As you approach the tree-lined drive that winds beneath the striking Clock Tower, you’ll be in awe of this immense setting. The gleaming, whitewashed exterior of Danesfield House sits overlooking the River Thames between Henley and Marlow and the Chiltern Hills beyond, amongst 65 acres of the most impressive landscaped gardens Purple wisteria climbs the walls of the building while the wonderful scent of lavender wafts among the grounds. Pretty fountains and waterfalls make Danesfield Gardens so quintessentially English while the Italian Garden adds a touch of the Mediterranean.
Brimming with history, Danesfield House was once home to the Intelligence Section of the RAF, formerly RAF Medmenham from 1941 and remained in the hands of the RAF until 1977 It first opened its doors as a hotel in 1991
A utumn & W inter
Danesfield House Hotel & Spa, Henley Road, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, SL7 2EY
There are 60 stunning rooms and suites to choose from, some with four poster beds or freestanding baths, and some with their own balcony and views across the Thames There’s a welcome mix of both traditional country house style rooms and more contemporary design to choose from. Huge windows capture the mesmerising scenery and luxurious furnishings dress the rooms beautifully.
With an award-winning restaurant and luxury spa, facilities at Danesfield House have been designed with guests’ utmost pleasure in mind. Whether you prefer to dine in the magnificent Oak Room with its wood panelling, towering ceiling and huge fireplace, or look out onto the terrace and gardens from the Orangery with views to ‘dine’ for, you can enjoy an incredible dining experience at Danesfield House.
For all enquiries: enquiries@danesfieldhouse.co.uk 01628 891010
Danesfield House arguably enjoys the most spectacular country house setting in the UK, which is why it has become such a popular venue for weddings and corporate events There are four imposing rooms available for private dining; whether you want to entertain a large party of 100 or host a more intimate affair of 10 guests, there is an ideal space to accommodate your group.
If you are planning the kind of wedding that’s only seen in fairy tales, you have come to the right place! Danesfield House weddings are magical! There are few settings as enchanting for your big day. From a marquee on the lawn or a traditional ceremony in the Versailles Suite, to an elaborate celebration with exclusive use of the entire hotel, there are several options for civil ceremonies and partnerships.
Editorial Team
OIC: Laurence Parker, MCO
Editor: Sgt Sam Butler, ext 4101
Mailbox: HWY-EditorWycombeWorld@ mod.gov.uk
All articles are to be in ‘Word’ format with separate JPEG images.
Isn’t Summer a beautiful time of year? The flowers bloom and the cold of early spring is finally shaken off to reveal warmer days.
Not only has the season changed – we have seen a lot of change around RAF High Wycombe as well. We welcomed Lt General Ingo Gerhartz (Chief of the German Air Force) as the new Director of the European Air Group and Air Marshal Paul Lloyd as the new
DCAS – who visited station to meet personnel and conducted a walkaround of SLA.
It never fails to impress me about the work and effort that many around station put into doing events for good causes. This includes seventeen-yearold FS Cadet Evie Collins, who, along with her team pedalled many miles in a sponsored cycle event in our gym raising hundreds, and High Wycombe based Cpl Gary Binns took part in the challenge of a lifetime. Rowing 3200 miles from Lanzarote to Antigua in sixtyone days was a herculean effort and the numerous military charities his team supported will benefit greatly. Well done to all.
The new Defence Catering Strategy launched in May has proved overwhelmingly popular with a wider degree of choice and diversity with a pricing schedule to suite every budget. I urge everyone to sample the new food range in our Messes.
Our Sir Arthur ‘Bomber’ Harris room on One Site continues to attract a worldwide visitor audience and I was honoured to be named the 6000th visitor since its inception in 2015. If you have not had the opportunity to go, please do make time for a visit – it is well worth it.
In a full calendar of events during the year, we look forward to Armed Forces Day, the 80th anniversary of D-Day, our Annual Formal Inspection and the Annual Formal Reception where we will give thanks to our supporters who do so much for our station during the year.
Our station could not function without the hard work and dedication of our military and civilian personnel and for all your efforts I give my personal thanks. I hope that you enjoy this wonderful summertime.
Submission Deadline...
All articles for the Autumn Issue 2 2024
Edition to be sent to the Editor no later than 1st September 2024 to samuel. butler105@mod.gov.uk. Please send all articles as a word document with all photos and images imbedded with in the article.
Non Sibi
Welcome Editor’s
Sgt Sam Butler
Hello and welcome to another hard-hitting, funny-bone-tickling, jam-packed edition of the award winning (award pending) Wycombe World! Summer is finally here (despite the promised 60 days of continual rain) and we are away with a superb mix of interviews, sporting endeavours and epic charitable event reviews! We’ve got an article by a previous Wycombe World Editor (who’s just published a book), the latest update from the Parents and Babies Group and Cpl Binn’s epic Atlantic Challenge, to name just a few stories you should leaf through ASAP!
But, I am afraid, I must also deliver some bad news.
Due to being an all-round good lad, the powers-that-be have decided to promote me. As such this will be my final Wycombe World (award definitely pending) before I handover to my successor, Cpl Lewis Jacks (don’t worry the hwyeditorwycombeworld@mod.gov.uk email address will still work!).
As I have stated multiple times, I have genuinely loved this publication and I will miss it dearly.
It has changed the way I view journalism forever. I’ll read supposedly-hard hitting exposes by The Guardian and think to myself “well, its not as a good as an interview with CAS by Laurence, is it?”. Whenever The Sun gets an exclusive with Rosie Jones, I’ll shrug and state “but how’s the Wycombe Golf Team getting on?”. In a world of hacks, doom-writers and fake news, Wycombe World remains a shining light. Please continue to send us all your wonderful articles.
A
Individual Visits Always Welcome
ONLINE AUCTION’S IN PIDDINGTON, HIGH WYCOMBE.
We took a good look at our lives during Covid-19, evaluating our passions, strengths and expertise. With the support of our families and friends we gathered together financial and practical resources to establish “Badgers Auctions Ltd”, online auction’s every weekend, with a friendly & welcoming atmosphere! We are promoting a strong environmental ethos for re-use and up-cycling and discovering the value in good quality lot items!
Services we provide: General Auctioneers, Valuations, House & Garage Clearances and Probate services.
DROP OFF
MONDAY and TUESDAY: 9am to 5pm WEDNESDAY: 9am - 12noon
Use these days to drop off your entries for the following Sunday’s auction.
AUCTION OPENING
SATURDAY VIEWING: 10am - 4pm
CLOSED
THURSDAY, FRIDAY and SUNDAY: Closed
MAUNDY THURSDAY BY ROYAL COMMAND!
RAF High Wycombe’s PA to the Chaplain-in-Chief, Brenda Brown, was one of one hundred and fifty people (seventy-five female, seventy-five male – seventy-five denoting the age of King Charles III) to take part in a ceremony dating back to the Middle Ages.
The monarch or royal official dispenses ‘Maundy Money’ to deserving senior citizens, a custom that dates to the time of King Edward I in the Thirteenth Century.
The invitation to be a recipient came out of the blue when a Buckingham Palace marked envelope arrived at Brenda’s house. “I kept thinking why me? I just couldn’t believe it!” said the astonished mother of three. Recipients are normally nominated by their local diocese (in this case the Bishop of Oxford Diocese) in recognition for service to the church or local community. Brenda has a long history of working with the chaplaincy and has arranged many events involving both Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace.
Did you know…? Royal Maundy (the name dates back to Jesus Christ and the Last Supper meaning ‘instruction’)
is a service normally presided over by the monarch and held the day before Good Friday or Maundy Thursday. In 2024 Queen Camilla attended at Worcester Cathedral.
Building started on Worcester Cathedral in the Eleventh Century and proved to be a perfect backdrop for the ageold event. Guests arrived by 0845 in the morning and were given name badges before the bishop’s pulpit speech at 1020. Press from all over the world were in attendance. Brenda’s cousin contacted her after the event to say that she had even made the news in Australia!
Did you know…? During the fourth or fifth century church leaders ceremoniously washed the feet of the poor following Holy Communion on Maundy Thursday. Monarchs throughout the ages continued the tradition, but it is thought to have stopped in the mid Eighteenth Century.
The ceremony itself was a true spectacle. “It was a fanfare with HRH Queen Camilla who was attended by the Bishop of Worcester and the SubDean from St James’s Palace. Completing the entourage were trumpeters and gold braided beefeaters,” said a clearly emotional Brenda.
Meeting the Queen was a nerve-wracking experience for the Chaplain-in-Chief’s PA, and a little surprise awaited her. All were all told to do a little curtsy and a bow after being handed the purses and to say thank you. “The bishop then said ‘we have a very special lady here’ as the Queen approached me. I was not expecting this and can only remember doing a half curtsy. The Queen then asked me how long I had been doing my role, and for the life of me I cannot remember what I said – I was so shocked! She spoke in a whisper, warmly put her hand on mine and said, ‘thank you for your service.’ I will never
forget that loving squeeze of the hand – it was so special.”
Did you know…? ‘Maundy Money’ comprises of silver coins. Further money is also given in lieu of clothing or gifts that the monarch had originally bestowed in times gone by. Today, coins are presented in two leather purses, a white one containing silver coins to the value of the monarch’s age and a red purse containing a £5 coin and a 50p coin. The coins are legal tender. 2024 marks the first year where the coins are adorned with the head of King Charles III.
And Brenda’s abiding memory of the day?
“Unbelievable! So humbling. I still cannot believe it happened to me. 1000s of names must be put forward. I just can’t believe it, such a memorable, fantastic day where we were treated so well.”
Laurence Parker, MCO
A SHINING LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS
“Walking through the door is the hardest thing. If you only knew how many other people were coming to us, you would find comfort in that.”
Amarriage has fallen apart. A partner has tragically died. You have been sexually assaulted. These and other issues that may befall many in life regularly land at the door of the Personal Support and Social Work Service (PS & SWS) which is a part of SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity – the oldest national tri-service charity still known by many as the Soldiers,’ Sailors,’ and Airmen’s Families Association. All serving personnel and their family members are entitled to support from the PS & SWS. This specialist welfare contract is a Service User focused confidential service that operates outside of the normal RAF chain of command. It offers comprehensive and confidential support, with a special focus on services for adults, but includes children, young people and their families.
I am here to meet Hannah Edlin, the human face of the PS & SWS at RAF High Wycombe. As I am welcomed into her office, her smile is broad, and the face is open. The room is carpeted, and the settee is inviting. There is a feeling of warmth, as if a blanket has been wrapped around you – ready for you to share any problems.
Hannah joined the team in November 2023. Previously a healthcare assistant at a hospital where casework was dealt with by the welfare team, things have changed for the PS&SWS Welfare Officer. “Here, I am part of the welfare team!” she said, laughing. “The skill of talking to people at their most vulnerable has transferred so well to here. This is more casework.”
Eighty to ninety per cent of
the subjects that dominate her confidential sessions include housing, relationships and family struggles. Bereavement, parenting responsibilities and children also regularly fill her in-tray. “Sometimes people come in with suicidal thoughts because their partner has sexually assaulted them. As you can imagine, I’m only human and I feel a lot of compassion for those seeking our support, so I receive regular supervision from my Social Work Team Lead to ensure I am supported too.” It could be said that Hannah carries the weight of issues on her shoulders which is immense. But talking to Hannah I get the sense that she takes everything in her stride. She is that much needed helping hand in people’s darkest moments. Often Hannah will go away and research areas to help those in need.
“We sit, chat, have a cup of tea, a rant and a moan.”
SSAFA is neither a counselling service nor is it a therapy provider, although speaking with its staff can be therapeutic for the person coming in to share their troubles. They can signpost to more specialist areas such as legal advice or for counselling (the RAF Benevolent Fund can offer up to six sessions of counselling). “I have heard feedback that it is really good. Lots have used it,” said Hannah.
Possession of certain skills and qualities help Welfare Officers undertake their role. “Compassion, empathy, patience and being a good listener are necessary. You hear a lot of heavy stories. Those who do access SSAFA support could be going through the toughest time in their life.
Sometimes people just need a safe space to talk. We can arrange to meet people at a time that suits them, so they have the opportunity to talk about what is going on.” In addition, being a good listener and having a degree of sensitivity and professionalism all go hand in hand.
“We take away the burden a little bit.”
A typical day for Hannah is taking appointments, writing up case notes, meetings and training sessions. Accurate and robust case notes are vital should the Courts request case notes. Visibility is also crucial in the role of a PS&SWS Welfare Officer. Along with her colleagues from the Integrated Welfare Facility on 3 Site
there are regular stalls at Café 1 on 1 Site; “Anyone can approach us. It is like a drop-in,” said the committed Hannah.
“Many are so grateful that we have been able to help, and I have made an impact on their life. That is immensely powerful.”
The most enjoyable part of Hannah’s role, she says, is the variation with many opportunities available to increase knowledge on a variety of topics. Regular meetings with her extended team – “great support here, like family” - including Personal Support Officer WO Hornby and the Padre, Andi Chapman, help to enrich her daily life. Recharging the batteries after a mentally challenging day is satisfied with some quiet time at home with the television on and an early night. “In the long run my coping mechanism is getting outside and having a holiday booked…. something nice to work towards.” A new hobby, running, is also making an impact. A recent five-kilometre run has resulted in a new goal – a park run and maybe even a marathon in the future!
“Chuck yourself into everything and anything was the advice I received when I first started.”
Inevitably there is always a least enjoyable part of any job. One frustration is not always having the power to control outcomes. “There are some cases where, as a Welfare Officer we are limited in what we can achieve. We can support verbally but
we might not have a say in other areas and this can be frustrating both for the Welfare Officer and for the individual.”
“I have fallen in love with this job.”
However, for every case that does not have a positive outcome the successes more than compensate; “There is a rewarding feeling you get when something goes right. When people email you and say thanks for your help. You may have submitted a report that took a week to write, and it got them their desired outcome. The stress of doing the report worked. When you have impacted someone’s life for the better, I get enormous satisfaction.“
If service personnel are unsure about asking the PS&SWS for help, there is some sage advice; “Hopefully they can find solace in the fact that many other people are using the service. It is quite daunting to admit that you need help. If people only knew how much our service was used, they would feel a little bit more comfortable. If you are not going to open up about it, no one can help you.”
My tea is finished and my time with Hannah is almost over, but not before asking about the best piece of advice she has been given, which also appears as a sign on her wall:
“Life is tough but so are you: This is really pertinent for serving personnel. Life can be tough, but you are tougher.”
Laurence Parker,
MCO
SSAFA’s Personal Support and Social Work Service provides a single point of contact (SPOC) –which can be contacted 24 hrs a day 365 days a year 03000 111 723. Email: psswsRAF@ssafa-fhs.org.uk.
The Rise of State Boarding Schools: A Solution Amidst the VAT Debate
As the UK faces debates over potential VAT imposition on private school fees, the independent education sector anticipates significant impacts. Removal of the VAT exemption could burden families with increased costs, potentially limiting access to private education. Amidst these concerns, state boarding schools emerge as a viable alternative for forces families.
State boarding schools offer comparable education to independent counterparts at a fraction of the cost. With government subsidies, they provide academic excellence in a supportive boarding environment, appealing to families seeking quality education without hefty fees.
As Director of Boarding at The Thomas Adams School in Shropshire, Lee Irwin knows that the landscape is changing “One of the primary benefits of state boarding schools is their affordability. With tuition fees subsidised by the government, state boarding schools offer an excellent education at significantly lower costs than private schools. This affordability opens up access to boarding education to a wider range of students, irrespective of their financial background. With the CEF, boarding for forces families, can be as little as £10 per day. Our reputation of being the ‘Biggest Family in Shropshire’, is one we are justifiably proud of. Forces parents who entrust us to deliver outstanding pastoral care in their absence are never disappointed”
In conclusion, while VAT on school fees poses challenges, state boarding schools offer a solution by providing affordable, inclusive, and academically excellent education. As debates unfold, it’s vital to prioritise equal opportunities for all students, regardless of financial background.
For more information about the benefits of state boarding, please visit our website: www.thomasadams.net
On the 14th of April two super fit Flt Lt’s, Harry Slater & Benjamin Palmer, started their Land’s End to John O’Groats cycle challenge with the aim of dropping in at 20 operational RAF bases to raise money for the Royal Air Force Association. There have been quite a few punctures along the way – but the team are not deflated (unlike the tyres!!)
After four hundred miles and passing through Northolt, Benson & Brize Stations, they hit our amazing RAF HWY site to say hello to our Stn Cdr, Wg Cdr Dennis!
Well done to both of you and keep up the pedalling…
Find out more about the challenge at https://www. justgiving.com/page/topgears-raf?newPage=true
OPEN HOUSE FOR THE MPGS
The Station Commander, Wing Commander Dennis was the guest speaker at the Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS) training day held in April.
Taking the format of an open forum, Wing Commander Dennis discussed the responsibilities of the various groups here at Air Command and their impact in today’s world. She thanked the MPGS for the critical role they play to
ensure our safety and security here at RAF High Wycombe. The soldiers were later invited to raise any points of concern they had and propose any ways to improve the lived experience of MPGS personnel at High Wycombe.
6000 AND COUNTING!
Since being restored to its former glory back in 2014, the Sir Arthur ‘Bomber’ Harris room has seen people from all corners of the globe come to visit and be regaled with stories of Bomber Command by resident RAF historian Mr Brown BEM.
Nine years on we are proud to welcome the Station Commander, Wing Commander Dennis as its 6000th visitor! The indomitable Mr Brown presented the Station Commander with a certificate and conducted a personal visit.
Ushering in the hundreds of guests over 80+ visits a year (sometimes as many as three visits a day) through those hallowed doors into
COMING OUT
“Although I have lived it, it was a long time ago and you almost forget about it. It is done and dusted.”
Sthe past, Mr Brown discovers new information every time:
“The anecdotes I pick up from the visitors are priceless and I use many in my talks,” said the former RAF Sergeant.
“I always inject a little humour into my talk which I think is appreciated. When I started the tours, I never expected to reach a thousand visitors. It was a great challenge to meet the 6000th visitor and I look forward to welcoming the 7000th!”
Laurence
Parker, MCO
qn Ldr Tamsin Wakeham ran for the Samaritans in this year’s London Marathon, completing the circuit in just over four hours. It is a charity that, had she known about them as a teenager, could have helped her to understand her feelings growing up. The marathon, with its twists, turns, peaks and troughs, very much mirrors her own eventful life. After reading a BBC article about her, I was keen to find out more.
The Sqn Ldr was buzzing when she arrived early for our meeting. A bake sale which she organised that day to raise funds for the Samaritans (herself a volunteer) raised hundreds for the cause. It was difficult not to be captivated by her energy.
Tamsin Wakeham is gay and did not ‘come out’ until she was thirty. ‘So what?’ many of you might say.
In today’s more open and arguably, more tolerant society being gay is widely accepted and barely causes a ripple. Back in the 1980s it was a different story entirely. “There were no real gay icons to relate to in those days. No role models, no organisations to talk to. It was something quite lurid and derogatory, dirty and freakish,” said Tamsin despairingly. It was only in her early teens that she had the thoughts that she might be gay but wasn’t really sure.
“Am I happy? Absolutely. I won’t allow myself not to be.”
As she grew older the respected officer had worked for Barclays Bank prior to joining the Airforce. She followed the well-trodden path of what society expected. She found a boyfriend, went to parties, made future plans for a life of marriage, with
AND GETTING ON
two point four children and roses around the cottage door. “I hid behind things. I had never tried anything with a woman. I just didn’t know how I truly felt,” said Tamsin honestly. To make matters worse there was no one to talk to. Her parents’ generation never talked about sex – “A leaflet was pushed across the table, and you were told to read that,” commented the Sqn Ldr. Though close to her brother he offered no support along with her friends who considered being gay freakish and wrong.
On joining the Airforce in 1989 at aged nineteen she was asked about her sexuality, “I genuinely said no. In truth I didn’t really know,” said the officer.
What many people might not know is that being gay in the British military was, up until 2000, illegal. If it was proven that you were gay it could result in dismissal.
Whilst serving and becoming part of the fabric of military life Tamsin started a relationship with another woman. The liaison had to kept secret. “It was hard,” said an emotional Tamsin. “You were doing something that you were not meant to be doing….and you were petrified all of the time, afraid of getting caught out.”
“Being gay is not a choice. But it is a difficult life.”
A friend of Tamsin’s girlfriend reported the relationship to the authorities. As a result, her room was searched with the aim of finding any incriminating evidence, witnessed by many of her work mates. The rumour mill commenced.
“I was working in Air traffic at the time and was called in and escorted to the Police section. I couldn’t pick up anything. After interrogation for several hours, I was released. My chain of command said we can support you if you are not gay but cannot support you if you are. Effectively they were no support at all.”
The police investigation dragged on for more than a year.
Worse was to come. As rumours started to circulate life became more unsettling. “When I would go into the mess you could hear a pin drop. As I sat down to eat, others at the table would get up and move away. It was horrible. Even walking into a mess now gives me the shivers,” said a clearly effected Tamsin.
Many of the friends she had made
stuck by her. However not all were so understanding. The door to her room was always kept open. If people walked in there was a fear that, should she have another woman in her room there would be questions and all would be under suspicion, even though it may have been entirely innocent.
Scared, alone and frightened the junior NCO fell into depression and sought comfort in alcohol. Despite her work ethic being second to none and glittering write-ups for promotion the suspicion of being gay dogged her. Tamsin was warned not to see her partner as this would have contributed to, and evidence to justify, her enforced exit from the military.
“The ironic thing is that most who knew me did not give a toss anyway. Those who did not know me well enough formed an opinion and presumed guilt,” said the officer in a reflective tone.
The culmination of her treatment and feelings of despair resulted in suicidal thoughts. “It did get to that point. This was my life. This is who I am, and this is what it is going to be like. I could see my job ending, or if not being kicked out having to live this lie.”
After a lengthy and tortuous investigation, which was unproven, Tamsin was not even given the dignity of being told the case was completed. After much vilification she left the military, and the UK in 1994 bound for the USA.
As the world approached the cusp of the millennium, life saw Tamsin return to the UK in 1999 following a relationship break-up. Unsure of her direction she searched deep inside to find what made her happy. Despite her appalling treatment, the plucky officer wanted to sign on the dotted line and return to military life.
“I looked at the military again. I missed the banter. I wanted to be air crew, search and rescue. I had been a fire fighter and worked in emergency medicine as a tech. So, I applied to that field. I did work on myself to lose the hatred and the anger.”
So how was the lady who had faced so such abuse in her formative years come to respect the service again? The answer lies in very much in how she lives her life now;
“I do a lot of meditation. Being outside puts things in perspective. We are just a small dot in the universe and
not that important. I became more spiritual. I remember throwing it out there in the universe to give me a sign –what should I do? Two days later in the news it said that from Jan 2000 the ban would be lifted for gay people. That was my sign!”
The millennium brought forward a new dawn, but in the twenty-five years since the ban was lifted, have attitudes changed? The Sqn Ldr is cautious; “It is almost a non-thing now. In the early 2000s it was still new. People were not going to flounce out of the closet and say, ‘here I am!’ I think for many it was a relief in that they would not lose their job.”
“I don’t think people care about being gay in the military anymore.”
The Samaritans offer hope and a desperately needed ear for people needing a friendly ear to listen, and Tamsin is proud to be running her first London Marathon to support their cause. “I am a reluctant runner. It allows me to eat cake and biscuits. I never used to enjoy running, only in the last five years,” said the officer with a twinkle in her eye. Her story of adversity and struggle to become accepted drew attention from Runner’s World where she recorded a podcast for them as well as interest from the BBC. Apart from being one of the select few chosen to open the London Marathon event she has also been courted by Gaby Logan for a TV interview. A full diary indeed. Her fundraising target is £2000 which she has comfortably surpassed.
“There is no point in being angry. Anger only affects you. Others are off living their life. You need to let it go. Move on.”
Although help was not readily available to Tamsin to help her deal with her feelings in her teenage years, she offers some sage advice to those who think they may be struggling to define their sexuality;
“Trust your gut. Only you know. Be honest with yourself. If you can, find someone you can trust. The Samaritans are there to help and don’t judge. There are also other charities out there like LGB youth etc… Remember the old saying, ‘This too shall pass’. It is so easy to get caught up in the angst that is growing up when hormones are crazy.”
And the best piece of advice she has been given?
“My dad gave me a quote by Henry Thoreau; The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation, and go to the grave with the song still in them.”
“I felt as if I was a lone person, living in quiet desperation. You never quite know what is going on inside someone else’s head. Ultimately not only are you in desperation, but you are not living. People die without never having really lived – never really get their song out of them. Don’t go the grave without ever having really lived. Do something about it.”
Sometimes I feel I have the best job in the world. I get to interview truly inspirational people who you may rub shoulders with on a daily basis but never really know the story of their life. There is a real energy and a vitality surrounding Sqn Ldr Tamsin Wakeham that you cannot help but admire. Life has bowled her some tough lessons, but she has batted them off and continues to grow. Her parting shot to me was something we can all relate to if we are honest with ourselves:
“Be strong, I would tell my younger self. Be who you are. It took me a long time – almost into my forties before I was comfortable in my skin. That is a long time to wait to be comfortable.”
The Samaritans can be contacted twenty-four hours a day on 116 123 or by email on jo@samaritans.org
OPERATION AFTERLIGHT:
FORMER RAF OFFICER PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE WARTIME AIR FORCE
“March, 1945. Hitler’s fate is sealed. Allied forces have crossed the Rhine and the Red Army is closing in on Berlin. The war is all but over.
But from the darkest depths of the Nazi terror machine, a new danger emerges –the final, awful product of history’s most twisted minds. An ultimate act of bloody defiance against humanity itself.
Four unlikely allies are the only ones who can stop the horror. RAF pilot Andrew Durban, whose medals hide deep scars of battle. Johnny Grant, his terror-stricken navigator. Sarah Lane, brilliant yet ostracised SOE spymaster, haunted by the agents she sent to their deaths. And Jan Stahl, renegade SS assassin who carries his own devastating secrets.
From the deadly skies over Germany to the panic-filled streets of a collapsing Reich, they must find a way to not only uncover a nightmare vision, but to stop it becoming reality.
Failure won’t just end their dreams of peace. It will end everything.”
Everyone joins the RAF for different reasons. For some, it’s a family tradition. Others want to fly jets or to see the world. Some don’t know why. Retired Squadron Leader (and former Wycombe World staffer) Rob Smith knows exactly when his journey to join the RAF began – at a school fete in the late 80s, when he picked up a battered paperback copy of 633 Squadron: Operation Rhine Maiden.
“I can’t overstate how influential that book was,” Smith explains. “At a stroke, it made me want to join the RAF and to write novels. I’m blessed to have done both.”
Smith has written part-time for well over a decade now, with novels, novellas and short stories across multiple genres. Somewhere along the way, he adopted the pseudonym Robert Lassen (“Why? Try searching for Robert Smith in Google – you’re not going to find me at the top of the list!”).
His latest novel is in many ways his most personal. Operation Afterlight, a WW2 aviation/ espionage thriller newly released by Silvertail Books, began life as a love letter to the wartime RAF. Even as it expanded to include the Special Operations Executive, the German resistance and other elements, Smith’s desire to pay some measure of tribute, however small and inadequate, to the aircrew and others who fought the Second World War never changed. His own eighteen years in the RAF saw a lot of changes in the Service, but with each one of those years, his admiration for the men and women who served from 1939 to 1945 only grew.
Beyond wishing to celebrate the wider RAF, several individuals inspired the four main characters in Operation Afterlight. Some will be very familiar to service members and the public. Others deserve to be more well-known.
• Wing Commander Andrew Durban is Smith’s tribute to Guy Gibson, particularly when it comes to personal bravery and the hidden costs of combat stress. Durban also contains elements of Group
Captain Leonard Cheshire, a later commander of the legendary “Dambusters” of 617 Squadron and perhaps the only other RAF pilot of the war who could compete with Gibson for fame or decorations.
• Squadron Officer Sarah Lane of SOE’s ‘X’ Section (and Women’s Auxiliary Air Force) is based heavily on the less-known but equally impressive Squadron Officer Vera Atkins WAAF of ‘F’ Section.
• Flying Officer Johnny Grant is an amalgam of several of the roughly five hundred young men from the Caribbean who volunteered to fly in the wartime RAF; more than a third would die in action. The closest direct model for Grant is Flight Lieutenant John Ebanks from Jamaica, a Mosquito
navigator, but Smith also included major elements of Flying Officer Errol Barrow, who would later become the first Prime Minister of the independent Barbados. Of the eleven other men who enlisted with Barrow as the “Barbados Second Contingent”, six were killed.
• Of the four point-of-view characters in Operation Afterlight, only the renegade SS assassin Obersturmbannführer
Jan Stahl has no historical antecedent. Instead, he represents the brave (if ultimately failed) sacrifice of those who fought against Nazism from the inside, including trying to overthrow Hitler. Their motivations varied, from the moral to the practical, but almost all paid a deadly price for daring to oppose the Führer.
Stahl’s biggest real-life influence appears in his own right in the book – the doomed Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, head of the Abwehr and secret anti-Hitler conspirator. Smith also included the larger-than-life character of Air Vice Marshal Sir Basil Embry who, believing that he should order no one to do anything he wouldn’t do himself, often disguised himself to fly on the most dangerous missions
his aircrew undertook. Finally, Smith pays homage to the legendary Danish SBS officer Anders Lassen. Not content with borrowing Lassen’s name for his author pseudonym, Smith could not resist including the heavily-fictionalised but suitably similar “Major Anders.”
“There is one other character looming large over the whole book,” Smith adds. “And that is the de Havilland Mosquito itself. What an aircraft! I wouldn’t say I’m obsessed with it, but Operation Afterlight is the second novel I’ve written about the “Mossie”, so maybe I’m wrong. The good news is that “The People’s Mosquito” project is currently underway to restore one of these magnificent machines to Britain’s skies before the end of the decade.”
A Mosquito on the BBMF one day? Watch this space…
Operation AFTERLIGHT by Robert Lassen was released on 25 April 2024 by Silvertail Books. More information about Smith/Lassen and his works can be found at www.robertlassen.com. For more information about The People’s Mosquito and how to support their work, visit www.peoplesmosquito.org.uk.
NEW DIRECTOR AT THE EUROPEAN AIR GROUP
Lieutenant General André Steur, Director of the European Air Group (DEAG) and Chief of the Royal Netherlands Air Force (Staf Commando Luchtstrijdkrachten, RNLAF) officially handed over his role as DEAG to Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz, Chief of the German Air Force (Inspekteur der Luftwaffe, Luftwaffe Bundeswehr) on 18 January
2024. The event marks the official change of command of the EAG from the Netherlands to Germany. Also attending the ceremony was EAG Steering Group member and Chief of the Air Staff, Sir Richard Knighton who commented “I am delighted to welcome Lt Gen Ingo Gerhartz to EAG HQ RAF High Wycombe and give my utmost thanks to Lt Gen Andre Steur for his tenureship.”
PLUM ROLE FOR THE STATION COMMANDER!
In May RAF High Wycombe Stn Cdr, Wg Cdr Dennis planted a wild plum tree outside the Officer’s Mess which was presented to Air Support Climate Change & Sustainability (CC&S) by one of our Future Defence Infrastructure suppliers (FDIS).
The tree, which in anci ent mythology is sacred and promotes hope and happiness, symbolises the collaborative Station Warrant Officer.
Tolstova
New Adult Learning workshops and short courses
Learn a new craft or rediscover an old passion with our one-day workshops and short courses in High Wycombe and around the county, including:
Buckinghamshire Adult Learning provides a huge range of workshops, short courses, and qualifications suitable for anyone over the age of 19.
Their short courses are perfect for those with busy lives who can’t commit months ahead or just want to try something new, and the one-day workshops are an ideal way to get an immersive experience or have fun with friends.
Friends Annie and Vanessa were keen to do the Upholstery for Beginners and Improvers course with Buckinghamshire Adult Learning but did not have a piece of furniture to work with. So they decided to try and find some suitable items at auction, and they managed to pick up a bargain furniture lot at Tring Auction House that included two chairs perfect for their intended project.
Suitably prepared, Annie and Vanessa then enrolled on the Upholstery for Beginners and Improvers course at Highcrest Adult Learning Centre in High Wycombe, with tutor Chris Chambers. They stripped back all of the old upholstery on the two chairs and began restoring them back to new, finishing them off with their chosen fabric, all under the expert guidance of Chris.
To find the course for you or to get more information, please visit: www.adultlearningbc.ac.uk where you can search everything on offer and enrol online.
UNEARTHING A FAMILY SECRET
Relatives going through a forgotten box unearthed a treasure trove of memories and the hidden past of a person they knew as ‘Aunty Lynne.’
The discovery sent Mid Wales based Meinir Davies and her family on a detective trail leading to RAF High Wycombe’s famous Bomber Harris room.
Annie Eluned Evans was born in September 1921 in Cross Inn, Aberystwyth and joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAFs) in August 1941. She was posted to a variety of roles in Cheltenham and Leeds where she trained as a telephonist. After qualifying, postings in Harrogate and RAF Finningley followed. She was transferred to RAF High Wycombe in 1943 as a corporal where she worked in the telephone exchange for the legendary Sir Arthur ‘Bomber’ Harris until being demobbed in 1946.
“I have fond recollections of Aunty Lynne,” said Meinir. “She was a nice lady but would not suffer fools gladly. She knew her facts and liked everything to be in order. But I never remember her once talking about her time in the RAF.”
Eluned’s story is not unusual. Many of those who served In World War Two did not reveal their occupations or talk about their work, which was often deemed secret. The only clue to her time in the service was a short-handwritten history scribbled down on a piece of paper in 1984.
Keen to find out where her aunty had spent nearly four years of her life, Meinir and her family made the five-hour
journey from Mid Wales to visit RAF High Wycombe and to walk in her footsteps.
After being demobbed Eluned returned to Wales where she married and later worked for the council for thirty years before retiring. She died in
March 2015 aged ninety-three.
“It has been a wonderful day and has really helped to put the pieces of puzzle together and to learn more about my Auntie’s wartime life,” said Meinir. “Thank you for allowing us to visit.”
Laurence Parker, MCO
ATLANTIC CHALLENGE GUNNING FOR SUCCESS
“IF I WERE TO DO IT AGAIN, I WOULD JUST EAT CHOCOLATE WRAPS!”
What could you do in sixty days? You could learn how to play a guitar, get in shape, quit smoking or train a puppy. Or you could row 3200 miles across an unpredictable Atlantic Ocean in a boat made for four! RAF High Wycombe based Gunner, Cpl Gary Binns opted for the latter and he sits opposite me now to recant
the whole experience. When I interviewed him prior to the event he was a lot heavier, but with the dramatic weight loss (14.6 kg) he is more slimline and of course, has the obligatory beard!
On 3 January 2024 Gary Binns, Phil Angus, Justin Wallace & Dan Martin – the ‘Atlantic Rocks’ team - set out in the ‘Sentinel,’ a purpose-built eight metre long, two-foot-wide boat complete
with state-of-the-art satnav and its own water maker. The mission? To cross from the Marina Rubicon in Lanzarote, Canary Islands to The Jolly Harbour, Antigua. To put it in context on how tough this challenge is, more people have climbed Everest than have rowed across an ocean, temperatures can reach up to forty degrees and you can burn up to 4500 calories a day. If that isn’t amazing enough, teams can row in excess of 1.5,000,000 oar strokes during the crossing.
The crossing was Gary’s brainchild, and he was instrumental in pulling the crew together, securing funding and generating publicity.
A rowing schedule was set from the outset to discipline the crew. “We changed pattern a few times, with two hours on, two hours off during the heat of the day and two times three hour shifts during the night,” said Gary. But boredom with each other during the endless hours of monotonous rowing was never allowed to happen: “We made a conscious effort to socialise. We
never rowed with just one person. During a two hour shift we rowed with two people – one for an hour and a half and one for half an hour. It worked! It also helped us mentally. We had quiz nights whilst rowing, and at times we had the phones on watching Band of Brothers. Time seemed to go really fast.” In turn the crew seldom argued or fell out. The rule was if there were any gripes you had to speak up and not let things fester.
“We did not really do much training, only the qualifications required. How do you train for 3000 miles?”
For non-seasoned rowers, the dreaded sea sickness can befall many. Gary was no exception. He consumed sea sickness pills for the first thirty days to counteract the continual bobbing momentum. “The body got used to being at sea. On the oars each day you started not to notice the movement so much,” said the Gunner.
The four were warned about the waves, with rowers having to battle many reaching sixty feet high. The team did video
many of the waves, but nothing could replicate being there. The unforgiving waves often flipped the boat on its side where faces skimmed the ocean, known as ‘knockdown.’ Luckily, the boat never capsized but should that have happened the rowers were protected by foot straps and safety harnesses. “Waves in the dark were hard,” said Gary, shaking his head at the memory. “I got through it by just laughing. Once we had a thunderstorm for four hours solid with lightning and thunder. You just had to row.”
Water may be the liquid of life, but it can also work against you, as the team discovered. Four days into the voyage repairs to the boat meant that a new compartment had to be made for the life raft. Water crept in, causing pressure to build and it seeped into two of the ration compartments, one of them being Gary’s. A third of his rations were lost, including all his snacks. As each man needed his rations it was virtually impossible to share. Whilst battling mother nature the Gunners also had more manmade difficulties. The electrics powering the Sentinel were intermittent meaning there was not the luxury of having power 24/7. Electrics were charged during the day courtesy of the solar panels and power was only used at night. Navigation in daylight hours was down to the trusty compass. During the night, much foot steering took place resulting in knee damage for many of the crew. Within two and a half weeks of setting sail the internet connection was irreparably broken. “It was more beneficial,” said Gary, optimistically. “If we had had the internet, we would probably have always been on it.” The sat phone allowed the crew to speak to loved ones daily.
“During low pressure times rowing through thick, stagnant water was like pushing through treacle.”
If you thought the food was going to be tasteless freeze-dried lumps of unidentified meat, you would be wrong! Rations were set at four meals a day per man (equalling 4500-5000 calories a day) and was split very much fifty-fifty between freeze dried and wet food. More wet food (such as sausage and beans) was consumed. “Just like military rations – it lasts for ages,” said the Cpl. With no oven on board the team relied on a jet motor to heat water for essentials like tea and coffee. The luxury item travelling with them is something we can all relate to: “We all bought Nestle chocolate – a godsend! The wraps last for four months and we had two each night. It gave a real energy boost.” Altogether the crew had fifty-five days of rations and though the voyage lasted for sixtyone, the crew always knew they would run out. But the bulldog spirit shone through as the crew were determined to make it last until they reached Antigua.
Many may have become dejected due to the monotony of day-to-day living on the sea, but for the team it helped being in the military. “We had all been on manoeuvres, like in Afghanistan where you are given a timetable, you come to work, and you just do it. We did not feel sleep deprived because the rowing pattern helped,” commented the seasoned Cpl.
When not rowing or sleeping each man had specific administrative tasks. Some cooked, some cleaned or checked navigation each day. On rotation each crew member had to make eight litres of drinking water each day per man using the onboard water maker.
The ocean may be fraught with many hazards, but it also houses many wonders of the world, including some amazing sea life. Humpback whales, pods of dolphins (up to fifty-sixty once surrounded the boat), blue whales, sea turtles the odd tiger
shark and a marlin all greeted the rowers during the journey.
With such a huge task in front of them and with the numerous setbacks the inevitable question had to be asked: Did they ever feel like giving in? “We all spoke about it. Every time we saw a ship sailing by, we would say let’s get on it. It became a bit of a joke,” said the Cpl in good humour.
When the electrics malfunctioned, they did have a team discussion where the pros and cons were weighed up. Voting was always done democratically and each time they voted to go on – such was the tenacity and the resilience of these four men.
So, what would you miss after being at sea for sixtyone days? Fast food, dry land, your iPhone? For Gary, the answer was far simpler, and something that we all take for granted. “Walking! You can’t walk more than a metre! Some of the guys missed a porcelain toilet, going to buy something and of course, we all missed family,” said the stoic Gunner.
“I am forty this year and have never been able to grow a beard. No one shaved. There was no point.”
Reaching The Jolly Harbour in Antigua after a feat of endurance few will experience in their lifetime was understandably overwhelming. They had been battered, bruised, felt the roar of the ocean and the warmth of tranquillity. “It was overwhelming, very emotional. All the families had arrived two days earlier. I knew I would be emotional seeing my son again. I was even more emotional for the fact of actually achieving the goal,” said a clearly tearful Gary. The local people also welcomed the gallant Gunners
carnival style with steel bands and a ticker-tape parade – a memory never to be forgotten.
“When we arrived, we all just wanted a can of Coca-Cola!”
With the benefit of hindsight, would the team have done anything differently? “Everything,” said the plucky Cpl, cheekily. “From the training onwards. We would have had different food, no dry rations. The boat may have been heavier, but there was no time limit.”
Of the three teams who took up the challenge, the 4-man ‘Brightsides’ reached Antigua first in fifty-one days, ten days ahead of Atlantic Rocks. The third team, ‘Destiny’s Tide’ with just two crew aboard had to pull out of the race due to electrical issues within the first two weeks of the event. So far, the RAF crew have raised over £22,000 for five worthy charities including The Centurion Fund, Tough Enough to Care, Mental Health Research UK, SSAFA & The Veterans Charity. To anyone crazy enough to want to emulate our guys’ achievement Gary has some wise words; “Get as much advice as possible. Talk to those who have done it. We were lucky. We had the mental robustness already with us being in the military,” commented Gary.
It is testament to the crew that although they have completed one of the toughest races on earth, they are not content to sit on their laurels. Already Gary is eyeing up the possibility of doing the ‘Seven Ireland Summits’ – scaling some of the highest points in Ireland. Will they do it? Without a doubt.
Congratulations to the Atlantic heroes who really do rock!
Laurence Parker, MCO
THE FUTURE OF WAR; A HISTORY
BY LAWRENCE FREEDMAN
I know what you’re thinking – a history of war and what it means for the future, why should you care? A similar war-history book comes out every few months and you inevitably flick through it before muttering to yourself “well, if the T-1000 DEATH HARBINGER does come online I just don’t think DLE will have an appropriate training package to counter it.”
But don’t worry, this is not a scare-book designed to make people look at their own armed forces and realise how far behind they are in comparison to other armed forces. Instead, the premise is to record how people imagined the war of tomorrow over the past 200 years.
Starting in the 1800s where people were dead worried about this new invention called the machine gun, Freedman gives a genuinely interesting account of how people looked at the latest bit of killing kit (hot-air balloons, self-propelling water bombs and tunnelling) in order to imagine how the mighty British Empire might fall. This idea is then replicated multiple times throughout the book while jumping forwards a decade or so every chapter.
For example, after the Battle of Dorking (written in 1871), Freedman jumps to HG Well’s War in the Air (published 1908, before the idea of the plane had really taken off) which imagines a future of flying machines destroying American dreadnoughts in the Atlantic and then mercilessly bombing New York.
This provides a fascinating who’s who of (war) science fiction writers and allows us to admire the likes of Wells (whose predictions were reasonably accurate) and then laugh at the ones who got it totally wrong (e.g. a guy called Stanislavovich postured that First-World-War style defensive warfare was going to become the only way to fight, making future invasions quite impossible).
However, the tone of the book takes a bit of a downturn after the
Cold War section and the wars in general just get a bit more depressing (it’s all about civil unrest in hot countries, famine and terrorists with nukes). Worst still, the idea of exploring future wars becomes a bit stilted post 1990, with military doctrine replacing science fiction writers and offering ideas which seem quite obvious to us in 2024 (e.g. proxy-forces, drones, cyber-annoyances). The cutting-edge, well what are people imagining in 2017? chapters read like a Judge Dredd comic, including the use of the term ‘mega cities’.
To conclude, parts one and two of this book are definitely worth a read. Its just a pity science fiction doesn’t seem to do as much war writing as it did 100 hundred years ago and therefore Freedman has to rely on very boring, very measured defence publications which don’t include mental narrative-driven novellas.
Perhaps take a moment to ponder the wars currently raging across this planet and write a predictive but provocative future war story. Preferably one in which the award winning (award pending) Wycombe World and its glorious editor survive.
Things to say to CAS to make him think you’ve read the book:
"I don’t know about you, Sir, but my future war is going to be with my wife/husband if they don’t learn to stack the dishwasher properly."
"I thought Freedman let himself down in the final chapter when he belittles that article which stated the only way to destroy America was to have a nuclear explosion in Europe, an Israel-Iran war and an invasion of Taiwan by China all at once…cause…[gesture around the office]…that seems pretty realistic, don’t you think?"
Editors Note: The well-read of you will have realised that this book was actually on the 2018 CAS reading list, not the 2023 one – something I discovered only after I’d snatched it off the shelf in the learning centre and panic-read it in time for this Quarter’s release. A mistake like this will haunt me for the rest of my days.
RAF SAFETY DAY
Despite the rain, the bulldog spirit shone through as many attended the annual Safety, Health & Wellbeing Day on 1 Site in May.
The SSHEA team did an amazing job in giving station personnel everything from defib demonstrations, bicycle safety checks and stalls for Combat Stress, Bucks Healthcare & Road Smart. The well attended event saw people learning how to stay safe whilst travelling, protecting our environment and attending one of our famous ‘Bomber’ Harris visits. Many thanks to Sodexo for supplying some delicious food and the BFBS ice cream van was a clear winner judging by the queues!
PARENT AND BABY GROUP PROVES A BABBLING SUCCESS
One month after giving birth to my son, I felt like I ought to leave the house with my baby for more than a 10 minute dash to the Co-op, but the idea of going anywhere further afield felt too difficult with a squawking reflux baby who did not like his car seat.
Cue the RAF High Wycombe Parent and Baby group which became my go-to destination on a Monday afternoon, knowing I’d receive a friendly greeting and be offered a cup of tea. Where I could breastfeed in peace (not including the squeaks of other babies in the background) and share updates with the understanding faces of other parents also battling exhaustion over broken sleep and seek advice on when to introduce a certain toy / baby classes / nuts plus ask the age old-question - “is [insert developmental leap of the week] normal?!?”
Over time it became clear we needed a bit more space, so a move to the Costa cafe on site 3 now means enough room for a pram parking zone; a chance to treat myself to a small oat sugar-free vanilla latte (caf or decaf depending on the night before); and the adjacent soft play is a useful distraction for my “wants to be on the move but can’t yet walk” baby.
Almost a year on from my first visit, when the group helped
me feel comfortable to leave my house in those initial overwhelming days with a tiny newborn, I’ve found the most wonderful friendships with other RAF families which have carried me through the joys of the first year - nothing like seeing other parents share pride in your baby learning to crawl - but also in supporting me through some real lows (namely as a result of the aforementioned lack of sleep - turns out it is a pretty fundamental pillar of our health, who knew?!)
It will soon be time for us to say goodbye as I return to work and my son begins nursery, but we will miss our Monday outings to catch up with friends. I would definitely recommend any new or expectant parents to come along, and meet others who are also negotiating their way through newborn life and early parenthood - and grab a slice of free cake whilst you’re there too.
The RAF High Wycombe Parent and Baby Group meets on the first and third Monday every month in Cafe 3, from 1-4pm. Contact The Hive for more information.
AIR MARSHAL HARV SMYTH
“If someone had asked me would a sixteen-year-old from Lurgan become an Air Marshal I would have laughed at them. I didn’t even know what one of those was.“
On the day I met Harvey Smyth – “Harv is fine” –he could barely draw breath. He exits the CAS’s office before a quick word with his PSO and onto his next task. I suspect the half-full Costa Coffee cup in his hand has long since gone cold since his 0730am start. Welcome to an Air Marshal’s world. The coffee cup may be halffull, but as I would find, this jovial Irishman’s personality overflows.
His current tour running OPS for the RAF is rapidly drawing to a close, before a new posting – running OPS for the whole of defence begins in March. It is a huge job, but challenge is in Harvey Smyth’s DNA. He nearly didn’t join the RAF, but an overheard conversation changed the course of his life, and I was keen to find out more….
Growing up in County Armagh at the height of what is now commonly referred to as “The Troubles” in 1970s Northern Ireland was tough for any youngster, and Harvey saw many of his friends fall off the straight and narrow.
“We saw conflict all the time as I lived close to the border. But the big thing that kept me off the streets was joining the Army Cadets at thirteen. I fell in love with the military…the rigour and regiment of it. And I loved putting the uniform on. My intent was to join the army.”
Destiny played a hand in the form of his teacher, Miss Edgar who, one fateful day, gave the young Harvey a gentle nudge from one path to another:
“I had every intention of leaving school at fifteen like everyone else in my family had done. Leaving a careers fair one day, one of my strictest teachers, Miss Edgar – who would tell me off all the time – overheard me saying to one of my friends that I thought the army was for me, but that the air force thing looked really interesting. She then off her own back got me an interview at what was then RAF Aldergrove.”
The interview, due to lack of knowledge of the air force did not go well – “I was army barmy at the time!” said the Air Marshal, laughing. He was sent away with a pile of air force books and a
request to come back a year later to try again. However, Miss Edgar had other ideas: “You will read those books and you will be back next week!” recanted Harvey.
The cajoling paid dividends and after passing the interview, Biggin Hill beckoned as well as competing for a sixth form scholarship – which he secured. Most of his family had left school at fifteen with no intentions of further education. The Air Marshal in waiting was to be become the first to take A Levels. If you secured the right grades, then you had the chance to be a direct entrant into the RAF at officer level at aged eighteen.
“I was originally minded to join the air force to be in the RAF Regiment as it was something I understood,” said the officer. However, fate smiled again as during the second batch of aptitude tests, he scored highly in pilot aptitude and was offered a flying scholarship. The journey had begun. A pilot’s licence care of Aldergrove was obtained when he was just sixteen. Working on multiple building sites as a labourer to earn extra money helped the budding aviator to fund his flying aspirations. As he finished his A Levels in May 1990, he joined the RAF in early 1991.
Bitten by the aviation bug so early has given the Air Marshal a lifelong love of flying.
“I love the freedom of it, especially solo flying. I remember two days after my sixteenth birthday I was up for a solo at Aldergrove and flew around Lough Neagh….a big deal when you
are a youngster…. years later I went back to Aldergrove as the Harrier display pilot, again flying around Lough Neagh and it only took about five minutes!”
The Air Marshal chuckles at how films glamourise flying – ‘Top Gun’ in particular.
“It is not like that at all. It is a physically difficult, mentally draining job. For maybe a two to three-hour sortie there are three to four hours’ worth of prep and two to three hours of de-prep/ debrief afterwards. You might do that cycle twice on some days. You are mentally ‘always on’ –especially when flying something like a Harrier, where you had to have complete concentration right up until aircraft shutdown. You are dirty, sweaty, smelly, and tired. The image of a cool Tom Cruise exiting his jet after a combat sortie is a myth – as my wife would routinely remind me, much to her dismay.”
During his training days the committed flyer piloted a Piper Cherokee, Chipmunk, Tucano and the Hawk. In the ‘old’ days you had one hundred hours training to fly the Hawk and a further sixty hours with the Tactical Weapons Unit to learn to fly the Hawk in an operational capacity. This was later squashed to a single one hundred hours to learn everything. The failure rate was high. So intense was the course that out of the twenty who started the journey, Harvey was one of only four to graduate.
“Some have to work really hard at flying but for me the flying bit was thankfully quite natural. This said, you have
to work hard at being good at it and you have to work extremely hard at being a good operational pilot. Quite frankly anyone can fly. It is turning that flying into an operational capability – that’s the hard bit.”
For the man who sums up flying in one word as ‘freedom,’ what is his favourite aircraft to fly? There was no hesitation - the Harrier every time (which he flew for fifteen years amassing three thousand flying hours) – “brilliant, but unforgiving. You need your wits about you all the time.”
Having flown combat missions over Kosovo, Bosnia, Serbia, Iraq & Afghanistan, the Air Marshal cites tenacity as an effective quality to being a fighter pilot – a trait that has served him well over his illustrious career. With the highs have also come the inevitable lows including an ejection from a Harrier, multiple near-catastrophic bird strikes whilst low flying, and a near midair collision with an RPAS in the early days of the 2003 Iraq war.
“Flying, and especially frontline flying, is inevitably a risky business – if you do it for long enough you are going to have to deal with some difficult things: losing friends and colleagues; being shot at; knowingly putting yourself in harm’s way; leaving your family behind to deploy on ops. Everyone has their own way of dealing with things. I have been in the air force thirty-three years this year and despite all of these difficult things, I would happily have done thirty-three years of OPS. I love OPS. At the end of the day, that is what the military is for – our core business is conducting OPS to protect the nation, and our families.”
When not in the air and commanding flying squadrons he has enjoyed a multitude of positions on the ground including the UK MoD’s first Director of Space, three years on the F35 Programme in Washington DC as the UK National Deputy, and Station Commander at RAF Marham, station wise, his first big command role.
So how do you tackle running a station with many thousands of people where the buck really does stop with you? It all comes down to one factor:
“It’s all about Mission Command and sensible delegation. Having trust in your team is crucial. They run the station for you – a good commander only needs
a gentle hand on the tiller, and the team does the business! It’s all about articulating clear intent and enabling this via empowerment. I never found the job overwhelming with such a good team – our people are brilliant.”
“I am a typical Irishman. I love doing the people thing.”
With the Sandringham Estate being so close to RAF Marham, and the monarch being the Honorary Air Commodore, the Station Commander automatically becomes an Aide de Camp. Largely ceremonial, the ADC acts as a confidential representative in routine matters. And meeting Her Majesty the Queen?
“My experience was that she was an expert at immediately putting you at ease - making the formal informal. Going for an intimate dinner with Her Majesty will be a memory I will always cherish – an absolute privilege. Her Majesty was always incredibly well informed,” said the former station head.
Juggling a busy career leaves little time for outside interests, but somehow the gregarious Air Marshal manages the impossible. For a number of years, he has been a patron of the Jon Egging Trust – set up in the aftermath of the tragic death of the Red Arrows pilot and personal friend. Both had flown together in Afghanistan, with the Air Marshal being Jon’s squadron commander. The ethos of the Trust is close to the Air Marshal’s heart: mentoring often wayward children who have not had a great start in life to find their best potential. The ‘Blue Skies’ initiative has had thousands of youngsters join at fourteen until eighteen where they develop fundamental life skills. Many have gone from being threatened with expulsion from school to becoming head boy/girl.
The greatest achievement of his career? The self-deprecating second in command of the RAF laughs; “I have been lucky to get this far! Someone once told me – you should only ever compete with yourself. Do jobs that you like doing. Look for jobs that you think would be a good challenge. That is what I have always tried to do. It has not always worked out. I didn’t get every job I wanted, but they’ve all been great regardless – I'm a big believer in a job being as good as you make it.”
The qualities that he feels would help people succeed in
the RAF are very much what he holds – authenticity, being yourself and tenacity. In his words he is ‘the RAF’s social mobility experiment’ which has seen him span the globe and sample everything that the RAF has to offer: “Reflecting on thirty odd years in the Air Force, many say it is not the Air Force they joined years ago. It is not. I think it is much better. It offers way more opportunity.”
For all those ambitious officers reading this who have aspirations to reach the top of the Air Force, the seasoned Air Marshal has some canny advice, “You need to get a grounding in a station
commander’s job. You get your eyes opened there to what the rest of your air force career is going to be.”
His PSO pops his head round the door signalling another looming meeting. It is time to wrap up. My parting thought of the Air Marshal is that he is big: Big in stature. Big personality. Big heart. His storybook is full, and I could happily talk to him for hours. Open, honest and affable, his is a true success story. I suspect if he ever had the time to write them, his memoirs would make for a fascinating, rollicking read. Miss Edgar would be proud. Laurence Parker, MCO
We have a Typhoon FGR Mk 4 print signed by Air Marshal Smyth to give away! To be in with a chance of winning, answer the following question:
In what year did Air Marshal Smyth join the RAF?
Send your answer (marked ‘Air Marshal Smyth print competition’ in the title) to mcohighwycombe@outlook. com by 1700hrs on Friday 16 August 24. The first correct answer drawn at random will win the signed print. Good luck.
TOO HARD TO RIDE?
If you didn’t know that horses eat for twenty hours each day, sleep for only four and cannot be sick, then you are in good company.
Ihave watched the cowboy westerns and the Grand National, where the humble horse takes centre stage, but the nearest I have got to a horse was feeding one the odd sugar lump. If, like me you have ever wondered what it is like to ‘get into the saddle’ and ride an animal weighing over four hundred and fifty kilos, then seasoned rider Flt Lt Penelope ‘Penny’ Hawkins has the answers. “I could talk horses all day!” said the effervescent & instantly likeable officer as she
sat down to talk all things equine.
So, if you don’t know your geldings from your stallions, read on.
With her mother always wanting to ride, fifteen-year-old Penny was encouraged to go with her to a local Buckinghamshire stable for morale support. It clicked for her, and after a short break following Phase Two training, Penny found herself back in the saddle again at RAF Odiham where a thriving riding club welcomed her. How daunting was it, getting
on a horse for the first time? “You meet your horse, then everything that follows is basic: control & walk, walking to a trot, steering and how to stop,” said the horse lover. “You learn at your own pace and are given a calm horse. All horses have different personalities. I remember it being a little nerve wracking for the first time as you are quite high up, but the great thing is you have a partner in everything you do.” The experienced equestrian believes that starting to ride is pretty simple and very intuitive. “If you understand that a horse is a living thing and you are asking rather than using it as a machine, I think that’s essential. You need a little bit of grit and a passion to want to do it.”
Did you know…? Horses are herd animals, preferring to lie down only if they feel totally secure in their surroundings, otherwise they will sleep standing up. When you ride one, you become part of their herd. They can also sense if you are nervous, happy or feeling the stresses of a bad day in the office.
Becoming OIC of the RAF Saddle Club, Penny has also started working with the RAF Equitation Association, becoming its deputy chairperson. After a short hiatus due to the covid pandemic, the RAF Saddle Club has been in full swing since 2021 and the Flt Lt has been instrumental in gathering riders together and organising training sessions for the InterStation League. The League pits other RAF stations against each other in riding competitions for beginners up to expert riders. The club trains at the Light Artillery Company’s military yard in Windsor.
Horse riding can be an expensive hobby with kit, stable & vet fees. Many, like Penny have opted to take advantage of loaning a horse full time. You pay one fee and the feeding, stable and vet fees are covered. Apart from the cost, the commitment to your four-legged friend is also high. Horses need to be exercised daily. They essentially keep fit when ridden. Low level walking (known as ‘hacking’) two-three times per week is also helpful. Those involved in high level competitions could be exercising five-six times per week and eventers/jump racing participants even more.
NEIGH!
Did you know…? Training the horse early to get used to the roads is vital. The usual age is around five years old. The older the horse the more experience. All equestrians try and stay away from the roads as much as possible.
Even though it is an expensive sport, what is the best way to start horse riding? “Look for options in local saddle clubs near to where you live,” said Penny. “Registered yards can be found on the British Horse Society website. Set your goals with your instructor, such as what you want to achieve in three months etc. You don’t need to buy all the kit up front. Riding hats and body protectors can be bought later if you are serious in pursuing the hobby.”
Stallions (or male horses) are not typically used for riding due to their unpredictable temperament. They are gelded (or castrated) quite early in their lives so that they can be used for riding. For many riders, including Penny there is very little difference between geldings or mares in low level competition riding. “I prefer geldings, mares can be a little more sensitive. Typically, you have to ask a mare, but you can tell a gelding!” joked the Flt Lt.
Did you know…? Horses need to be shooed every six weeks – not because the shoe wears down but due to the hoof growing out – imagine a fingernail that requires a manicure!
Like many viewers, I never fail to be amazed at the skill of competitors who undertake dressage in events like the Olympic Games. Penny herself is in the early training stages of dressage training or ‘dancing with a horse.’ So how do riders get their horse to behave in such a precise manner?
“Everything that you see on the Olympics is something that the
horse will do in a field anyway such as walking sideways. They are very natural movements for a horse. It works as a reward system. Putting the right pressure in the right places using legs, heels, calves and leaning backwards and forwards etc, saying to the horse “yes, that is the right thing, do that again.” Dressage riders also utilise deeper saddles to allow their legs to fit snuggly around the horse. The slightest of movement will be picked up by the horse which is why you often see dressage riders moving backwards and forwards. Often horses are bred just for this type of event.
Fortnightly lessons as well as recent competitions in Leighton Buzzard and Amersham Dressage have helped Penny to develop those all-important skills to ride with confidence.
It is nearly time for the happygo-lucky rider to gallop away, but before she rides off into the sunset, can she describe the feeling that riding gives her?
“Wonderful! There is nothing quite like riding a horse. It is a living thing that is waiting for a command. They are constantly listening. It is just the two of you and there is nothing quite like that relationship. You have a feeling for each other.”
Any advice for a novice rider starting out? “Come to the Saddle Club for advice. There is an amazing community out there,” said Penny enthusiastically.
Want to know more? All serving (full-time and reservists) and civil servants working at High Wycombe can get involved in the Saddle Club. It can be accessed through the PEd Flight, or direct through OIC Fg Off Jen Anderson (to be added to their distribution list).
Take a trot over to the ‘RAF High Wycombe Saddle Club’ on Facebook to catch up with all competition events and news or the RAF Equitation Association.
Laurence Parker, MCO
MEDMENHAM THRIFTIES HIT THE JACKPOT!
Unwanted clothes, books and toys have been gold to the Medmenham Thrift Shop as they have notched up £8000 for good local causes.
As a volunteer Laura Neaves has worked at the Thrift Shop, which is on the site of an old doctor’s surgery, since 2009. The last time the team were able to donate any funds was pre-Covid in 2019. The lucky recipients receiving £4000 each are Danesfield School, who may use the money to fund a community space with outdoor furniture and the Danesfield Arms Nursery who may invest in a shelter or bench for use by school children and staff.
And what items are the best sellers?
“Definitely new items with the tags on,” said Laura “School uniforms are also popular. If people are thinking of donating, we would welcome items such as ladies’ clothes, toys and books.”
After fifteen years the bubbly volunteer still finds the camaraderie
between the volunteers as the best part of the job. The shop, which has customers who travel from as far away as Stokenchurch, is also seen as a lifeline for many new people who have moved to the patch. “As we are not near to RAF High Wycombe Station the shop is very much a focal point for newcomers to meet new people,” commented Laura.
The Medmenham Thrift Shop is open every Wednesday morning between 0900-1200 during term time and between 1500-1800 once a month on a Friday. Any donations are gratefully received – please bring them down on a Wednesday morning. To catch up with all the news about latest editions to the shop, log onto the shops’ 250 strong Facebook page at ‘Medmenham Thrift Shop.’
Fancy volunteering with the Medmenham team? Email Laura at lauraneaves@yahoo.com for more information
FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD!
CHARITY COLLECTION
The Station Charities Committee organised a charity collection for Scotty’s Little Soldiers for the ‘Month of the Military Child’.
The collection took place at Café one on the 18 Apr 24 and was a resounding success raising £150 in a short period.
The Charity provides a range of programs and services, including emotional and educational support, respite breaks, and group activities. These initiatives are designed to help children cope with their grief, build resilience, and create positive memories despite their loss.
Flt Lt Darren White said “Every year when the committee puts the diary
together, we try to find ways to not only raise funds, but also to raise awareness of our nominated charities.
This was our first collection of the year to raise awareness during the Month of the Military Child (April) and we simply requested donations with nothing in return.
This shows how generous the people are at High Wycombe who donated £150 that will specifically go to Scotty’s Little Soldiers in December 2024. My thanks to to all who donated and stopped to chat, and also to the Charities Committee for their continued efforts.”
In May we saw the biggest change to the RAF catering provision since 2006 with the Defence Catering Strategy.
It brought forward a radical shake-up of menus and pricing structures and gave RAF High Wycombe an opportunity to showcase the collaborative working relationship that we have with our partners, Sodexo.
With a wider choice of food options available at prices that suit every budget, the new
strategy has proved immensely popular in the messes. Flt Lt Hetherington commented, “There was a real air of excitement. The diversity, freedom and price points are all fantastic. It was a very encouraging launch, not just from High Wycombe but Air as a whole.”
Congratulations to RAF High Wycombe and Sodexo for making the rollout such a success!
ANNUAL FORMAL INSPECTION
OF RAF HIGH WYCOMBE
The Annual Formal Inspection of RAF High Wycombe was conducted by Air Vice-Marshal Jason Appleton, Air Officer Commanding (AOC) No 2 Group.
The AOC had the opportunity to meet a number of Station personnel and see how they support over 3000 whole force personnel and service families who live and work at RAF High Wycombe. This included a visit to Operations Support Wing, service accommodation and current infrastructure projects in
addition to Station Headquarters for a discussion with Station Executives. After lunch there was an opportunity for a wider meet and greet and a Town Hall.
The AOC was given a tour of the Nepalese Community Heritage Centre, the only one of its kind in the UK, and concluded with a Station Honours & Awards Ceremony where AVM Appleton presented a variety of awards.
1 VS 100… JOB DONE!
You have got to admire Wg Cdr Alfie Hall.
On a bleak 1st January this year the intrepid officer started the steep climb to reaching his goal of one hundred ten kilometre runs in one hundred days all in the aid of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force Foundation and the RAF Benevolent Fund.
Running (and sometimes walking) each session, Alfie notched up an impressive 1037 kilometres (664 miles) – averaging 6.22 minutes per kilometre over the whole distance.
So how does he feel now it is all over? “Relieved!” was the quick response back, but never one to sit on his laurels, the one-hundred-mile Ride London in May cycling from London to Essex and back is the next endurance feat.
The one hundred ten-kilometre runs was by far his biggest challenge to date. “It is harder than a marathon, which finishes and that is that. With the running spread over one hundred days, you still have to fit everything else around it, like a job and everyday life,” said Alfie.
So, what was his motivation to get up each day to do it? “In the early days it was new and exciting, despite the bitterly cold mornings. But I thought about those I was doing it for,” said the Wing Cdr. Each
day a different name was emblazoned on his bib – a name taken from the role of honour of RAF veterans no longer with us. Especially poignant was the run he did in memory of his friend, the late WO Kev Sturdy. “My inspiration,” said a clearly emotional Alfie. “Our careers overlapped at times, and he was on my last squadron tour. He was strong, firm, fair and knowledgeable. I am doing it for him, and people like him. He loved the RAF and was an ambassador for it.”
Having an hour to himself with only his thoughts to keep him company was the most enjoyable part of the whole event. “You start to notice things at five o’clock in the morning when all is quiet, like the duckpond at Naphill and the deer!” And the least enjoyable? “The muscle and joint pain. I will run a ten kilometre tomorrow, but with the luxury of a rest day afterwards!” said the Wing Cdr with relief.
For those wanting to undertake such a mammoth challenge the advice is simple. “Training helps! You can’t train enough for something like this. It is relentless and you need stamina to do this day after day. A good pair of trainers also helps. Mine had hybrid soles and supported me for six hundred miles.”
Would he be crazy enough to do it again? “Yes!” was the firm reply. “Someone I knew did it every day for a year. But for me the convergence of life commitments and time to run would need to be right.”
For a chance to win some RAF Benevolent Fund goodies including a water bottle, stress ball, pin & a pen answer the following question: The Royal Auxiliary Air Force is celebrating its centenary in what year? Please email your answer to mcohighwycombe@ outlook.com marked “Alfie Hall competition” in the subject heading by 1700hrs on Friday 16 August 24. The first correct answer drawn at random will win the prizes. Good luck!
For more information or to contribute to Wg Cdr Hall’s cause, please go to https://www.justgiving.com/ team/RAuxAF100
Laurence Parker, MCO
IN A CLAES OF HIS OWN
Tubes of glue, tiny pots of paint and sticky fingerprints …yes, for young children the world over this was the joy of model making and I look back on those days with huge nostalgia.
For many, the fascination with models is lifelong and with model kits becoming ever more sophisticated and costing well into the hundreds, it is a serious business.
For Flt Lt Andy Claesens from the Air-COSPers team you could say that making models literally saved his life. I caught up with model making supremo to find out more.
The happy-go-lucky Flt Lt was bitten by the model-making bug aged seven; “I was a typical young lad, popping to the shops, buying a model and making them the same day, up to the point I discovered girls,” said Andy, cheekily.
As life progressed the hobby was shelved for a long time before being revisited. After fourteen years as a Part Time Reservist Andy joined the Full
Time Reservist Service (FTRS) cadre in 2001 securing a role in the Old War Office where he found himself in a large office with high ceilings and plenty of space to house models! Studying Former Soviet Union/Russian ground forces, Andy started to make models based on armour used in these regions, and the office was quickly filled.
During the Iraq war in 2003, Andy volunteered for the Iraq Survey Group. The ensuing stresses and strains of the position – “it was pretty grim… and I came back with a number of issues,” resulted in Andy being diagnosed with Post traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). A suggestion from his doctor that he take up a hobby he enjoyed sent Andy back to his childhood love.
“I said I used to do some model making so the doctor suggested that I dusted it off and focus on that for a while. I ended up churning out about sixty or so models – all armour,” said Andy.
It wasn’t until he became the Adjutant for 606 Squadron at RAF Benson that Andy returned to his model building roots –aircraft, for which he produces up to twenty-five a year – “I found that this was a brilliant diversion to boost mental health. With armour you can make the odd mistake and cover it up with mud. But with aeroplanes you need to be more exact!”
With his current role in the Personnel Recovery Unit (PRU) the toll on mental health can be quite challenging as long-term sickness cases involving anything from cancer to PTSD are dealt with on a daily basis. “I never realised how badly it had affected me,” said Andy, candidly.
“I come from a generation where you never really talked about your feelings, and I just sat on it. SSAFA counselling was offered but I didn’t want to take that up. In terms of helping me to detox and deal with my personal thoughts, model making really does help me.”
Last year was a slow year for the seasoned officer and he produced only fourteen as opposed to his usual twenty plus models.
The model maker believes that it all comes down to focus. Attempting to fit in pieces as small as two millimetres into a tiny space can focus the busiest of minds. Currently building a King Tiger Tank which has eight separate pieces per track link, time for Andy flies by in a flash.
So, what are the best skills and qualities needed to be a good model maker?
“Patience and the ability to follow instructions are the biggest qualities. Creativity is useful as sometimes you have to read between the lines with the instructions given, especially with some of the Chinese kits and ultimately your interpretation of the finished scheme. It can be quite a solitary hobby.”
For budding model makers out there RAF High Wycombe has its own Model Making Club which has a mixture of railway enthusiasts and a thriving social scene with numerous visits to exhibitions around the country. Andy himself is a member of many Facebook groups and has a network of internationally based model making friends where advice and tips are freely shared.
Renowned model kit producer Airfix is still considered one
of the top brands along with Revell. Prices often fluctuate as the majority of models are plastic, with one of its main ingredients being oil.
The Royal Auxiliary Airforce celebrates its centenary in 2024 and to mark the occasion Andy hopes to build a combination of World War Two and post war planes – Spitfires, Hurricanes, Blenheims, Meteors and perhaps a Vampire for good measure. The models will be either mounted undercarriage down or in flight. Some will be created as motorised desk models. These will be auctioned off at the close of the year at one of the planned gala events to raise money for the Royal Air Force Auxiliary Foundation and the RAF Benevolent Fund.
Andy’s models are so intricate and lifelike that he has been commissioned numerous times to build multiple aircraft by people fascinated by his work. Everything from First World War tanks, Chinooks to Type 23 Frigates have come across his desk. For the man who has travelled the world, met numerous members of the Royal Family and was a Parade Marshall at the late Queen’s funeral, it is the thrill of the build that gives Andy his greatest pleasure.
And if there was a holy grail of model kits, what would it be?
“For me, I would love to build a large scale SEPECAT Jaguar
jet. I have built three of four in the past, but a large scale one hasn’t yet been released and would really grab my attention! Seven years on the Jag Force, including a back seat trip, established a love of the aircraft.”
What advice would you give to anyone who is starting out on model making as a hobby?
“Just enjoy it,” said Andy enthusiastically. “You could start with a basic starter kit with paint included, but don't get worried about the finish. When I started, I did not produce competition winning entries. We've all been there when we've had fingerprints on the models, and the painting looks like it has been applied with a yard broom. Don't worry about it - enjoy the hobby. It can be expensive, but it is addictive. In the model making fraternity we call it AMS (Advanced Modelling Syndrome). Often you may have several on the go at the same time because the next squirrel has come along.”
And there is no time length to how long it takes to
complete a model. Some incomplete models have been languishing on Andy’s workbench for twenty-five years, his attention taken by yet another challenge. They will get built… eventually!
His hobby may have resulted in the dismantling of the bannisters in his Victorian cottage to make way for shelving to house his beloved models, but his wife is accepting of his model making passion:
"I've always said to my better half, I could be out gambling, smoking, drinking or womanising or sat here doing this. Your call, what would you prefer?” said Andy, with a twinkle in his eye.
Laurence Parker, MCO
Fancy having a go at model making? We have a Red Arrows Gnat Starter Kit available. To be in with a chance of winning, answer the following question: What is Andy Claesens’s holy grail of model aeroplane kits? Send your answer to mcohighwycombe@ outlook.com (putting “Andy Claesens competition” in the subject heading) by 1700hrs on Friday 16 August 24.
RUNNING THE BLUES AWAY
“I always talk about doing it, but never do it. This time it was different!”
You would never think to look at him, but trim Cpl Alan Temple once weighed eighteen stone (one hundred and fourteen kilos). Add to this that he has had Type 2 diabetes for eight years and the strain on his mental health was, at times, immense.
Prior to joining the Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS) Alan had been in the Royal Navy, and it was a Royal Marine Commander doctor who laid out the reality: “When I first sat down, the doctor made no bones about it. He said I was overweight due to years of eating rubbish food and drinking,” said Alan, honestly. Things had to change. “Being overweight got me into fitness in the first place. I love the gym now and go almost every day.”
Fitness not only helped Alan physically but has turned his life around mentally after suffering from something that dogs many millions of people throughout their lives. It can creep up on you and drag you down at any moment and can make you lose pleasure or interest in activities for prolonged periods: depression.
“I got into a place where I wasn’t happy with myself, my job and work in general. I just got bogged down with stuff,” commented Alan, candidly.
The energetic corporal believes that the whole action of being busy has definitely helped to improve his mental wellbeing and to break free of the shackles of depressive moods. A chance glance at a poster on the gym wall has really changed his
life - an RAF organised ultramarathon where competitors run a 4.2-mile loop as many times as they can in twenty-four hours. Alan had never attempted anything on this scale before.
At forty-four, Alan was one of the oldest competitors and together with Pte Sam Haynes formed a team. He had it in his mind to clock up forty miles or ten laps in the allotted time. But Alan’s competitive spirit and will to win came to the fore and gave him an invaluable factor that helped to improve his mental resilience: focus. “I wanted to do ten laps and I was adamant that even if my legs gave way, I was going to do ten. There were two guys in front of me who were twenty-two – half my age. I knew I could beat them, and I knew I could do another four laps. I set myself a little ‘me’ goal,” said the runner, smiling. Clearly elated, Alan and his teammate scooped first prize in the team event. LCpl Chris Lunnon was an inspiration to Alan – “I couldn’t have got through it without his support.”
And has the art of exercise helped the plucky corporal to
clear his mind? “Definitely!” was the rapid response. “I leave the mobile phone at home and whilst at the gym I put on my headphones, and I start a circuit. It makes me feel good about myself…that I have finished something. Some mornings I cannot face it, but I push myself.”
The dream is to attempt a future London Marathon. Whilst attending guard duty on the various High Wycombe sites Alan is constantly thinking about his next big challenge. “Work cannot be the only thing I concentrate on. I aim for something every couple of months now,” said the corporal, wisely.
Motivational speaking and writing, especially the works of David Goggins and Ant Middleton have further improved Alan’s mental health and he cannot recommend them highly enough. “They talk about what your body goes through …it is all about management and though you feel extreme exercise may leave you feel you are hurting, you are not actually hurting as much as you think. It’s all about focus.”
Although exercise has been a saving grace for Alan’s enhanced mental health, he does not underestimate the importance of his team. “The RAF are really pro-helping you out. I cannot praise my immediate team enough such WO Greg Burgess and Personal Support WO, Sharon Hornby.”
A healthy lifestyle and a renewed energy for living has given Alan something that all of us need – a goal. Small steps can make a huge difference. Alan’s parting words show that, in his opinion mental health is taken more seriously nowadays and asking for help is no longer seen as a sign of weakness.
“Mental health is being spoken about more now than it was years ago. The old mantra of ‘man up and get on with it’ is fading now,” said Alan.
If you require help, the Samaritans are always available, 24/7 on 116 123, TEXT SHOUT to 85258 or email: jo@samaritans.org
DAN HOOKS
Whilst attending the RAF Vs Army Rugby Interservice Championship at the Gloucester Rugby Club in May, RAF High Wycombe’s Dan Phillips was awarded a RAF Rugby Union Presidents Award for his continued services to RAF Rugby.
During his time in service Dan has played rugby and been an active team management member, first at RAF Benson then RAF Northolt and now here at RAF High Wycombe where he has taken the role of club OIC. After an invitation to join the RAF’s Engagement team, his duties include providing matchday event coordinating for the three games that were held at RAF Halton and Harlequins stadium, along with
A TOP AWARD!
coordinating the invite and hosting members of the RAF, Army Navy and sponsors such as BT, Inmarsat and Babcock.
For the past six years Dan has been a member of the RAFRU Community Development team. Part of this role involves liaising with members of England Rugby Community and Coaching team to put on a number of courses throughout the year.
A proud Dan commented, “Our aim is to put on pitch side First Aid, Continued Coach Development events and level 2 RFU affiliated coaching courses for both service personnel and civil servants who have an acting part within station, RAF, Combined Services or just want to help give back to their local clubs. We will also try to help stations across the RAF to host any bespoke courses if they wish.”
Since Covid, the team have managed to get forty-eight new personnel trained as fully qualified level two coaches, with another 2 coaching courses planned for this year in July and November.
Congratulations to Dan –a magnificent win!!
WEEK OF COMPETING AND
The RAF High Wycombe Saddle Club recently showcased their equestrian prowess, marking a week of events that underscored their dedication and passion for all things equine.
Kicking off the week on Tuesday 23 April, the Saddle Club proudly hosted the first Southern Inter-Station League (ISL) Combined Training Equestrian Event. The event was a spirited affair, featuring an inter-station match against RAF Odiham using horses from the Honourable Artillery Company’s stables at Flemish Farm, Windsor. Despite a valiant effort, the High Wycombe riders narrowly missed clinching victory, falling short by a mere two points. Nonetheless, the event was a testament to the skill and sportsmanship of the club's members, completing in both a dressage element combined with a show jumping round.
The following day, in a change of pace, the members of the
High Wycombe and Halton Saddle Clubs embarked on a day of volunteering. On Wednesday 24 April, they joined forces in a day of volunteering at the esteemed Horse Trust at Spleen. Amidst the picturesque countryside backdrop, club members immersed themselves in the charitable work of the organisation, gaining first-hand insight into its noble mission.
At the Horse Trust, participants were not only treated to an enriching educational experience but also actively contributed to the preparations for the prestigious Royal Windsor Horse Show. Through their dedicated efforts, they assisted in readying the grounds and facilities, ensuring a memorable
Sport
experience for all attendees. Reflecting on the week's events, ISL Co-ordinator, Sqn Ldr Penny Hawkins stated: "It has been a wonderful week of all things equine, and I am immensely proud of all the riders and volunteers on what has been a fantastic two days. It’s an exciting insight for more events to follow for the rest of the year."
If you would like to join in with any future activities, then please contact High Wycombe Saddle Club OIC, Fg Off Jen Anderson, or join the Facebook Page: RAF High Wycombe Saddle Club. In addition, the Horse Trust has highlighted a need for further volunteers for their Horses, Hounds and Heroes Day on 30 June, which will see a full day’s itinerary celebrating the wonderful work the charity does.
NETBALL TOURNAMENT
On 4 May 24, the High Wycombe station netball team, supported by two team members from Corsham and Chicksands, travelled to RAF Akrotiri for the inaugural overseas inter-stations, ‘Aki 7s’.
Across the team we had a mixed bag of experience, from RAF netballers to team members who had only done a couple of training sessions before. The main goal for the tournament was firstly, to enjoy the time to develop as a team but secondly, use the tournament as an opportunity to build our netball skills.
The tournament was split across 5 days as well as being interspersed with some brilliant coaching from RAF High Wycombe’s own Flt Lt Kate Hemmings, who has taken on the role of RAFNA Pathway Development Lead. Having not trained much together before, we really didn’t know what to expect for our first game. However, it was in the first game that the superb teamwork of squad really showed, something that was down to the determination of every single
player on the court and which ultimately lead to our success throughout the tournament. Out of the starting blocks fast, the team beat Northolt 19-2 with further victories over the next two days against Akrotiri (20-4), Lincoln (12-9) and Lossiemouth (16-2).
The early success of the tournament meant one thing –we had made it through to the top 6, aka ‘The Cup’. With this came the challenge of tougher and more experienced teams including Benson, Wyton and Brize. These teams play and train together weekly, so the High Wycombe team were really up against it. Our first game of the cup was Brize, who had nearly a full team of current and previous RAF players. A well fought game, we were defeated 12-4. This meant to make it through to the cup final, we had to win our other three games. Even though Brize was our first
defeat, the team rallied and reaped every lesson possible from the defeat, a true testament to the character of every player in the team. The bond created over our evening entertainment of line dancing and karaoke really transferred onto the court, with the effortless team work of the whole group meaning that we successfully defeated Benson (17-5), Wyton (8-4) and Aki (9-3). We had made it through to the cup final against Brize. Knowing the game was always going to be tough, our main aim was to contest every ball and reduce our score margin from the previous game. With the amazing support from other station teams willing on us to score against the much more experienced Brize team, we managed to reduce the score margin to 12-7. The team were absolutely thrilled with 2nd place and this is credit to the terrific team of women who gave their all on the
court, whilst also exemplifying the main reason we play the sport – to enjoy it! I couldn’t have asked for a more lovely team to play alongside and manage, and I hope to see all the ladies back out in Aki next year to beat Brize!
Thanks also to Gp Capt Murty (RAFNA Chair), for getting the first Aki 7s on its feet, and for umpiring all day in the hot conditions!
The Aki 7s 2nd Place Team: E1 Marta Dolata (22 Gp)
Sqn Ldr Sophie Dowers (Air People)
Sqn Ldr Stephanie Smith (Air COS Spt)
Flt Lt Kate Hemmings (11 Gp)
Flt Lt Ashleigh Harris (Space Cmd)
Flt Lt Ella Hallsey (StratCom, Corsham)
Flt Lt Freya Hoppé (11 Gp)
Fg Off Ell Bird (11 Gp)
Cpl Alice McCabe (DHU, Chicksands)
Hello Wycombe World readers! It has been a while since our last article.
ith winter now in the past and warmer weather on the way spring has well and truly sprung, the summer is fast approaching and with that perfect weather to get back into playing golf. The RAF High Wycombe Golf Association has been holding monthly station golf events, from stableford to scrambles, all players new and old are welcome to attend. An official handicap is not required to play in these events and equipment can be hired from the gym for a small charge. If you want to find out more information head over to the RAF HWY Golf SharePoint page.
If you are a competitive golfer, then the Chiltern League interstation events are in full swing. The Chiltern League which comprises of six RAF stations; High Wycombe, Benson, Odiham, Northwood, Northolt and Halton. The teams go head-to-head every month to battle it out for best station in a league format. At the time of writing this, RAF High Wycombe is currently sitting 3rd in the table with only 2/6 events played, so it is still all to play for in the Chiltern League. Please note that an Official EG Handicap is required for these events
and the players are selected by the Team Captain. For further information please feel free to contact the Team Captain, Cpl Andrew Sutton.
Sign up for the RAF High Wycombe station championship is imminent. The station champs event consists of 36 holes in a day (2 rounds of 18) stableford format. There is a prize for stableford as well as stroke play. The event this year will be held at Sherfield Oaks Golf Club, which includes two different courses, the Wellington and Waterloo. Keep an eye on the SharePoint page for an announcement!
If you are interested in and want to get started playing golf in a competitive and friendly manor, then please do get involved. As mentioned, the RAF HWY Golf Association holds regular events, so sign up and come along! A day out of the office, in the sunshine playing golf! What could be better?
AS1(T) Thomas Doyle
RAF BLUEWINGS SET TO SOAR INTO THE 2024 UKAF ICE HOCKEY TOURNAMENT
Hello Wycombe World readers!
Hold on to your Hockey Sticks and Puck Off, because the RAF Bluewings are lacing up and ready to glide into the 2024 UKAF Ice Hockey Tournament on June 3rd at Ice Sheffield. With 16 teams from the Corps and Regional teams across the British Army, Royal Air Force and Royal Navy vying for victory, it's going to be a Slapshot Spectacular!
Representing the South Region of the UK (Including our very own High Wycombe), the Bluewings are set to make us proud. Fresh off their triumphs-clutching the Bowl last June and conquering the RAF Championship in December 2023-our Bluewings are looking stronger than ever in years, and this year, sights are set on the Cup! Why, you ask? Well, let’s be honest, the Bowl just wasn’t enough! Expect some serious icy magic as they navigate the group stages and skate their way to the knockout rounds for the coveted Silverware.
But that’s not all! In the evenings, the action heats up even hotter with the Inter-
Services Cup. Given the honour to represent their service, the RAF’s finest will be on display. Our Men’s team, the Aces and Women’s team, the Pumas, face off against the Army and Navy for the ultimate prize.
Catch all the live action from Ice Sheffield with a face-off at 1900 Monday to Thursday evening and the best part? It’s all free! Yes, you heard it rightfree entry and free parking. What’s not to love? For more details, hit up our Facebook page at RAF Ice Hockey.
New to the world of ice? No problem! The Learn -To -Play (LTP) program runs three times a year, with the next session starting July. Reach out to icehockey.ltp@ rafsportsfederation.uk to get started! Or do you already know how to skate and have completed an LTP? The Bluewings train every Sunday and are always looking to develop fresh talent. Contact AS1(T) Tom Wright (contact details below) for more icy info!
Get ready to cheer, celebrate and maybe even join the fun. Gooooo Bluewings!
Full cover on and off the base L aid up cover available Compatible with BFG/GEO VLO & DVLA requirements Our insurer accepts No Claims Discount earned outside of the UK T&Cs apply. Please see policy documents at forcesmutual.org/car for full details
Lines are open: Mon - Fri 9am - 5pm. Forces Mutual Car Insurance is
by
*The 10% discount is available online only. It is applied to the basic premium when you buy a
car insurance policy. The discount is not available on optional extras and minimum premiums apply. The discount will be automatically applied to your quote. The offer applies to new car insurance policies purchased online. The discount can be withdrawn at any time and is provided by ERS.
FANCY A HOLIDAY ON YORKSHIRE’S EAST COAST?
Our holiday home is available for breaks all year round.
Why not apply to stay in our holiday home for serving RAF personnel and RAF veterans? Situated only a 15-minute walk from the traditional seaside town of Bridlington.
It’s the ideal destination to visit for a holiday with kids or for some peace and quiet.
The four-bedroom chalet bungalow is wheelchair accessible, with a disabledfriendly bathroom. A real home from home, with everything you need for a memorable holiday.
To find out more and apply, visit: rafbf.org/thefolly CALL 0300 102 1919
