century England, Dr Victor Frankenstein, bitter over his brother’s death, voices his wish that men could have power over life and death. Following a chance encounter with Dr Henry Clerval, a surgeon experimenting in this field, they begin to work together. Victor achieves the impossible, the creation of life, but with it comes unforeseen and unimaginable terror.
Presented for the first time in high definition with 90 minutes of bonus material, the film is released on Blu-ray and DVD on March 27.
DAVID MCCALLUM (The Man from U.N.C.L.E) also stars in the classic TV series The Invisible Man, inspired by the HG Wells novel of the same name. Created by Harvey Bennett (Star Trek) the series aired on BBC1 in 1975.
performance of each player in a sentence or two. There is a poignancy about these reflections, with Hurst himself being one of the few alive at this point.
Despite its place in history, football was very different back then. Players were loyal to their clubs and played for the love of the game. And although this team would become national heroes, it was not life-changing in the way that it would be now. There was little money to be earned, there wasn’t the same level of notoriety and fame – most of these chaps would return home and go about their lives.
Hurst would eventually retire from football to get a different job, this after signing on the dole. He doesn’t talk about this bitterly or with any resentment, rather he seems grateful for the purpose that it served in his life, making clear that he wouldn’t want a fuss anyhow. Hurst: The First and Only is a suitably restrained documentary for a humble icon.
Review by Sam Cooney 4 out of 5 roundels
Theatre
Dr Daniel Westin (McCallum), working as a leading scientist at a US think-tank, discovers that the government intends to use his newly-created invisibility formula for unspeakable deeds. With determination and perhaps not enough foresight, he renders himself invisible and destroys the only batch ever created and quite possibly any hope of ever returning to human form. Aided by his wife and a few remaining allies, Dr Westin becomes a crime-fighting agent bent on not only protecting the world but finding a cure for his curse of invisibility.
We have copies of both films up for grabs. For your chance to win one, tell us:
Who wrote the 1818 novel Frankenstein?
Email your answer, marked McCallum competition, to: tracey. allen@rafnews.co.uk or post it to: RAF News, Room 68, Lancaster Building, HQ Air Command, High Wycombe, HP14 4UE to arrive by April 11.
Please mark on your entry which title you prefer to win and whether on Blu-ray or DVD, and include your full postal address.
Hurst:
WE HAVE copies of Hurst: The First And Only on DVD to win. For your chance to own one, answer this question correctly:
Where was the 1966 FIFA World Cup played?
Email your answer, marked Hurst DVD competition, to: tracey.allen@rafnews.co.uk or post it to: RAF News, Room 68, Lancaster Building, HQ Air Command, High Wycombe, HP14 4UE to arrive by April 11.
The Shawshank Redemption UK tour
DOC MARTIN star Joe Absolom is now on stage playing a very different role from Al Large, the popular character he’s probably best known for in the long-running ITV comedy drama.
Absolom is starring as longterm prison inmate Andy Dufresne in the play of The Shawshank Redemption, based on Stephen King’s 1982 novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption
Despite protests of his innocence, Andy is handed a double life sentence for the brutal murder of his wife and her lover. Incarcerated at the notorious Shawshank facility, he quickly learns that no one can survive alone.
He strikes up an unlikely friendship with the prison fixer Ellis ‘Red’ Redding, and things take a slight turn for the better. However, when Warden Stammas decides to bully Andy into subservience and exploit his talents for accountancy, a desperate plan is quietly hatched…
Ben Onwukwe (Professor T, London’s Burning) stars alongside Absolom as Red, reprising his critically acclaimed performance from a 2016 tour of the show.
The play is on a nationwide tour until May 13 and goes to venues including Bath’s Theatre Royal, Aylesbury’s Waterside Theatre and the Festival Theatre, Edinburgh. Absolom said: “The Shawshank
Redemption is one of my favourite films, an incredibly moving tale of friendship and injustice, and I’m thrilled to be playing the iconic role of Andy Dufresne on stage around the UK.”
Onwukwe added: “I’m delighted to be returning to the role of Red in this amazing production. The Shawshank Redemption film is one which many hold close to
their hearts, and it’s exciting to be bringing Stephen King’s story to new audiences. It is a modern meditation on hope and, in these times, it is hope that we need.”
The 1994 feature film starred Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman and was nominated for seven Academy Awards. l Go to: kenwright.com for full tour details.
WEST END leading lady and Loose Women panellist Brenda Edwards will star alongside musical theatre stalwart Lee Mead this summer, in Queen and Ben Elton’s smash-hit show We Will Rock You at the London Coliseum.
The rock theatrical returns to the capital for a strictly limited 12week season from June 2 to August 27 – 21 years after it first opened in the West End.
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have star quality and are seen as somehow separate from the rest of us mere mortals. That mystique keeps us coming back for more.
“For me as a historian it’s the sheer longevity of the monarchy, the fact that they have survived over the millennia. The institution is in a different form today but it’s alive and kicking.”
She added: “Public image is pivotal to the stability of the monarchy, to their standing with the people, and increasingly that has been a very big challenge. Since the rise of the popular press in the 18th and 19th centuries that’s a tricky thing to get right.”
Tracy revealed that Elizabeth I is her favourite monarch and her new book, out on May 18, is Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth I: The Mother and Daughter Who Changed History (Hodder & Stoughton).
She said: “Elizabeth was very special, incredibly disciplined and she put duty ahead of everything, like her later namesake. She was one of the most accomplished propagandists we’ve ever known and appreciated the power of the
public image. She really put glamour at the heart of the royal court and made herself the queen bee of the kingdom – we’re still talking about her and Anne Boleyn 500 years later. I am first and foremost a Tudor historian and researching two such iconic women was a real joy for me.”
She’s now researching her next novel, set in the Tudor period.
“I love writing fiction,” she said. “It’s great fun –you can make things up, which is quite liberating for a historian.”
Her ‘day job’ involves looking after Hampton Court Place, Kensington Palace and the Tower of London. She added: “Being based at Hampton Court Palace is a bit of a dream for a Tudor historian.
I am surrounded by royal history on a daily basis, so I feel very lucky to be able to follow my passion.”
Interview by Tracy Allen
l Go to: tracyborman.co.uk/ theatre for full tour details.
Brenda will star in the role of Killer Queen. She previously played the part on both the UK tour and the record-breaking Dominion Theatre run. She first found fame on the second season of The X Factor, where she made it to the semi-final. She has since had leading roles in hit musicals including Mama Morton in Chicago, Deloris Van Cartier in Sister Act The Musical and Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray.
She said: “I’m delighted to be stepping back into the shoes of the legendary Killer Queen and this time at the iconic London Coliseum. I can’t wait to work with Ben again, the hugely talented Lee Mead and the rest of the amazing company.”
Lee will appear in the role of Khashoggi. As winner of the BBC One series Any Dream Will Do in 2007, he was awarded the prize of the lead role in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. His theatre credits include Billy Flynn in Chicago, Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Emmett Forrest in Legally Blonde and Fiyero in Wicked He said: “I’m so excited to be joining the cast of We Will Rock You and can’t wait to bring Queen’s legendary songs back to the London stage. We start rehearsing in April –bring it on.”
Ben Elton said: “I’m thrilled that
the wildly talented Brenda Edwards and Lee Mead are starring in We Will Rock You. They’re guaranteed to blow your mind and after that they’ll blow the roof off.”
The musical features 24 of Queen’s greatest hits and a script by Elton – who returns to the director’s chair for this London homecoming.
We Will Rock You tells the story of a globalized future without musical instruments. A handful of rock rebels, the Bohemians, fight
against the all-powerful Globalsoft company and its boss, the Killer Queen; they fight for freedom, individuality and the rebirth of the age of rock. Scaramouche and Galileo, two young outsiders, cannot come to terms with the bleak conformist reality. They join the Bohemians and embark on the search to find the unlimited power of freedom, love and rock. l Go to: wewillrockyoulondon. co.uk for more information.
You can email photos for announcements on this page to: tracey.allen@rafnews.co.uk
SEEKING Leonard Stockall, who was an old school friend of mine, joined the RAF in the 1960s and may have been a Warrant Officer at some time, possibly in Norfolk, though, like me, would have retired years ago. He would be in his late 70s by now. He came from Woolhope Road in Worcester, and had a sister called Marilyn. Please contact Keri Moreman via email: jokerclover4@gmail. com if you can help.
READER Michael (Mike) Evans, who served from 1962-1974 as an SAC and later a Cpl, is writing his memories of his 14 years’ RAF service and is appealing for former colleagues to contact him.
He is seeking anyone who would remember him from 1965 Singapore, Brampton, Gutersloh, Coltishall, Swanton Morley and West Raynham. He served as a photographer.
In Singapore he was one of two Motor Sports Club photographers. On his return to the UK he was stationed at JARIC, Brampton and started entering motor car rallies. He was also the founder member of the Gütersloh Motor Sport Club.
In 1972 Mike was a member of the RAFMSA Service crew for the Rothmans Cyprus Rally and in 1973 a member (co-driver) of the RAFMSA 3 car entry to the Cyprus Rally. He was the Champion RAFMSA Navigator and Clerk of the Course for three RAFMSA-sponsored night rallies. He competed in the Mobile Economy Rally 1971, the Welsh Rally 1974 and the RAC Rally of GB 1975, all sponsored by the RAFMSA. Please contact Mike on: evansmr1@hotmail.com if you can help.
LOOKING for any members of the 47th entry TG19 Hereford 62-64. Any still
about? Please contact Jim Cummins via email on: Carol_cummins@aol.com or call: 01302 532865, 07517 416702.
RAF CHANGI – did you serve there between 1946 -72? The RAF Changi Association (inc. HQFEAF) would like to hear from you and a warm welcome awaits you. Membership is open to all ranks, ex RAF/WRAF/ WAAF also including civilian personnel who served there. Why not join us for our 25th Annual Reunion and AGM which has been booked for the weekend of May 12-14 at the Delta by Marriott Hotel, Warwick, CV34 6RE? Please contact our Membership Secretary, Malcolm Flack, on: 01494 728562 or email: memsecchangi@outlook. com or please visit the website: www.rafchangi.com for more details.
THE 60th anniversary reunion of the 49th Entry 2 Sqn Clerks Boy Entrants at RAF Hereford is to be held from May 15-17 at Thoresby Hall, Ollerton, Nottinghamshire. If you are interested in attending the reunion please contact Dave Beaumont on: 07538651712 or you can email: beaumont.d@sky. com or please contact Bob Cuss via email at: rbc324@ john-lewis.com for more information.
RAF Bawdsey Reunion Association. Did you ever serve at RAF Bawdsey? If so, why not join us at our next annual reunion which will take place at Bawdsey Manor on June 3. For details please contact Doreen at: doreen.bawdseyreunion@ btinternet.com or phone: 07513 301723.
223 Entry, 50 years since
graduation reunion, to be held at Mount Pleasant Hotel, Great North Road, Doncaster, DN11 0HW June 15-17. All details can be found on our entry website at: 223halton.hosting.idnet. net/reunion_2023.htm.
RAF Armourers past and present. Do you know that the Royal Air Forces Association has an Armourers Branch? The aim of the Branch is to provide welfare support and comradeship for all who have served or currently serve as an RAF Armourer. See website: rafaarmourers.co.uk or contact the committee via: plumbersrest@outlook.com for more information.
IF you trained as an RAF Administrative Apprentice (or are related to one) we would be delighted to welcome you to the RAFAA Association. See website: rafadappassn.org; or contact Membership Secretary on: 07866 085834 or the Chairman on: 01933 443673.
RAF Catering WOs’ and Seniors’ Association (RAF CWO & SA): all serving or retired TG19 Warrant Officers or Flight Sergeants and all former Catering Branch Officers are invited to join the RAF CWO & SA. We meet twice yearly. For more information please get in touch with Dave Scott via email: davescott10@hotmail.co.uk.
MESS Kit with waistcoat and cummerbund, Wg Cdr pilot (£90); No1, Sqn Ldr pilot (£55), SD hat, size 7 (£20), 36” chest, 30” waist. All in immaculate condition, Derby. Call: 07794 731061.
SGT’S Mess Dress Kit for sale, size 36 regular. Suit and tie and cummerbund, £100. Please call Thornton
There is no charge for conventionally-worded birth, engagement, marriage, anniversary, death,in memoriam seeking and reunion notices. For commercial small ads contact Edwin Rodrigues on: 07482 571535. We cannot, under any circumstances, take announcements over the telephone. They can be sent by email to: tracey.allen@rafnews.co.uk. Please note that due to the coronavirus pandemic we are currently unable to accept notices submitted by post.
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Cleveleys: 01253 854909 or: 07544 338869.
THE RAFA Cranwell Branch Bomber County charity concert featuring the Miller Magic Big Band takes place at Sleaford Masonic Rooms on Sunday, May 7 starting at 7pm.
The concert has a 1940s-themed evening. The Miller Magic Big Band is a 17-piece swing orchestra formed in 2015 under the auspices of the Sleaford Concert Band. Rod Whiting, who hosts the Sunday morning breakfast show on national Boom Radio, will be Master of Ceremonies. He served 14 years in the RAF, and was at BBC Radio Lincolnshire for 25 years. There will be a licensed bar and a raffle with prizes donated by local shops and businesses. Concert tickets cost £10 each and will be available from Hockmeyer Motors, Holdingham, Sleaford, Moore & Scrupps, Sleaford, and Sleaford Jewellers.
INSPIRATION: Last year's winner former Army Major Sally Orange with Defence Discount Service co- founders Steve Denny (left) and Tom Dalby NOMINATIONS FOR the Defence Discount Service Inspirational Woman of the Year 2023 award are closing soon. Any woman who works in an area of Defence – including the Armed Forces, reserve forces, MOD civil servants, cadet forces, Nato personnel serving in the UK and veterans – is eligible to enter.
Members of the British Defence community are invited to nominate friends, family or co-workers for the award. If you want to nominate someone, send a few lines about why you believe your chosen nominee should be named Defence Discount Service Inspirational Woman of the Year to: communications@defencediscountservice.co.uk by March 31.
Former Army Major and physiotherapy officer Sally Orange took the title in 2022. She has raised more than half a million pounds for mental health charities, including WWTW (Walking With the Wounded) and Ripple Suicide Prevention.
The 2023 winner will be announced on April 24 and is set to receive a £500 Virgin Experience Days voucher.
Tom Dalby, CEO of Defence Discount Service, said: “For the third year running, we’re thrilled to celebrate those women who have gone the extra mile to improve the lives of others.” Go to: defencediscountservice.co.uk for more details.
DEDICATED RUNNER Chf Tech Stephen ‘Stan’ Winstanley is now on the final leg of a mammoth challenge to run 10km for three years – 1,095 days – without a single day off.
Stan, based at RAF Waddington, is aiming to raise as much as possible for two charities – the RAF Association and Cancer Research UK.
He said: “That’s no days off, no rest days and no making the distance up in a following run.
“When I started, I was 41 years old, overweight and definitely not a natural runner. This continues to be a monumental physical and mental challenge.
“Due to the effects of Covid-19, Cancer Research UK had to cut its research funding by £45 million. This equates to 12 fewer fellowships, 24 fewer research programmes, 68 fewer
projects and around 328 fewer researchers.
“I have been directly affected by cancer, with members of my close family having recently had cancer (and thankfully recovered) whilst friends and other family members have succumbed to this horrible disease.”
He added: “RAFA’s dedicated helpline receives nearly 40,000 enquiries during
RUN AND BECOME: Stan continues his challenge
an average year. In my 26year RAF career I witnessed the support given by RAFA to the RAF Family, whether you were currently serving or a veteran, their spouses, partners, dependent children or family members. You never know, it may be you that needs that help in the future.” Go to: justgiving.com and search for Stan W to support him.
You can email photos for announcements on this page to: tracey.allen@rafnews.co.uk
IF YOU flew in Avro Vulcan XM594 or know of someone who did, Newark Air Museum (NAM) would like to hear from you.
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For more than 20 years the museum has hosted an ongoing social history project to record the history of XM594, now housed at NAM.
The aircraft flew more than 1,400 sorties – spread over 5,300 hours of flying –during two decades of service with the RAF.
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BIG-HEARTED volunteers from RAF High Wycombe have helped staff at their local Royal Star & Garter care home to give the place a spring clean.
The crew of eight military personnel donned gardening gloves, brought brooms, rakes and trowels and spent three hours at the High Wycombe home helping staff clean terrace areas and tidy outdoor spaces. They also brought cakes to share with residents and staff.
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Royal Star & Garter, which provides care to veterans and their partners living with disability or dementia, was chosen as one of RAF High Wycombe’s official charities for 2023.
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Volunteer Flt Lt White said: “We had a great time, helping to get the outdoor areas ready for the warmer weather, and it was helpful having residents share their gardening knowledge while we worked.”
Solve the crossword, then rearrange the eight letters in yellow squares to find an RAF station
The winners of our Prize Crossword and Prize Su Doku puzzles will receive a recent top aviation title – please send your entries to the address printed in the adjacent Su Doku panel, to arrive by April 11. Prize Crossword No. 333 winner is: Mrs M Gilliland, Cheltenham.
Across
6. Yet after Shakespearean prince and I fish (7)
7. Bet footballer’s girlfriend will hesitate (5)
9. Original trees to start with (5)
10. See 19 Across
12. So happy to include Noon, perhaps (2,5,4)
14. Czech aircraft for darling Harry (5,6)
18. And 20 Down. Plane Mike Tyson will spout about? (7,3)
19. And 10 Across. Giant rarebit devoured in country (5,7)
21. Room with no instrument (5)
22. Fighter met up with trouble (7)
Down
1. Duty is placed on these carriers (5)
2. See 3 Down
3. And 2 Down. Busy going round with legendary pilot (3,6)
4. Same prince carries heavyweight to station…(6)
5. …belligerent having fainted dramatically (7)
8. Reason for deposit (7)
11. Cry about excess weight (7)
13. Company may infer tree involved (7)
15. Blow out old flame well (6)
16. Some amateur operator in the northern hemisphere (6)
17. By the sound of it, manhandles rest (5)
20. See 18 Across
Name
Address...............................................................................................................
RAF station:....................................................................
Solution to Crossword No 334:
Crossword No. 335
TWICE GRAMMY-nominated singer-songwriter Rufus
Wainwright marks his 50th birthday with a new album out on June 2 featuring reinvented folk classics alongside special guests including John Legend, David Byrne, Sheryl Crown, Chaka Khan, Nicole Scherzinger and Susanna Hoffs.
Produced by long-time collaborator Mitchell Froom (Paul McCartney, Crowded House), the first release from the album Folkocracy is Down in the Willow Garden (featuring Brandi Carlile), a timeless murder ballad reimagined for modern times, out now.
“Singing with Rufus feels like watching birds swirl around together instinctively in flight,” said Carlile. “It’s anticipated but somehow as natural as can be. His voice is so special to me that I hear it sometimes when he’s not even singing with me. I loved every second of flying around in this music with him.”
Wainwright said: “Brandi I see a lot, often with Joni Mitchell. I chose us a cheery little number –not! The song is so blatantly brutal and masochistic that I had to sing it with a woman. Sadly, we still live in a violent world. The amazing thing about so many folk songs is
that, content wise, they sound very contemporary. Think of the gun crime in the States right now.”
He added: “This album is almost like a recorded birthday party and birthday present to myself. I just invited all the singers that I greatly admire and always wanted to sing with.”
him performing with Lucy, Martha, his aunt Anna and close family friend Chaim Tannenbaum, playing Kate’s banjo.
Rufus appears at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival on April 29 and at the Cambridge Folk Festival this summer. In August, he embarks on a worldwide Folkocracy Tour while also marking both the 25th anniversary of his landmark debut album, 1998’s Rufus Wainwright, and the 20th anniversary of 2003’s award-winning Want One (and its 2004 companion, Want Two) with a series of orchestral shows featuring lush symphonic arrangements by Sally Herbert (Woodkid, Florence + the Machine) and Max Moston (Antony and the Johnsons).
Fill in all the squares in the grid so that each row, each column and each 3x3 square contains all the digits from 1 to 9.
Solutions should be sent in a sealed envelope marked 'Su Doku' with the number in the top left-hand corner to RAF News, Room 68, Lancaster Building, HQ Air Command, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP14 4UE, to arrive by April 11.
The winner of Su Doku No: 343 is: Mr PG Brewer, Farnham, Surrey.
Solution to Su Doku No: 344
Famously, Wainwright hails from a musical family – his father is the American singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III, his mother was the Canadian folk musician Kate McGarrigle, who wrote and performed as a duo with her sister Anna, and his sister is the singersongwriter Martha Wainwright. His half-sister Lucy Wainwright Roche, also a singer-songwriter, and Martha, are on two Folkocracy tracks.
Wild Mountain Thyme, a song Wainwright grew up with, features
“The older I get, the more I appreciate how valuable my folk knowledge is, to have had it ingrained in me as a child,” Wainwright said. “I’m from a bona fide folkocracy who mixed extensively with other folkocracies such as the Seegers and the Thompsons. I spun off into opera and pop. Now I’m back where it all began.
“I’m so happy mum made it onto the album,” he added. “Without her there would be no Folkocracy.” l Go to: rufuswainwright.com for more information.