xv squadron associationxvsqnassociation.co.uk/archive/update-2015.pdf · xv 2015 update newsletter...
TRANSCRIPT
XV
2015 UPDATE NEWSLETTERx
SQUADRON ASSOCIATION
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President: Air Marshal Sir Michael Simmons KCB AFC RAF(Retd)
Chairman: Gp Capt Ivor Evans RAF
(Retd) [email protected]
Vice Chairman: Gp Capt Graham Bowerman
RAF (Retd) [email protected]
Treasurer: Mrs Valerie Ford-Jones
Secretary: Flt Lt Bill Read
XV(R) Sqn RAF Lossiemouth
Moray IV31 6SD
(01343) 817523 [email protected]
Website:
www.xvsqnassociation.co.uk
CENTENARY SPECIAL2015 Reunion Dinner
The 100th Anniversary Reunion Dinner will be held at RAF Wittering, near Stamford, Lincs PE8 6HB, on 29 May 2015. Timings will be 1900 for 1930. There will be a presentation on current Squadron activities at 1500hrs in the Officers Mess. Gp Capt Graham Bowerman very kindly offered to organise this special event and has managed to have it accepted as a Station ‘sponsored’ service event. As a result, the charge for dinner is significantly less than previous occasions and the MT transport to/from the designated local hotels will be free. Consequently, we
have been able to lower the costs for the Dinner well below previous years. We know from the grapevine that many members of the Association are planning on attending their first XV Sqn Association reunion this time. Whilst we hope to see as many members as possible, numbers are still limited to 120 diners by what the Officers Mess can cope with, so all bookings will be taken on a ‘first come, first served’ basis so please don’t delay booking your place at this prestigious occasion!
The services of an ATC band have also been secured for the evening to provide musical accompaniment.
For this occasion, the cost of the meal has been set at £45 per person. With this newsletter you will find a booking form for the Reunion. Please note that the booking form will need to be completed with your menu choices (please do not ‘mix & match’ the menus!) and returned with your payment to the nominated address before 9 May 2015. This is to ensure that the catering arrangements will run smoothly. Late bookings will be accepted if space is available but are not guaranteed their choice of menu.
Forty rooms have been reserved at the:
Days Inn (primary hotel) 12 miles south from RAF Wittering at Junction 17 (the A1(M)/A605 junction) on the A1(M), Peterborough PE7 3UQ Tel: 01733 371540 Quote ’15Sqn’ Ref 53995 £55 including two breakfasts, or £47 room only.
http://www.daysinn.co.uk/hotels/united-kingdom/peterborough/days-inn-peterborough
Suggested overspill option:
Travel Lodge 11 miles south from RAF Wittering On A1(southbound), Alwalton, Peterborough PE7 3UG 0871 984 6003
http://www.travelodge.co.uk/peterborough
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Please book (and pay for!) your own room requirements direct with the Hotel. Please book the coach transport on the Reunion booking form. As the coach runs are expected to be full, you will need to ensure that you get on the return coach at your nominated time.
As is unfortunately usually the case these days, accommodation is very limited (and of variable quality) at RAF Wittering, so we have nominated two relatively inexpensive hotels on the A1 road, both to the south of Wittering, from where coaches will be organised to transport diners to and from the dinner.
Dress for the dinner will be No5s or black tie (with miniatures) and the equivalent for ladies.
For the young and hardy, there is an option of very basic single rooms in a barrack block on-base for a minimal charge, but you will need to bring your own bedding/sleeping bag. Please contact the Secretary if you wish to take up this option. RAF Wittering will redirect any accommodation enquires to the Association, so please do not attempt to book on-base accommodation direct with the Officers Mess.
If planning to drive to RAF Wittering, please approach the base from the south. Please do not attempt to cross the northbound A1 carriageway – it is an accident blackspot. Use the junctions north and south of Wittering to reverse direction.
DINNER MENUSPlease annotate on the booking form 1, 2 or 3. Please do not attempt
to ‘mix and match’ different parts of the menus!
MENU 1
Ham Hock Terrine Served with a caramelized onion chutney, pea puree,
a micro leaf & asparagus salad and a fresh seeded bread roll *
Pan Fried Fillet of Beef Served with a whole field mushroom stuffed with braised beef &
spinach finished with a rich Madeira sauce Thyme & Garlic Fondant
Medley of Roasted Root Vegetables *
Rhubarb Panna Cotta Served with roasted rhubarb, raspberry coulis mini meringues
with a hazelnut crumble *
MENU 2
Juniper Smoked Duck Served with pickled ribbon vegetables, red chard & walnut salad,
black onion puree and a walnut infused bread roll *
Stuffed Chicken Supreme Chicken breast stuffed with a sun blushed tomato & basil farce served
on a bed of creamed leeks finished with a white & cream reduction
Thyme & Garlic Fondant Medley of Roasted Root Vegetables
* Dark Chocolate Delice
Served with a cappuccino ice cream, wild berry coulis & a pistachio tuille
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MENU 3 - Vegetarian Option
Broccoli & Walnut Tart Homemade broccoli & walnut tart served with a red chard & roquette
salad, black onion puree and a herbed bread roll *
Roasted Vegetable Wellington Roasted vegetables & quorn wrapped in puff pastry
served on a bed of creamed leeks finished with a white wine & cream reduction
Thyme & Garlic Fondant Medley of Roasted Root Vegetables
* Dark Chocolate Delice
Served with a cappuccino ice cream, wild berry coulis & a pistachio tuille
* All three menus include coffee
The Anniversary aircraft flying with Macrobert’s Reply over Loch Ness on 3rd March
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Wg Cdr Jon Nixon with Sqn Ldr Daz Mackenzie at the Sqn’s All Ranks Centenary
Dinner on 27 Feb 15
XV(R) Squadron Sqn Cdr’s Report
I cannot believe that my tenure as Officer Commanding No XV Squadron has almost come to an end. I am sure I am not the first and definitely not the last to say the two years has flown by. As I reflect on the two years, I can think of many highs and few lows and am I pleased to say that I hand over to Paul Froome the finest people, on the finest squadron in the finest air force – the Royal Air Force. I genuinely believe that in our 100th year, the Squadron is in great shape for the years ahead. It will not be any surprise to you that in the last 3 months since I wrote the Christmas article, the Squadron has been very much focused on delivering a fantastic and suitably grand 100th celebration.
The highlight has got to have been the activities of the 27th February, which saw me lead the Squadron from the front as we paraded in front of Air Officer Commanding No 1 Group, Air Vice Marshal Waterfall. After the parade, we had a superb Squadron photograph and then moved on to an all-ranks dinner in the evening attended by over 150 people. In addition, we have also commissioned a fantastic painting by Mr Ronald Wong and had an aircraft painted in a special anniversary paint scheme, which I am sure we will show off around the airshow circuit this year. With any luck, Bill has put plenty of the pictures of the various events in to the newsletter! The Squadron is aiming to raise £15,000 for RAFBF this year and we have many different bits of memorabilia on our website, www.xvsquadron100.com You may also be aware that I am also running the London Marathon this year and aiming to raise an extra £5000 for RAFBF myself. You can follow my progress on my just giving page www.justgiving.com/Lenny-vs-MoFarah
As I depart, I am very pleased to be able to handover to Paul who I have no doubt will continue to take the Squadron forward and I am sure he will maintain the excellent ties with the Association. It has been a true honour to command XV Squadron and I thank you all for helping me through what has been a most enjoyable two years. I look forward to seeing you all in the future at XV Association events. I wish you good health and all the very best for the future. Aim Sure.
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Matters arising….
I found the recent 2014 newsletter particularly interesting as I was the rear seat pilot mentioned in Graham Bowerman’s article. I was in the back seat doing a QFI check on Bert Stumf. I did indeed retrain to multi engine, doing three years on the mighty Tristar. In 1998, I was the captain of a Tristar tanker over the Adriatic for the Balkans campaign when we refuelled a German 4-ship of Tornados. When I cleared them to join a familiar voice transmitted “Is that Pethers?”. It turned to be Bert who had by now returned to the Luftwaffe. Unfortunately my flying career finished shortly afterwards due to a series of pulmonary embolisms brought on by long haul flying – economy class syndrome in the front seats! It took a couple of years and some serious surgery to get back to some sort of health but I was able to stay in the RAF as an Ops Officer until age 55 in 2011. No regrets though – I had flown the Lightning (chopped on the OCU) before six years flying helicopters, three years as a QFI on the Jet Provost, then the Tornado for over five years before finishing up on the Tristar. Combat ready on all three groups of aircraft which is not that common.
All the best, Steve Petherick Sqn Ldr (Retd)
It was pretty much 17 years to the day from when I first arrived on XV Squadron as a keen and eager young pilot embarking on my Tornado GR career, that I started the Refresher Course prior to taking Command of this illustrious Squadron. As all of those who have gone before me have said, it is a true privilege and honour to command and to have that opportunity on a squadron with such rich history as XV Squadron is truly humbling. My time on XV Squadron is not just limited to a brief period as a student: I have served as an instructor, a Qualified Weapons Instructor and as a flight commander. As the Squadron celebrates its Centenary year I am very much looking forward to working with the Association and the Committee over my tenure to ensure that the links between the Squadron and the Association remain strong. I am sure you will all join me in wishing Jon all the very best for his next posting. I look forward to meeting you at the Annual Dinner at the end of May.
Wg Cdr Paul Froome
An Introduction to the next OC XV(R)
Sqn
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GUARD/GALE & CRASH Another tale from Canberra days by Tony Britton
One Tuesday, Sgt Peacock (Catseyes Kim) sends Whimp and myself for early lunch, so there would be ground crew cover for when the first morning aircraft landed during lunch time. Passing the Station Notice Board next to the Airmens’ Mess, I saw that the next month’s duties were already posted, and I said to Whimp, “We will look at that after lunch”.
There was, starting the following month, a new system for the Guard and Gale & Crash duties. Previously, Guard duty was from 1800 hours on Friday till 0800 hours on Monday. Gale & Crash started on Monday at 1800 hours and finish on Friday at 0800 hours. The new system was for Guard and Gale & Crash to be combined into one. Therefore, both started at 1800 hours on Friday and finished the next Friday at 0800 hours. Now, instead of just six persons on Guard over the weekend, two hours on four hours off, there were to be twelve persons splitting the shift. Then, after normal weekday working hours, Gale & Crash came into play. Thereby instead of two groups, now only one group was involved.
That means only one set of persons in the Guard and Gale & Crash accommodation, instead of having to change after the weekend. All trades were involved with Gale & Crash: Engines, Airframe, Armourers, Instruments, Electricians, Radio and Radar, plus one of the twelve had to be able to drive the tractor or Landrover for recovery purposes.
That week, unfavourable weather decided to appear, causing many disruptions to flying, but we managed.
That was until Thursday night, when the weather turned to gale force wind and rain which changed direction from West to East to North to South. Of course, it had to be one of XV Squadron’s aircraft that was the last to land, coming to a halt with the port mainwheel in the soft grass on the side of the runway (which had been dug up the week before due to a fault with the landing lights, filled in, but due to the bad weather, the grass had sunk being soft and the wheel sank). All hands to the pump, as the saying goes, no panic, but a few strong words were said about the pilot. The engines were still running when we arrived, the pilot still trying to move the aircraft out of the mire. Cpl Rudd was in charge, he arranged for Whimp to hook the tractor with a towing arm to the aircraft and, with the help of the pilot, attempted to move the aircraft.
No go. Plan B came into operation. One of the gang arrived with sheets of timber (by Landrover) from the dispersal, which we placed under the mainwheel, after we had dug grass and mud out and replaced it with the sheets of timber. It worked; with a little pull from the tractor and engines, the aircraft moved at a slow pace until back on solid ground. After checking the aircraft for any damage, the pilot taxied the aircraft to outside the hangar, where we chocked, locked and covered the aircraft before we retired for the night. When we checked the time, it was well past one am; we had been out in the wind and rain for over four hours, but a job well done. Then off to the mess for late supper.
Fg Off Peter Boggis and his crew flying the original ‘Macrobert’s Reply’ for the benefit of the Press October 1941
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In October 1959 I was one of about eight Groundcrew sent to Akrotiri to meet XH 594 when it arrived and to service it whilst it completed a number of Ops, over about one week; what they did we were not told. We flew out from RAF Lyneham in a Comet to Nicosia and were bussed to Akrotiri. We eventually got back to the UK after three horrendous nights in tents in the Nicosia Transit Camp and were allocated seats on an Argonaut operated by Hunting Clan Airlines to Heathrow, an 11 hour non stop flight.
VICTOR PHOTOS From Gordon Stringer
Crew boarding at Akrotiri prior to return flight to Cottesmore. Squadron CO Wing Commander David Green pictured far right.
XH594 at Akrotiri.
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XH594 at Akrotiri with Rhodesian Air Force Canberras on detachment in background.
WE WILL REMEMBER THEMWe sadly record the passing of the following former members of XV Sqn:
Stanley Watson DFC, WOP/AG Stirling/Lancaster Oct 43-Aug 44 Died 29 October 2014
Fg Off ADHayden RAF(Ret'd), Stirling/Lancaster Jul 43 Died 2014
Barrie Chown, Buccaneer Jan 71-Sep 74 Died 10 December 2014
TA Skingsley, Blenheim IV/Wellington, Sep 1940-Apr 41 Died 21 December 2014
George Mackie, The Lord Mackie of Benshie, Navigator, Wellingtons 1941 Died 17 February 2015
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CHAIRMAN: Gp Capt Ivor Evans [email protected]
VICE CHAIRMAN: Gp Capt Graham Bowerman RAF (Retd) [email protected]
SECRETARY: Flt Lt W R (Bill) Read XV(R) Sqn, RAF Lossiemouth, Moray. IV31 6SD 01343 817523 [email protected]
TREASURER: Mrs Valerie Ford-Jones [email protected]
XV SQN ASSOCIATION CONTACTSERA REPS: Pre-Canberra: Martyn Ford-Jones [email protected]
Canberra: Tony Britton [email protected]
Victor: Peter Roberts [email protected]
Buccaneer: Vic Blackwood [email protected]
Tornado: Flt Lt Bill Read [email protected]
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Can you help? Dear Sir/Madam,
I am a researcher at The University of Lincoln working for The International Bomber Command Centre project. At the heart of our project, as well as a memorial spire and walls carrying the names of the fallen, is the creation of a digital archive formed from merging several existing archives and digitising new material including the personal letters, diaries, log books etc. of those connected to Bomber Command. Our archive will enable, for the first time, family history and aviation researchers to source comprehensive information in one place. This archive will also include oral histories and films.
I am contacting Squadron Associations to request help and support for our project. If you have any veterans who would be willing to be interviewed by our team for the oral history project, or have documents that could be copied for our archive, could you please contact me at The University of Lincoln on 01522 837707 or 07702 111182. email: [email protected] www.lincsbombercommandmemorial.com Many thanks for reading this message, Peter W Jones
