Saturday, November 10, 2007

MEMORIAL FLIGHT SOUTH

Almost 150 former Royal Air Force National Servicemen and their families from all over the UK, including a number from the Brigg Branch, visited the Battle of Britain Memorial at Capel le Feme, near Folkestone.
This took place during the annual get-together and annual general meeting weekend of the National Service (RAF) Association, in Eastbourne.
On their arrival, the party was welcomed by Group Captain Patrick Tootal, secretary of the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust.
Unfortunately, the weather was not very kind with high winds and light rain.
But two flights of veterans formed up, under the command of a former RAF Drill instructor Neil Trotter, and led by standard bearers of the RAF Association and Royal British Legion, marched smartly out to the memorial.
There a short service was held, conducted by association Padre, the Rev Dr Clifford G Taylor.
During the service, a trumpeter sounded the Last Post and Reveille, and standards were dipped.
Wreaths were then laid on behalf of the association.
After looking round the site, and admiring the very impressive Christopher Foxley Norris Memorial Wall where the names of RAF personnel lost during the battle are recorded, many photographs were taken of the memorial itself which is in the form of a seated pilot at rest, together with the Spitfire and Hurricane aircraft permanently stationed on site.
A memorable occasion for ex RAF members who served, in the main, during the time of the Cold War.

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