SUMMER 2019 AIRFIELD FAMILIES DAY THURSDAY 22ND AUGUST 2019 THE COMMUNITY MAGAZINE OF WATTISHAM FLYING STATION Programme inside AAC & REME UNITS | MET OFFICE | HIVE | ANNUAL VISTORS DAY | HERITAGE CORNER OLD BUCKENHAM HALL A leading independent day and boarding school for girls & boys aged 3 - 13 Awarded EXCELLENT by ISI May 2018 OPEN MORNING PRE-PREP ‘DROP-IN’ Saturday 5th October 2019 Friday 8th October 2019 10.00am -12.30pm 9.00am - 12.00am www.obh.co.uk NAVIGATING SUCCESS FINDING COURAGE TO BE AMBITIOUS The Royal Hospital School is a leading co-educational boarding and day school for 11 to 18 year olds located in 200 acres of Suffolk countryside overlooking the River Stour. The School provides a full and broad education fit for the modern world where every child is nurtured, guided and supported towards happiness and success. FEES ARE DISCOUNTED FOR SERVICES FAMILIES ELIGIBLE FOR MOD CEA. RN AND RM PERSONNEL CAN APPLY FOR MEANS-TESTED BURSARIES. 01473 326136 OR EMAIL [email protected] WWW.ROYALHOSPITALSCHOOL.ORG 0170 Wattisham Eagle winter Advert v1.indd 1 19/12/2018 16:52 THE EAGLE CONTENTS 06 I Foreword 22 I 7 Avn Sp Bn REME 31 I Services Welfare (WRVS) Introduction by Colonel PM Hayhurst, News and updates from 7 Aviation The centre continues to be well used Commander Attack Helicopter Force Support Battalion REME. and a warm welcome is assured to and Wattisham Flying Station. any newly arrived personnel. REME Boxing 26 I Championships 2019 08 I Station Visitors Day 31 I Childcare Centre Hosted by 7 Bn REME who won Wattisham Station does its bit for the best unit champion, best boxer Wattisham Airfield Childcare Centre Community Engagement. and most gallant boxer awards. information and latest news. 10 I 3 Regiment AAC 28 I Military Wives Choir 32 I Station Welfare Departments News and updates from 3 News and updates from the If you need help, advice or just a chat Regiment Army Air Corps. Wattisham Military Wives Choir. you will find all the contact details in Clare’s Welfare notes. 16 I 4 Regiment AAC 29 I HIVE 36 I MET Office News and updates from HIVE Information and Support. 4 Regiment Army Air Corps. Wattisham MET Office 30 I Heritage Corner Information and statistics. 20 I 80th Anniversary Hottest July Day on record! Families Day The latest news from the View the day's programme and Heritage Group. 37 I Orchard Barn News the many activities available. New courses at Orchard Barn will commence in Sepember. THE EAGLE | 4 THE EAGLE CONTENTS From the Editor: Lt Col (Retd) RW SILK MBE Station Staff Officer Welcome to the Remember wherever you Summer 2019 are serving you can view A edition of The Eagle, The Eagle on-line at: www. Wattisham’s community theeagleonline.co.uk magazine which is available today, Thursday 22 August Another useful website is 2019, to coincide with a the Suffolk Armed Forces large-scale Families’ Day Community Covenant, held to celebrate the 80th which can be viewed at Anniversary of Wattisham www.suffolkmilitarycovenant. Airfield. This commemorative org.uk edition includes a programme of the day’s events and a Just a reminder that the layout of the area to be used Editorial Deadline for the near to the main hangars next ‘Winter’ edition of known as the ‘Waterfront’. the Eagle is Friday 1st Nov Indeed, it is 10 years ago, July 19, and that articles for 2009, that I launched the first inclusion should be sent to Eagle magazine to coincide the Station Staff Officer with the 70th Anniversary of at the email address the Airfield and this edition below. As this will be is the 40th one - time flies! To the Christmas edition, all give you a flavour of what the contributors are encouraged first Eagle looked like, a copy to meet this deadline or of the original front cover before if you can – thanks. can be viewed on this page. Editorial: HQ, Wattisham Flying Station, Wattisham Airfield, IPSWICH, Suffolk, IP7 7RA Tel: 01449 728210 01449 728212 Email: [email protected] Articles should be sent by email or disc to the Editor at [email protected] The views expressed by the contributors to The Eagle magazine are not necessarily those of the Editor; MOD, or the publishers and do not reflect Station policy. All precautions are taken to ensure accuracy. Advertisements are accepted on the understanding that they conform to the British Code of Advertising Practice. This magazine is published by the kind permission of the Station Commander. Advertising by: Jayne Bailey - Tel: 01536 334219 Designed by: David McClatchey; Lance Print, [email protected] Published by: Lance Print Ltd, 1st Floor, Tailby House, Bath Road, Kettering, NN16 8NL Tel: 01536 334226 Email: [email protected] Printed by: Lance Print Ltd - Tel: 01733 390564 THE EAGLE | 5 THE EAGLE SOARS Foreword by Colonel PM Hayhurst here on 4 September 1939. Since support of our home team - our that day Wattisham has had a amazing families and friends who Commander Attack Helicopter Force and history that we can all be proud endured so much - your continued Wattisham Flying Station of. From that first raid, to the support is very much appreciated. high operational tempo set by the US Army Air Force 479th Fighter At present Wattisham remains This commemorative Eagle Group, to the introduction of at the forefront of current magazine is issued to coincide the first-generation jet fighters, military operations and with celebrations to mark the 80th to the grace of the Hunter, the developments. This year alone Anniversary of Wattisham Airfield howl of the Javelin and the sheer we have deployed to Norway, and 80 years of distinguished brute force of the Lightning and France, Germany, Croatia and military service. The day chosen the Phantom, this station has for the first time, embarked to mark the occasion is Thursday certainly been an interesting on HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH. 22 August 2019, which involves place to serve. Following the We have also just returned a large- scale Families’ Day to departure of the RAF in 1993, from a four-month tour of which all service personnel, the Army Air Corps, supported Estonia contributing to the civilian employees and families by the REME, arrived with Lynx NATO deterrence mission in are welcome. The day will involve and Gazelle battlefield helicopters the Baltic States and Poland. aving only just arrived flying displays and numerous as part of 24 Airmobile Brigade Next year will see no let-up in back at Wattisham after other activities to thank the and were immediately committed our commitments but will also serving in the Ministry of workforce and their families to operations in the Balkans. see us preparing for the arrival H of a new and even more capable Defence, as the new Commander for their continuing hard work In 2003, units from Wattisham of the Attack Helicopter Force and commitment; for more played a leading role in the Iraq fleet of Apache ‘Echo’ models. and Wattisham Flying Station, I detail please have a look at the War, which saw the start of a So, we will be as busy as we have am constantly reminded of how programme and layout contained six year commitment to that ever have been and I hope that privileged I am to command such in this magazine. campaign. Whilst still committed we can continue to rely on your an impressive organisation, which to operations in Iraq and Bosnia, unswerving support in the busy is a world class force, envied by This special year for Wattisham 3 and 4 Regt AAC converted to years ahead. many. My family and I are delighted marks the 80th Anniversary of the Apache Attack Helicopter in to find ourselves ‘home again’, and Wattisham as a Flying Station. 2007 and deployed to Afghanistan For those who were able to we are looking forward to making The original decision was taken in 2009. Wattisham maintained attend the Families’ Day, thank the most of the opportunities on by the RAF in 1937 that the area a Squadron of Apaches you all for coming and I hope offer and the many challenges just to the east of the village permanently in Afghanistan you have an enjoyable and ahead. My predecessor, Colonel of Wattisham was to be a new until the end of the deployment relaxing day. Finally, for the Chris Bisset, was committed to Airfield and 11 acres of land was in 2016. In 2011, 656 Sqn also whole Force, I hope that by the improving the Station and he purchased from a Mr W Hunt and took part in operations in Libya time you read this you have invested considerable energy in construction began. The station operating from HMS OCEAN for managed some well deserved driving through numerous projects was completed and operational the very first time. and uninterrupted leave at some during his tenure. I am excited on 6 April 1939 and home to point over the summer period to build on that foundation and 83rd Wing of No2 Group Bomber Throughout Wattisham’s and return refreshed to tackle to focus on delivering further Command. Within months incredible history, Suffolk the challenges ahead. enhancements for all of us who live Wattisham was in action, with became our home. None of what and work at Wattisham. the first British bombing raids of was achieved would have been World War Two launched from possible without the incredible THE EAGLE | 6 To advertise in the next issue of this publication please contact Jayne Tel: 01536 334219 Email: [email protected] ANNUAL VISITORS DAY WATTISHAM STATION ANNUAL VISITORS DAY Nearly 800 visitors arrived at Wattisham Flying Station for our Annual Visitors Day held during May 2019.