The RAF Police plot at the Westminster Abbey Field of
Remembrance planted ready for the official opening on Thursday.
My sincere thanks as ever to Frank Turner, who prepared each
cross so that all of the names from the RAF Police Roll of
Honour, maintained by Steve Hingley Davies, of personnel who
died in Service are included on a Cross.
We Will Remember Them
Bill Veazey
Cpl Harris from RAF Brize Norton delivered the The Veterans
Charity 'Routes of Remembrance' wreath to Oxford Station for
its onward journey to London.
The wreath has travelled from BFSAI to RAF Brize Norton,
where it was handed over to the RAF Police.
The wreath was placed at the Station memorial prior to
continuing its journey, where it will be laid alongside the
other 'Routes of Remembrance' wreaths at Paddington Stations
iconic War Memorial.
The Routes of Remembrance event has seen wreaths and
tributes travel from across the UK and over significant
overseas location as part of the charities plan to honour
the Armed Forces personnel who are sadly no longer with us
today.
Military personnel based at
Headquarters Allied Air Command at Ramstein Air Base, Germany
marked Remembrance Day with a multinational parade. The
poignant geographic location, with a backdrop of the 30 NATO
national flags, and the staffs of many Allied nations present
symbolised the strength of unity and opportunity to reflect on
how far we have come through history.
Sgt Price from 22 Gp Sy Sqn attended
Ty Porth Care Home to spend remembrance with some Military
Veterans who shared some stories about their time within the
Armed Forces
Yesterday the Provost Marshal and
Acting Force Commander Gp Capt Wilkinson, alongside the
personnel of Royal Air Force Honington came together at the
Station Memorial Garden at the eleventh hour to remember the
fallen
Today at St.
George’s Church, RAF Halton, the Halton Apprentice Association
held their Service of Remembrance. In attendance were Air Vice
Marshal (Ret’d) Kurth, Station Commander Group Captain (Gp Capt)
Startup and providing the music were the ‘Golden Oldies’
assisted by the Reading Pipe Band in their first performance
since 2019.
Following the Church service, the Apprentices gathered at the
Halton Apprentice Tribute in front of Kermode Hall for the Act
of Remembrance and wreath laying ceremony.
Gp Capt Startup said: “It is a great privilege to welcome the
Halton Apprentices to the Station and join in their Service of
Remembrance. We welcome them back as old friends and it has been
a pleasure to meet with, and talk to, so many here today. RAF
Halton and the Halton Apprentices have a shared heritage and
this will be taken forward with any plans for the future”.
The National Military Working Dogs
Memorial team had 4 special #PurplePoppy wreaths one travelled
from Holyhead with Avanti West Coast.
Another one from Sheffield went with a former Royal Air Force
Police Dog Handler thanks to East Midlands Railway to St
Pancras.
Whilst the third came from Hull thanks to the London North
Eastern Railway team.
The first purple poppy wreath was transported on the "first of
the many trains" from Penzance on the Great Western Railway
Poppies to Paddington train.
4 wreaths to represent the 4 dogs to feature on the National
Memorial.
Thanks to all the wonderful train operators who helped keep
Remembrance "moving.
Barry Swallow is in Oakham.
Drawing in the crowds on the poppy stall.
An interesting afternoon spent
collecting donations for the Poppy Appeal at Lisburn. The first
time in Northern Ireland wearing a beret since 1982 and it was
very surreal standing there and I have to admit it did feel
weird at first. The people were, however, very friendly and very
generous (lots of £20 donations) and eager to learn about the
Off White Beret...one chap said I looked too young to have been
on Artic Convoys ...I put him right. This chap turned out to be
a Retd RUC Sgt who was mates with a SB RUC Sgt I had dealings
with in my time there..small world. Back again tomorrow
John Reid
With Mr Al Bailey doing our last
collection stint for this year.
Thank you to everybody who has donated so far. Never cease to be
amazed at how generous people are.
Peter Bath
RAF Police representing the Royal
Air Force at the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert
Hall.
Been selling and collecting
poppies all week with the Royal British Legion Riders Branch.
Got to meet former Olympic swimmer Sharon Davies, link up with a
Star Wars re-enactors group and have organised a remembrance
service tomorrow afternoon at local cemetery war graves in
Bristol with British, German and Dutch Military representatives
attending.
Today I was selling poppies and pins in the Bristol Rovers
Stadium and placed a RAFPA wreath on their memorial gates.
Have arranged 2 RV points outside the city for a cavalcade of
bikes, cars and even articulated lorries to join. One Lorry is
custom painted in remembrance images.
Andrew Davies
Really excellent turnout for the
Remembrance Service and Parade in Leicester. Thanks to RAF
Wittering.
Roy Rudham
Wrexham today
Malcolm Youens
Phew, quite an emotional, but
exciting day in Royal Hillsborough, albeit a bit blustery and
drizzly at times. I joined the newly reformed Royal British
Legion Royal Hillsborough Branch, amongst other groups,for their
first full parade in 50 years or so with a Pipe Band to march
along to. What made it more special was that I was proudly
accompanied on parade by my 7 year old Grandson Oscar who wore
his Great Grandfather's Medals and did a great job and said he
was excited but nervous. His Great Grandfather served in many
theatres during WW2 and was a POW in Colditz. A special day and
have to admit to having some dust in my eye at one point.
John Reid
London Cenotaph
REMEMBRANCE
DAY 2021 - Hemel Hempstead
Father & Son at The
Blackpool Cenotaph in the sunshine
Scott Etheridge and Simon Etheridge
Newark Air Museum
*******
Mandy Small, 43, who served 12 years
in the RAF Police, laid a wreath at the Cenotaph on behalf of
The Veteran’s Charity.
Her husband Chris took his own life in 2016 after finding it
difficult to adjust to civilian life following 21 years as a
chef in the Royal Logistics Corp.
She told i that the day had been “emotional” as she honoured
lost friends as well as her late husband, but that the public
support at the ceremony had following last year’s restrictions
had been “amazing”.
“I did it in 2019 and the crowds were a lot bigger this year. I
definitely think it was a lot more special this year,” she said.
“It’s important for veterans to be together because they get it,
it’s the same for widows and children. It’s also amazing to see
[other] people remembering your loved one,” she added.
********
Andy Smith is with Keith Cottenden
and David Tarleton-Hodgson at Horse Guards Parade.
Yesterday just before we formed up
Bedfordshire is home to various former and
current RAF stations, so it made sense to begin our poppy
wreath’s journey at Bedford station.
“It was an honour to be joined by RAF Henlow to mark the Routes
of Remembrance campaign and pay tribute to all those who lost
their lives fighting for our country. It’s important that we
continue to remember our veterans and as well as memorial
services across our network, we will also be observing the
two-minute silence at stations and on-board trains on Armistice
Day.”
Wing Commander William Andrew, Station Commander RAF Henlow,
added: “It is a privilege for RAF Henlow to play a part in the
important Routes of Remembrance campaign.
"As we honour those who have made the ultimate sacrifice across
all the Armed Forces from WWI to today, it is fantastic to see
the contribution the local community are making to support
Remembrance.”
Wreath-laying ceremonies and memorial services will take place
with Southern, Great Northern and Thameslink colleagues at
Victoria, St Pancras, Brighton and Kings Cross stations.
To raise awareness of the Routes of Remembrance campaign, Govia
Thameslink Railway is also displaying information screens at
every one of its stations.
Once again on Remembrance Day the famous four
gather to pay their respects in the Remembrance Service at
Newark Air Museum. The garden has been meticulously kept over
the years by Nigel and Jude Bean. It is a credit to their care
and maintenance. Nigel is also responsible for the organisation
leading to the Service.
Left to Right:- Former RAF Regiment Sgt Chaz King, Mike 'Toasty'
Hall, Nigel Bean and Chris Wyman.
Today on Plymouth Hoe
George Poad
The Cornish wreath that took part in the Routes of
Remembrance wreath started out fyom the Cornish Pirates ground
in front of the plaque marking the fact General Eisenhower had
inspected troops there in 1944 on the actual pitch as they
headed off to liberate Europe.
Thanks to Ray and with the permission of the Pirates we had a
WW2 Jeep join us for the handover.on the pitch!
From there the wreath headed off to tour Bodmin Moor on a
Survival Skills course and visit the highest point in Cornwall -
Brown Willy and crash sites of WW2 aircraft with RAF St Mawgan.
One of the crashes honoured, has a memorial on the cliff face at
Watergate Bay, remembering the crew and passengers of "Mucks
Mauler" a USAAF Liberator bomber.
The wreath was then taken into the care of our friends at 165
Port and Maritime Regiment RLC who toured around their area
before meeting at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose for a visit
to the base for their Divisions Parade.
Divisions is a formal parade of a ship's or shore
establishment's company. At the Britannia Royal Naval College,
the "Lord High Admiral's Divisions" is a parade held in the
presence of the monarch or her representative.
