Insight - Autumn 2022

INSIGHT

Discounts

on the amazing success of their first book, Bransby Horses is delighted to announce the launch of their second.

Pudding’s Christmas Miracle told the story of an abandoned Shetland pony and was a huge hit when it launched in 2020, selling over 2,500 copies.

years on and the sequel, Pudding’s Picnic Panic, builds on the educational style tale by teaching readers about the importance of not feeding horses you don’t know.

Sally Crawford, Executive Director of Engagement and Income Generation, said:

“Children and parents seem to have really taken to these books. As well as being a lovely story for little ones to get lost in they also carry an important message about equine welfare.

“With the summer holidays just around the corner, more families will be venturing out on walks and may want to feed horses they come across – through Pudding’s story we’re urging people to not feed without the owner’s permission, as it could do more harm than good. “

“We hope everyone enjoys Pudding’s new book as much as the first. Once again, all profits help us continue with the welfare and rescue work we do out in the community.

“Whether you decide to buy the book, sponsor an equine or make a donation, you’ll make a positive difference and for that we’re truly grateful.”

Based in Lincolnshire, Bransby Horses has been rehoming and rescuing ponies, donkeys, mules and horses for over 50 years.

Picnic Panic costs

In this issue…

Autumn 2022

From the Editor…

Sqn Ldr Sam Haley

Welcome to the

Autumn edition of Insight and InsightOnline. Hopefully you will have had an opportunity for a break in summer and as the nights come in and the coats come out, you are ready for the last few months of 2022. To continue to promote sustainable living and a move towards digital where able, we will continue to reduce printed copies of Insight, so there will be less on Station. But the awesome InsightOnline will continue as always to allow you access to RAF Waddington articles. In addition, RAFmags.co.uk hosts both Insight Online and a whole host of other Stn magazines for your perusal and comparison!

At the time of printing, the news of the passing of HM Queen Elizabeth II was breaking. We will reflect on this during the winter Edition to allow members of the Station and wider community to reflect on her incredible life and hopefully provide some personal articles and tributes. If you would like to write an article for us and express your story or what her reign and passing has meant to you and your family, please send to WADInsightEditorialTeam@mod.gov.uk

This month we have as broad a range of articles as we have seen for some time. Both XIII and 51 Sqn have provided chapters of their history, there are awards articles, charity and adventure training. We hope you enjoy and look forward to receiving your articles for the Winter edition and last of 2022!

EDITORIAL TEAM:

WAD-InsightEditorialTeam@mod.gov.uk

External Email:

Use personal email addresses listed

Tel: +44 (0)1522 726704

Editor:

Sqn Ldr S Haley

WAD-InsightEditorialTeam@mod.gov.uk

Deputy Editor:

Flt Lt D.J Hopkinson

daniel.hopkinson524@mod.gov.uk

Designer: Amanda Robinson

Advertising by: Jayne Bailey

Tel: 01536 334 219

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Lance Media Group Ltd, 1st Floor, Tailby House, Bath Road, Kettering, Northamptonshire

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Printed by: Micropress

12 21

The

Station Commander’s Foreword...

Gp Capt Mark Lorriman-Hughes

Welcome to the Autumn edition of the Station magazine. As always, it’s been another busy period at RAF Waddington and for the local community. I continue to be impressed by the wide range or articles and activities, submitted by a broad range of authors covering something different each quarter. It shows we have great diversity here and I’m pleased people continue to be active in their pursuits. The article about Dr Burt’s 100th Birthday is heartwarming in both the fact he chose to spend such an incredible milestone here with us, but also the teamwork and effort that went into delivering such a rare and unique occasion for someone who is still very much part of the service family. It just goes to show how deep the service connection remains with its veterans, and we were very happy to be able to host on such a momentous occasion. We have also mourned the loss and celebrated the lives of two critical members of the RAF Waddington team over the past few months. Sgt Keith Brian Jones passed away in May. He was a popular member

of 51 Sqn and active on Stn and in the community. In honour of Keith, his name is emblazoned on one of the RC-135 that he worked on. SAC Tim Rowley passed away in June. Tim had a long battle with a glioblastoma, diagnosed in 2019. His remarkable fighting spirit meant he defied the odds and he continued to fight beyond his initial prognosis. I speak on behalf of the whole RAF Waddington community in sharing our deepest condolences and best wishes to Keith and Tim’s famillies. The passing of Queen Elizabeth II likely provoked many different emotions for both service and civilian personnel. The Royal Family connection with the military is unique and I was proud to watch our colleagues demonstrate to the world the highest standards of respect and discipline during the period of national mourning. The state funeral was conducted faultlessly and reminded me why I am proud to serve. I am also proud of the people who deployed to facilitate the events in London and Scotland, who held readiness, who kept the station running during a challenging period and who continued to fly and deliver on task, all without skipping a beat. You too should be proud of your efforts.

I hope that from a rather sombre Foreword, you can see that through adversity, the people at RAF Waddington continue to be exceptional,

that is something

celebrating.

XIII Sqn History

Its tasks were patrols, bombing, recce, artillery observation, and photography.he first combat patrol was flown on 22nd October with the first successful photos taken the following day. The 23rd also saw the Sqn take its first casualties with 1st Lieutenant Cecil Marks and 2nd/ Lieutenant William Lawrence being shot down and killed behind enemy lines whilst undertaking Recce Escort duties south of St Quentin. They were the second victims of Ltn Hans-Joachim Buddecke of FA23.

Lawrence was the younger brother of T E Lawrence or ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ as he is more famously known.

At 1.32pm on 23 October, Marks and Lawrence took off from Vert Galand aerodrome to act as escort to a reconnaissance but failed to return, becoming the first entries in the Squadron’s casualty book. Captain Cecil Robert Tidswell reported:

‘’We have lost one of our machines already. It went up the day before yesterday for a reconnaissance over the German lines and has not returned. As the German wireless reported yesterday that an English machine had been brought down in an air fight in this district and both pilot and observer had been killed, I’m afraid it must refer to ours. I didn’t know the pilot well, as he only joined us out here, but the observer was with us at Gosport, and was a particularly nice man.’’

By a curious coincidence, the arrival in the area of a party of high-ranking German officers and dignitaries on an inspection visit would turn the dying throes of BE2c 2017 into something of a macabre spectator event; and possibly this accounts for the dramatic account of the combat that would appear in the 1918 memoirs of Hans Joachim Buddecke, the German pilot who brought down the plane.

Fifty metres away, with my head ducked in behind my machine-gun, aiming over the long black barrel, I began shooting. I made another bank and fired again until there was no machine-gun fire coming back from him. Then I realised that he was losing altitude. I followed him slowly and was able to smell him. I had time to smell the enemy plane. The BE type of plane had a special smell to it. The engine smell leaves a stench behind

which is sweeter than from a perfumed handkerchief. Naturally I did not have the guests below in mind but the enemy plane which slowly went down as if looking for a good opportunity to escape. I did not want to shoot him up anymore. Thus, I stayed close by on his right. At a height of 200 metres he overflew a village and then an open field. We approached Roupy airdrome. 100 metres. The enemy ahead of us was struggling now. He made a dive, then ran flat into the ground. I was circling him in order to see any more movements. There was nothing.

Meanwhile they pulled a dead body from the plane and one dying person. Lawrence had brought his dead comrade back to earth with his last breaths. The other lost his life up in the air. High command had followed everything and once the bodies had been removed and taken away, they inspected the shot-up plane. She looked terrible with 212 hits by bullets. The fuselage was later exhibited to highlight our weaponry effects to good detail.

XIII Squadron deployed

France

and were immediately drawn into action.

2nd Lieutenant Lawrence Captain Marks

The wrecked BE2-C of Marks and Lawrence

Greetings once again from Area 51.

The enduring operational tempo has remained high throughout the summer due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, with 51 Sqn currently at the tip of the spear in terms of both the UK and NATO response. This exceptional effort has not prevented 51 Sqn personnel from squeezing plenty of other activities in the small windows of opportunity.

On Thursday 2nd June, 51 Sqn took part in the Queen’s Jubilee Flypast using ZZ664. The crew of 13 c, captained by Sqn Ldr Tom Barnes, flew down The Mall and over Buckingham Palace in close formation with a P8 Poseidon. This crew had also taken part in the practice flypast over CHOM at RAF Cranwell the week before. Due to the nature of the aircraft and its near permanent operational requirements, flypasts are a rare occurrence for the Sqn, and even an event of this magnitude may have been superseded by the events taking place in Eastern Europe. However, the combined efforts and forward leaning mentality of the whole sqn meant that we were able to pay tribute to Her Majesty as a part of the 70 strong aircraft flypast, with those involved saying it was a privilege to have been part of such a historic event.

When not flying Op ROCKHARD missions or taking part in flypasts, the sqn has also been very busy on the ground. 51 Sqn (Eng) Training Cell has been making considerable progress and improvements over the last 12 months. A year ago, the training team was about to lose one of the Sqn’s most valued and experienced members, Sgt ‘Sol’ Sollitt, and was operating without classroom facilities.

This resulted in competency levels falling across the entirety of Eng flight. Under the guidance of three determined Sgts, Chris Brown, Jim Broadbent and Louis Jelley, and the three JRs, Cpl Tom Borrill, a/Cpl Nick Marwood and AS1(T) Matt Sutherland, the scene couldn’t have changed more drastically. Moving to building 266, long term planning and the arrival of new personnel allowed the team to focus their efforts on improving training standards and output. This has led to month on month increases in competency levels. A positive effort from all!

On Monday 6th June, personnel from across the Sqn on took part in a RAFA Rides event to raise money for the Royal Air Forces Association. Taking on a virtual cycling tour of frontline UK flying stations, personnel placed posteriors in position from 0700 Monday morning until 1900 on the Friday, covering 216 x 30-minute slots over the five days.

Naturally, there was a competitive element to spice up the event, with incentives for the most miles covered in a 30-minute slot, highest individual total miles and the most funds raised for RAFA. The top five highest ranking individual miles were: Flt Lt Chris Talbot (301), Sgt Andy Merrett (118.3), AS1(T) Aaron Richards (78.48), MACr Nick Petch (74.72) and AS1(T) Kieran Sussex (71.79).

There was also some healthy competition between the engineering shifts, support flight and aircrew to see who could gain the most miles. The cyclists beat their target total of 1259 miles, reaching 1369.65 miles; with the

engineering flights pipping the aircrew and the support flight to the post.

Organiser Sgt Andy Merrett comments: ‘51 Sqn personnel came to work that week and before they knew what happened they were cycling’. Everyone on Sqn pulled their charitable efforts together to raise money, with personnel ready to don their cycling finest and channel their inner Bradley Wiggins

at a moment’s notice given Sgt Merrett ‘was constantly hunting for his next cycling victim’.

Flt Lt Talbot was most definitely not a victim however as he covered a jawdropping twelve-hour stint in one hit on the opening day, with further sessions during the week to boot. A commendable effort from 51 Squadron all in aid of a worthwhile cause.

Flt Lt Talbot begins his 12 hour stint to open the event.

Sgt Andy Merrett celebrates the end of the virtual tour with SEngO Sqn Ldr Ayton.

OC 51, Wg Cdr Nevin, opens the Sqn RAFA Rides Virtual Tour.

The achievements during the RAFA Rides event gives only a flavour of the sporting abilities of 51 Sqn, as you may recall from previous Insight editions, AS1 Cartegena has been away with the RAF Bobleigh team. Not to be outdone, 3 members of Eng Flt were selected to take part in the first RAF Track and Field Championships since 2019. The efforts of CT Jim Slater,

AS1(T) Lewis ‘P-K’ PennaKincell and AS1 Samuel ‘Birtie’ West ensured 51 Sqn was the largest contributor of any section at RAF Waddington. The standout performance was P-K, who took Gold in the 400m Hurdles, Birtie gave a determined performance in the 5000m and Jim Slater collected a bronze medal in the discus. P-K then repeated his success at the

Official photo finish document showing how tight the victory was.

the honour of receiving an MBE in the Queen’s New Years Honours List 2022. In early June, Sqn Ldr Hemlin was invited to Buckingham Palace to be presented with her MBE by HRH The Duke of Cambridge. Sqn Ldr Hemlin said: ‘I am deeply honoured, and humbled, to receive an MBE. I had an amazing day at the Palace, it is most definitely one which I will remember forever’.

As we move into the Autumn, the Sqn’s operational tempo will remain high, but we also

highly prestigious UKAF Inter Service Track and Field Championships, where his determination ensured a photo-finish victory by just 3 hundredths of a second (and pipping the Army in the process).

Away from sporting excellence, there was one other momentous achievement on 51 Sqn when one of the Sqn Executives, Sqn Ldr Angie Hemlin, had

have our long awaiting Dining In Night to look forward to (I’m sure it will get a mention next time), as well as some other exciting and interesting activities. Until next time from Area 51.

51 SQN MEDIA & COMMS TEAM

Swift and Sure

CT Jim Slater Sgt Phil Howle Sgt Jade Bolton

AS1(T) Penna-Kincell crossing the finish line ahead of the Army (and the Navy)

Sqn Ldr Angie Hemlin receiving her MBE from HRH The Duke of Cambridge.

51 Sqn History Corner

Once again, Sgt Phil Howle of the Squadron’s Heritage Team describes a piece of 51 Sqn’s history, this time picking up from where the previous edition ended:

Operational planning map of the Peenemunde site for Op HYDRA.

Following their short stint with Coastal Command, 51 Sqn was returned to Bomber Command in October 1942, and would remain there until the penultimate day of the War. During this time they would contribute to the resultant victory in a number of ways, including bombing raids against the occupied Low Countries and France, Italy and deep into Nazi Germany. The Squadron also conducted some less conventional tasks such as sea mining in the Baltic and targeting supply and distribution lines.

With the change of command was also a change of location, with the Sqn relocated back to Yorkshire, this time at RAF Snaith. The airfield was actually in the village of Pollington near the town of Selby, but there was another bomber airfield within the Group called Pocklington, and so for operational safety reasons the station was named RAF Snaith (the villages of Snaith and Pollington were adjoined). The now outclassed Whitleys were also replaced by the much improved Halifax Mk2, and later in the war by the Mk3.

51 Sqn at RAF Snaith with their newly delivered Halifax Mk 2.

One of the most important operations during their

second stint with Bomber Command was Operation HYDRA. This operation was targeting the military facility at Peenemunde on the north-east coast of Germany. This facility was the design, test and build centre for the V2 rockets and so its’s destruction was seen as imperative. Over 600 aircraft took part, in 4 waves, with 51 squadron providing 24 aircraft as a part of the first wave. A small force of Mosquitos had been sent with the WINDOW jamming equipment to Berlin as a diversion called Operation WHITEBAIT. Some of the technology used in the WINDOW equipment was developed following the Bruneval raid which had been conducted previously by 51 Sqn. The diversion replicated the tactics that had been seen previously when a big raid on Berlin was coming and so it prompted a reaction from the Luftwaffe.

The success of the diversion was such that the German fighters were only able to arrive at Peenemunde in time to catch the last wave of bombers, and in total there were only 40 allied aircraft shot down (around 7% of the aircraft that took part) which was a good ratio for Bomber Ccommand. Being in the first wave, 51 Sqn suffered no losses. The raid was a success in that a number of buildings

in the facility were completely destroyed and a great deal more were damaged, along with the death of a small number of the scientists working on the project. Although Joseph Goebbels claimed that the raid had only pushed the project back by two months, the reality is that the V2 rockets never became the threat that was feared thanks in part to Operation HYDRA.

51 Sqn at RAF Snaith with their newly delivered Halifax Mk 2.

Location of Peenemunde.

Royal Air Force Operational Shooting Competition

Believing it to be a one day shooting competition that would give me the perfect excuse to escape work, I leapt at the opportunity. Discovering it to be 2 weeks of intensive matches firing the service rifle and pistol, I was intrigued to learn more.

After completing my pistol conversion course, I was handed the list of matches I would be competing in. There were 6 matches comprising different distances, rounds to fire and weapons to operate. The more I read and listened about the overall event from experienced participants, the more I knew this was for me.

Attending Bisley I found the RAF Small Arms Association clubhouse to be a calm and welcoming place, full of character. The first week comprised zeroing our weapons and practicing the different shooting matches. I was privileged to be mentored by twice winner of the Queens Medal for Champion Shots of the Air Forces; an award hard earned in the annual small-arms marksmanship competition. Instituted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 and was the Air forces version to the Champion shot of the military Forces. One medal is awarded to each service champion and currently there have only been 34 recipients in the RAF since it’s conception, 4 still serving RAF members. With the one-to-one tuition I was able to tap in to 20 plus years of operational shooting experience. Learning in a practical environment; how to zero properly, the principles of shooting to get an effective shot on target, how to account for wind and calculate where to change my points of aim to.

When the shooting matches finally kicked into gear, the prior training and practice really paid off. The pistol matches were where I found I had a real talent I never knew

I had. Firing from 20m down to 5m sounds easy, till you first try and find your rounds everywhere on the target but the place you were aiming. With experienced coaches on hand to pass on their tips and wisdom

I soon felt like John Wick and was able to achieve a great score. I came 1st place in the Tyro Trophy category for Service Pistol. Tyro, meaning beginner or novice, is a trophy awarded to the best newcomers to the competition. Not to downplay the award, as all the newcomers were exceptionally good with the service weapons.

My confidence boosted by performing well with the pistol, I was more than keen to crack on with the Service rifle matches. The distances varied between 500m and 100m and you needed to run to each distance with full PPE and webbing equating to a minimum weight set at the start. Each firing point you would engage the targets as directed by the match detail. It was important to remember each match detail as once it was started there was no stopping. I found the whole austere scenarios exhilarating to complete, especially trying to remember everything whilst being exhausted. Coming 24th overall I have every intention of taking part again and earning my own Top 20 Patch next year. Maybe one day being good enough to be competitive for the Queens Medal.

When not on the ranges each day the evening was a great opportunity to relax and

socialise with other competitors in the clubhouse bar, especially enjoying a BBQ or two. Overall, the RAF OSC was an eye opener to just how beneficial it is knowing how to handle and fire Service weapons effectively. The knowledge I have learnt so far will stay with me for my service career and prove valuable if ever a real-world situation were to arise.

100th Birthday Visit

16 May 22 saw a very special guest visiting RAF Waddington.

The official invitation arrived with Dr James Burt two weeks before and was a huge surprise, being the first he had heard of the visit. At this point preparations were well under way for his birthday celebrations which had been kept a close guarded secret by his family and close friends. It’s not every day that a former 617 Sqn Medical Officer celebrates his 100th birthday and certainly not at his former Station, the first return visit since arriving at RAF Waddington in 1946, after qualifying from St Andrews. The day commenced with a

Medical Staff and the SMO, Dr Gelnar, who commented ‘The Medical Centre was very excited to host the visit from Dr James Burt, a 100 year old RAF MO veteran who visited RAF Waddington on 16 May 22. He regaled us with some interesting tales from 1946 when he was Sqn doc for 617 Sqn and his time working at RAF Scampton with the

superbly and nothing was too much trouble.  Many thanks go to the staff for providing a fantastic table service despite a very busy main lunch

visit to the Heritage Centre and a guided tour by Mr Chris Dean. Dr Burt was accompanied by his two brothers, The Rt Hon Alistair Burt MP (r’td) and Dr David Burt, along with Janet Traill, his full-time carer. He was particularly interested in the photos from his era and recounted stories of his first flight on a Lancaster Bomber. Next on the agenda was a

Americans.  He was proud to see the newly refurbished Medical Centre, in the same building as where he had worked and it brought back vivid memories for him and his family to enjoy. It was such an honour to host him in the Medical Centre and show him how things have changed since 1946 (and how some things haven’t!). It was a special occasion and an honour to be able to reconnect with our RAFMS heritage!’

service. Dr Burt was very appreciative of the work and effort. Padre McCormick led Grace, the food was excellent and plentiful and was completed by a birthday cake, which was received very well by an emotional centennial. The presentation of birthday gifts, including a signed 617 Sqn print and a framed photo of a Lancaster overflying the Med Centre in 1943, concluded the birthday lunch.

After lunch, a visit to an E3 Sentry and Vulcan aircraft were next on the agenda. Dr Burt and his sons were appreciative and humbled by the visit. Alistair Burt commented: ‘My father remembers his RAF days with great affection. As he had got married in July 1946, he arrived unable to stay in married quarters on the base, being deemed too young under RAF Regulations to have got married! He and my mother therefore had a flat in Lincoln, which he was allowed to stay in when he wasn’t needed overnight on the base. He still had to pay full mess bills, however, so I believe their finances were a bit tight in those days! Post war rationing meant food parcels from my grandmother from Dundee. He tells tales of the occasional run ins with senior officers when he had to make decisions on fitness to fly, and also of the odd incident of high spirits amongst the other officers. He loved the flying he was able to do.’

Dr James Burt departed with a huge smile on his face and we all wish him a very Happy 100th Birthday.

Article by FS Andy Lloyd, OIC Station Veterans

Many thanks to:

Cpl Shona Green and her energetic staff – OM Manager

Cpl Mark ‘Bomber’ Harrison –OM Chef

Chris Dean – Heritage Centre Guide

Medical Centre – in its entirety

trip to the Medical Centre. Dr Burt was greeted by the

We were then joined by the Head of RAF Medical Services Air Cdre Dale Daborn, the Stn Cdr and a representative from 617 Sqn for a celebratory lunch in the Officers’ Mess. The Officers’ Mess hosted us

Veterans Team: - who made all this possible

C/T Brett Leeson

Cpl Sophia Pegg

SAC Leanne Cornes

SAC Ryan McDonough

SAC Hadassah Gesage

8 Sqn Charity - How it Happened

With the imminent drawdown of 8 Sqn at Waddington and the handover of buildings including our beloved RedRock (Sqn Bar), we felt we should auction off as much of the contents as we could with the aim of raising funds for a few charities that were close to the hearts of many on the Squadron.

In the last couple of years, we have lost two members of the Sqn: Cpl Shaun Dakin and Sgt Shaun Byrne. Both were liked and well respected by everyone and their passing hit the Sqn members hard. We felt the money raised would be best donated to the charities their families had chosen to support.

Cpl Dakin’s family were keen to support a Mental Health charity (Combat Stress).

Sgt Shaun Byrne has a young family, and they choose to support Scotty’s Little Soldiers.

The auction date was set for 14th July 2022, we searched for items that would be saleable. Luckily the RedRock was a veritable treasure trove of quirky items “acquired”

over 30 years of Sentry world travel. Pictures were taken and a portfolio started to take shape.

OC 8 had also written a wonderful poem to celebrate the 30 years of Sentry. The poem was called “Ode to Sentry” and was very well received. CT Hoskin and Sgt Kernohan Supported by Mr Will Burton (54 Sqn reprographics) decided to take her words and transformed them into something we could sell to add to the charity auction pot.

We had 200 Poems created each numbered and signed by OC 8 (Wg Cdr V Williams) all with an E3D gold wax stamp. Numbers 1 -8 were Special edition, with 1-7 being the Aircraft Tail numbers and number 8 as a special edition for

8 Sqn. These were framed and etched and were put up for blind bids before the start of the auction. Number 9 -200 were all on sale at £5 per poem. Some Poems are still available, £5 contact Sgt Kernohan (garry. kernohan952@mod.gov.uk).

The auction was organised by CT Avis, and AS1(T) Dale Smith stepped up as a last-minute Compere/ Auctioneer, he did an excellent job keeping everyone entertained. With a special box to stand on so he could see over the lectern, and freshly applied mahogany tan that David Dickinson would have been proud of, Dale did a fantastic job of encouraging the audience to part with as much money as he could. He also managed to increase the price for the special edition poems getting over

3 figures on most of them! In total, the night of the auction managed to make £2121.22. With other items sold from the RedRock that were not on the official auction, and profits from the sale of Sqn Coins, T Shirts, Patches all going into the pot, we raised a further £431.20.

The full total £2552.42 being split between Combat Stress and Scotty’s little soldiers each receiving £1276.21 . I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved with organising and setting up of the auction event and everyone on 8 Sqn and beyond who attended and put their hand in their pocket to support the auction and the charities.

Sgt Garry Kernohan 8 Sqn Eng

Ex PD259

We are incredibly lucky at RAF Waddington in that the Heritage Centre, which is located in a historically significant building right next to Raven’s Club, holds the substantial remains of Lancaster PD259 which has extraordinarily strong history with the Station.

PD259 (JO-G) operated by 463 Sqn RAAF from RAF Waddington, conducted all its operational flights from this home base. The last one of which resulted in a crash on 31 Aug 44 during a training sortie, in the Monadhiliath Mountains on the Balavil Estate, near Kingussie. Very tragically all the 7 crew members were killed.

PD259 was delivered to RAF Waddington on 06 Aug 44 and flew all 6 of its combat missions between 15 Aug and 30 Aug. When delivered to RAF Waddington, it came under the captaincy of Flt Lt Bill Purdy; this WW2 veteran and true gent has returned to Waddington on several occasions since. Flt Lt Purdy has always referred to it as ‘his’ aircraft because he took possession of it the day it was delivered from the Avro factory in Manchester to Waddington.  Flt Lt Purdy captained PD259 on 3 of its combat missions and is an incredible individual. This is evidenced through flying 36 WW2 missions; being awarded the DFC, which was presented by King George VI; and he has continued his aviation link through regularly flying the lead Tiger Moth in the ANZAC Day flypast over Sydney Harbour until quite recently, an amazing feat, particularly for a person in their 90’s.

The last operational mission for PD259 was to Konigsberg (now called Kaliningrad) in Russia, captained by Fg Off McKern DFC on this occasion PD259 suffered some flak damage and had to return with one of its engines shut down and the crew described it as a ‘hairy ride home’.

On the night of 31 Aug 44 there were no Ops planned so the new, or ‘sprog crew’ led by Fg Off Beddoe were tasked to undertake a cross country, night training flight. At some point during the flight the crew encountered a problem over a remote, mountainous area in the Highlands of Scotland and tragically crashed in a very remote area.

There are a few theories behind the cause of the crash. The first is that there may have been more damage from the flak from the previous days sortie which may have contributed to it. Another theory is that the weather coming in from the Atlantic was extremely poor with icing conditions and it is possible that this weather progressed towards Scotland and when the crew experienced problems they were forced to try to land on the mountainous terrain.

There are further theories none of which can be evidenced or proved.

The Sqn Operations Log makes only a small mention of PD259, the entry on 31 Aug gives two short sentences: ‘P/O Beddoe and crew were engaged on a cross country flight and crashed 10 miles ENE of Kingussie. As the aircraft crashed in the mountains no information is available until reached by the search party’. The Log’s entry for 01 Sep first mentions the weather, training, and a cricket match before it gets to ‘Information received 1800 hrs that the bodies of P/O Beddoe and 5 members of his crew found at scene of crash. All Killed. No trace of Navigator (F/S Walker) –open parachute near crash’. Given that so many Bomber Command aircraft and their courageous crews were lost in WW2, 55 573 aircrew died in total, it sets the context

in which the Ops Log entry should be understood.

The crew of PD259 on 31 Aug 1944 was comprised of:

Plt Off R H Beddoe – Pilot –RAAF

WO G H Middleton – Flight Engineer – RAF

FS S A Abbot – Mid Upper Gunner – RAAF

FS T R Dent – Wireless

Operator/Air Gunner – RAAF

FS B M Glover – Rear Gunner

– RAAF

FS D H Ryan – Bomb Aimer

– RAAF

FS F Murray-Walker –Navigator – RAAF

The six Australian members of the crew had spent 2 years training in Australia and the UK and this was to be their last training flight before they commenced Ops. The Australians did not train Flight Engineers hence why there is a British member of the crew, WO Middleton was experienced though

mainly on Stirling’s, with little Lancaster experience.

The Operations Record Book for RAF Longman in Inverness records that a crash party were sent out on 01 Sep 44 at 0010 and spent 19 hours in ‘very wild hilly country’ and that ‘The bomber had apparently exploded in midair at an estimated altitude of 10,000ft’. They discovered six bodies of the crew, but it was not possible to recover them all at once and the seventh member of the crew was still missing when they returned. The ‘Mountain Section’ Kinloss relieved the Longman crash party to bring in the remaining bodies the following day. There is no official information about the Navigator, but some accounts say he was found at the bottom of a small cliff. The weather report was for thunderstorms, with cloud base 1000ft in rain: hence why there are still many unknowns about the loss of PD259 because of all the contradictions. For instance; how could they state it exploded at 10,000 ft if the cloud base was only 1000ft? The RAAF members of the crew were subsequently interred in the War Cemetery in Cambridge whilst the British Flight Engineer is buried in Rutherglen cemetery in Glasgow.

The story slows down a bit for a few years but in earlier discussions with Mr Allan Macpherson-Fletcher previously the owner of the Balavil Estate he explained;

‘Going back to the old days, when the plane crashed the estate was owned by my uncle, Harry Brewster Macpherson, who died in 1947 and then my Aunt Peggy then looked after the estate until I took over in 1975. During that period there were very few people on the hill other than shepherds and gamekeepers and the occasional grouse shooter in the season.  "The bomber" was always just referred to as that and was a mark of reference if

anyone was out stalking you would be told it was beyond "The Bomber".

There wasn't much interest in the bomber I suppose until hill-walking became fashionable in the 80's and then we did notice that one or two bits were being vandalised and possibly removed.  We had various requests from museums and individuals to remove items from the hill and the crash site, but we steadfastly refused permission on the basis that the crash site was a memorial to the seven crew members who were killed.

In 1994 I received a letter from Sqn Ldr Griffin of the Mission Support Wing at Waddington, again asking for permission to remove various bits and again I denied them access.  Shortly afterwards however I received a letter from Ted Richardson of 467-463 Lancaster Squadrons Association asking permission to remove one propeller blade from JO-G on behalf of the Association's members who wanted a memorial at Waddington.  This hand-written letter was so beautifully worded that we allowed permission.

That then rather opened the floodgates for the RAF Waddington crews to come and remove various bits from the hill having persuaded me that it was in the interests of all to secure the crash site and stop any further theft or vandalism.

Over the next few years, with the news of PD259 being up on the websites, we had some interesting visitors. Firstly, we had Bill Jackson and his wife Daphne from Queensland in Australia who had flown as the bomb aimer on PD259 the day before it crashed on its last flight to Konningsberg. We have his diary notes which make for extraordinary reading.

Secondly, we had Fred Murray-Walker and his wife visit the site.  Fred is the son of Frank Murray-Walker

who was killed in the crash and who only met his son for half an hour after he was born having absconded from training camp in Australia to visit his wife and newly born son before being posted to the UK.  That was a pretty moving visit.

Thirdly, we had Bill Purdy visit the site.  Bill always referred to it as "his" aircraft because he took possession of it the day it was delivered from the factory in Manchester to Waddington.  He recalls how it landed perfectly and taxied round in front of the

tower and a small blond girl hopped out and told him it was all his!  She had flown it single-handedly to deliver it to him.  His tales of lowlevel flights were also quite extraordinary.

We also met the son of George Middleton at one of the airshows at Waddington and he came to the unveiling of the memorial at our graveyard. It transpired that George Middleton, prior to his death had sired 2 families from 2 different ladies and it was the Lancaster which, through myself, brought the

2 families together after 60 years or so.’

The RAF Waddington perspective has been covered a bit by Allan and there are a few magazine articles available that also cover the period from 200710 when return visits were made and substantial parts of PD259 were recovered with a propeller blade memorial being set up in the cemetery at Balavil along with the full propeller that now resides in the RAF Waddington Memorial Garden. That period adds a great deal to the history of PD259 and there have been many visits from former crew members and of course family members from the last crew to fly it and we were gifted the personal diary of FS Ryan that rather poignantly has his last entry as 30 Aug 44. A fuselage frame was constructed within the Heritage Centre and PD259 is now a very impressive centre piece and memorial to all the crews that flew from RAF Waddington during that period in history.

The RAF Waddington Heritage Centre team had previously organised a large visit and commemoration for the 75th anniversary of the crash and we recently undertook a return visit in Jun 22. We stayed overnight in the RRC at Grantown-onSpey and then set off early to walk out to the crash site although two members went up with the Estate Hill Keeper

so that they could spend longer surveying the area. The site is still very remote despite a track having been constructed along part of the Balavil Estate with much of the walk being undertaken across soft peat ground and this year’s route entailed a 26Km round trip with 978m change in elevation.

The site is obvious as you head up the hill with the two pits containing substantial pieces of PD259 and plenty of recognisable parts of airframe are scattered around the site, the soft peat is slowly reclaiming the heavier parts with just the top part of a propeller being the only indication of the location of one of the engines. When we previously visited the weather was awful and we only had time for a memorial service and a small look at the main areas of the site, this time the survey team had longer at the site in reasonable conditions and were able to locate more isolated items such as the other tail fin along with more time to examine what is in the pits, the Estate Hill Walker mentioned that a large part of the wing is located some distance from the majority and that will be one to locate and record on a different visit.

We took a variety of personnel to the site and were lucky enough to be able to take two Australian exchange personnel with us and everyone got to

experience the full gamut of Scottish hill weather conditions, often in half an hour. The following two days of the Exped allowed for an FD visit to RAF Lossiemouth, mountain biking and further hill walking with the chance to bag a Munro.

The history of PD259 continues to grow. A Last Post Ceremony is held every day at the Australian War Memorial (AWM) in Canberra and commemorates the story of a Service person who is listed on the Honour Roll. Earlier in the year we held a visit in the Heritage Centre with the AWM Director, and they were gifted a flying boot from one of the crew and then in May the Last post Ceremony commemorated Plt Off Beddoe and they arranged for the boot to be placed with the photograph of him at the ceremony. After our last visit we contacted the Commonwealth and War Graves Commission as the details on WO Middleton’s gravestone were incorrect and they subsequently agreed to amend it during the next maintenance event of his headstone. The MoD police contacted us last year as they had recovered the control column of PD259 from a ‘collector’ and we supplied a lot of information of the site and are hopeful that it will be reunited with the rest of the aircraft at Waddington in the future once the proceedings have been completed.

PD259 only flew 57hrs in total and the remarkable condition that many of the items are still in mean that it is as original a Lancaster as you will ever get despite having spent so long on the hill and looking like a jigsaw puzzle. The original paintwork is incredibly clear and shows just how roughly it was originally applied along with the obvious change in the fuselage code letter. It would be fantastic to recover the rest of it back to Waddington but the change to Licences for crash

sites make this more difficult although we may be able to recover some fuselage items soon. The wreck is still very remote but has been subject to vandals and looters over the years. The current Estate owners are still protective of it and fully supported our visit and we look forward to returning next year and are already planning for the 80th anniversary of its loss.

The RAF Waddington Heritage Centre is a very proactive and important part of the Station’s Engagement and if you would like to become involved with a highly successful team, or if you would like to arrange a visit then please just contact wad-heritagecentre@mod. gov.uk

Comment from SQN LDR Nathan Thompson, RAAF exchange officer based at RAF Waddington (suggested breakout for the article, with separate Australian flag photo):

RAF Waddington is a special place to be posted as an Australian exchange officer because of our presence here during WW2. On my arrival here, it was fantastic to be welcomed to the heritage centre and to learn more about our RAAF history.

The tangible part of this history is the remains of PD259 recovered from the crash site in Scotland and reconstructed within the centre. When the opportunity arose for us to participate in a hike to the crash site, we enthusiastically got involved. Over 12, 000 Australians volunteered for service in Bomber Command during WW2, and PD259 reminds us of the 5, 500 that did not return.

Thank you to the volunteers within the RAF Waddington Heritage Centre stewarding our shared heritage, it was a great privilege to have been involved with this hike, and to learn more about our predecessors.

ABTC Awards Presentation

On 04 Jul 2022, Commandant Air and Space Warfare Centre (ASWC), Air Cdre B Crawford, presented members of the Air Battlespace Training Centre (ABTC) with awards, including the Accumulated Campaign Service Medal 2011 (ACSM 11), Queens Platinum Jubilee Medal (QPJM) and a Battlespace Management Force Commander’s Commendation (BMFCC).

The awards presented and a small citation for each are as follows:

The Accumulated Campaign Service Medal 2011 is awarded to an individual who holds a qualifying operational medal and has completed more than 24 months (720 days) campaign service. Sqn Ldr Alan Hadfield was presented this award for his prolonged, dedicated service over the qualifying period.

service. Those receiving this award were: Wg Cdr Mark Still, Lt Cdr Andrew Winterbon, Sqn Ldr Alan Hadfield, Sqn Ldr Emma Leonard, Sqn Ldr Piers Liron, Flt Lt Paul Atkin, Flt Lt James Bingham, Flt Lt Barry Emms, Flt Lt Simon Taylor, Flt Lt Matthew Titchener, Flt Lt Jamie-Lee Torrance and Cpl Barry Lincoln.

The Battlespace Management Force Commander’s Commendation was awarded to Sqn Ldr Emma Leonard.

The presentation was made in front of families and friends of those receiving awards and the whole force ABTC team including Inzpire Ltd and Boeing Defence UK (BDUK). The ABTC were able to use the Main briefing Room of the John Collier Facility (our old haunt) for the presentation and afterwards, guests were invited back to the ABTC to enjoy refreshments and have a tour of the facilities. This included a demonstration of the new Gladiator capability which allowed guests to opportunity to observe how the ABTC will support realistic and valuable collective training of largescale synthetic exercises.

The event was a chance, above all, to say well done and thank you to those receiving awards, but just as much, if not more so to those who support us in all that we do – our families and loved ones.

The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal is awarded to all serving and reserve members of the Armed Forces, uniformed Cadet Force Adult Volunteers, and the Emergency Services to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Her Majesty The Queen’s Accession to the throne on 6 February 1952 who have completed 1826 days (5 full calendar years)

Flt Lt Emma Leonard was the Wg Air Exercise Coordinator in the Battlespace Management Operations Wing. She was a vital lynchpin during a period of unprecedented and unrelenting change within the Battlespace Management Area of Responsibility. Reconfiguration to a single Control and Reporting Centre, concurrent with the installation of a new Air Command and Control system, Pg Guardian, necessitated meticulous planning and execution.

Put simply, Leonard was responsible for the flawless planning and execution of Battlespace Management Operations Wg’s support to the Air Exercise program over a period of unrivalled uncertainty, complexity and resource constraints. Without her tireless work the United Kingdom’s prestige air exercises would have been reduced in scale or cancelled at major reputational cost to Air Command and Defence as a whole, as well as to the detriment of the high-end, war-fighting skills provided by Force Element training events supported by the Control and Reporting Centre. In all senses of the phrase, she truly was a force multiplier for Battlespace Management Operations.

Flt Lt Paul Atkin, SO3 Cbt Air, ABTC

Sgt Keith Brian Jones – A Dedicated Engineer and True Friend to All

It is with the greatest of sadness that 51 Sqn announces the death of one of its most popular members, Sgt Keith Brian Jones.

Keith tragically passed away on 29th May 2022, aged 59, following a stroke. Always smiling and happy, his sense of humour, positive outlook on life, and good nature leaves an example that all should strive to achieve.

For over 30 years, Keith served with the Royal Air Force as an aircraft technician and was considered a friend by all those fortunate enough to have worked and socialised with him. He was a keen angler and his dedication to the sport ensured he gained representative honours with the RAF Angling Association.

Having previously served on 1 Sqn and 3 Sqn, Keith arrived on 51 Sqn in September 2020. He quickly completed pre-employment training and went on to support UK RC-135 commitments all over the world. Across multiple deployments, his infectious personality and dedication

ensured mechanical activities were completed in high spirits and elevated morale for all.

In his honour, 51 Sqn flew his No. 1 uniform and MOD 90 onboard a flight in early June 22, with his name also emblazoned on the RC-135 which participated in the Queen’s Jubilee Flypast. He then received a military funeral service, held at Peterborough Crematorium on 22nd June 22. The service was extremely well attended by all his friends and family, both service and civilian.

Keith will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Nicky, and their daughter Beth. In addition to his passion for fly fishing, Keith was a lifelong fan of West Bromwich Albion.

A fantastic husband, father, friend and colleague, whose memory will endure in the hearts of all those who knew him.

SAC Tim Rowley

It is with great sadness to announce the death of SAC Tim Rowley who passed away on 7th June 2022.

After a long battle with a glioblastoma brain tumour in 2019, which was often referred to as ‘Brian’ by those that knew him.

Completing over twelve years service in the Royal Air Force after joining in February 2010, following his Phase 1 training he embarked on his Flight Ops Assistant Phase 2 Training at the Centralised Air Traffic Control School at RAF Shawbury before a posting to RAF Coningsby. It was here that Tim and Mel were married in April 2011 at Lake Ullswater in the Lake District.

Tim completed an Out of Area tour to 903 Expeditionary Air Wing in Afghanistan in 2014, after which he was awarded the Operation HERRICK medal on his return to RAF Coningsby.  In March 2016, he was assigned to RAF Brize Norton supporting the Voyager Force where he was awarded the Operation SHADER medal.

In July 2018, Tim, Mel and their 3 children Jasmine, Oscar and Ethan were

posted overseas to Creech Air Force Base with 39 Squadron. This tour was cut short for Tim to return to the UK so that he could receive medical treatment post his diagnosis in 2019.

Tim’s two tattoos of his much beloved Broncos American football team and his Foo Fighters were just some of his loves along with F1 and Warhammer. Fondly known for his geeky love of fast jets he was at his happiest geeking out in the Runway Caravan. He had a wicked sense of humour to all that knew him and maintained a positive outlook on life all whilst undergoing treatment.

Tim received a military funeral service, held at Lincoln Crematorium on 27th June 22. The service was extremely well attended by all his friends and family both service and civilian.

A fantastic husband, father to 3 young children, friend and colleague to many, whose memory will endure in the hearts of all those who knew him.

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RAF Skeleton – Festival of Ice

On the 19th of February, a team of four staff members and 12 athletes from bases all over the UK and some from abroad set off heading towards Igls Austria.

Lots of planning and preparation had gone into making this trip happen from 1 ISR Wing personnel including Sgt Watts (2 Sqn), who was team manager and oversaw all aspects of the event organisation. SAC Johnston (54 SU) had managed logistics and I was arranging team merch, individuals located near RAF Waddington assisted in kit preparations and loading the wagons.

We arrived in Igls and everyone was excited to get back on the ice! After sled preparations and track walks it was time to slide; starting lower on the track to get used to the bends. We had athletes and staff with a wide range of experience; as someone who is new to the sport it’s enthralling to get

coaching from an Olympian, GB athletes and members of the team that have been involved in the sport for years.

Once confidence on the track had built, it was time to go from the top. For the first few attempts, we were aided with a push-start, but that soon turned into a gentle jog on the ice and increasing to a sprint start, allowing some to reach top speeds of approx. 70 mph. It’s hard to explain the excited / anxious feeling that I get when standing at the top of the ice track waiting for your name to be called, however once at the bottom it’s always the same feeling of wanting to go again!

We spent two weeks in Igls, which was a great

opportunity to get time on the ice and progress, with many from the RAF team winning awards. Everyone in the team is so supportive and the energy at the track is exhilarating, I would recommend trying Skeleton to anyone!

RAFA and Cancer Research UK Charity Champion

You may have seen him out and about running, but did you know that CT Stephen Winstanley (Stan) is well on his way to running at least 10km a day, every day for the entirety of 2021 and 2022?

As of 30th August 2022, Stan has completed 607 days, 6842.54km (4251.77 miles) and has spent 505 hours, 45 minutes and 35 seconds running. That’s 12 working weeks’ worth of just running. Why? You may ask. Stan is running in aid of Cancer Research UK and the Royal Air Force Association. This is no mean feat for someone that describes themself as ‘not naturally built for running’, but proves that with some grit and determination, any goal is achievable.

Aside from running in the

a PB of under one hour and 30 minutes; the Great North Run Half Marathon (day 255), camping the night before the run; Boston (UK) Half Marathon (day 473) and Newark Half Marathon (day 590), the latter taking place during the recent heat wave.

vicinity of Waddington and Lincoln, Stan has ventured further afield whether this be due to work tasking, established running events or to coincide with trips on leave. Whilst on Op Rescript and working in a mass vaccination centre, Stan spent days 38 to 117 running on the outskirts of Cardiff, ‘a strange time to be running’ he comments; days 285 to 288 were ran alongside canals during a narrowboat trip, hired from RAF Leeming for a few days. Stan has additionally run at some poignant sporting events: London Landmarks Half Marathon (day 213), hitting

Other places Stan has run include: Day 590 – Rutland Water, Rutland Day 555 – Clumber Park, Worksop, Nottinghamshire Day 548 – Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire Day 545 – RAF Waddington airfield Day 541 – Ancholme, Brigg, North Lincolnshire Day 538 – RAF Digby site Day 520 - Blickling Park, Norfolk Day 519 - Bacton, Norfolk Day 478 – Birkenhead Park, Wirral Day 477 – Moreton Seafront, Wirral Day 329 – Great Thirkleby, North Yorkshire Day 325 – Kilburn, North Yorkshire Day 241 – South Kyme, Lincolnshire Day 156 – Brotton, Saltburnby-the-Sea, North Yorkshire

When asked about his thoughts as he enters the last quarter of his running challenge, Stan comments:

‘Over the last 607 days my fitness levels have got better and better, and my 10k times have got faster and faster. I then reached a plateau in terms of both times and fitness. Over the last couple of months or so the distance ran is starting to catch up with

me and I’m getting fatigued more easily. Whilst my goal is to reach 730 days (two years) I have been contemplating trying for a 1000 as it has a nice ring to it! I shall just have to see how long my body plays ball. I will say that when I finish running it will save me a lot of money as a set of trainers lasts about two and a half months! I’ve gone through quite a few pairs.’

Should you wish to donate to Stan’s charitable efforts, visit Stan’s Just Giving page or scan the QR codes as detailed in the featured poster. Well done Stan, you truly are an inspiration!

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