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SPRING 2019 YING Station THE COMMUNITY MAGAZINE OF WATTISHAM FL Preparations Start for the Arrival of the New ‘E’ Model Ex Apache CLOCKWORK Apaches Make Arctic Debut Op CABRIT Apaches Take Off for Estonia Change of Command at AHF Wattisham AAC & REME UNITS | MET OFFICE | HIVE | BLADES NETBALL CLUB | herITAGE corNER OLD BUCKENHAM HALL A leading independent day and boarding school for girls & boys aged 3 - 13 Awarded EXCELLENT by ISI May 2018 PRE-PREP ‘DROP-IN’ OPEN MORNING Friday 7th June 2019 Saturday 8th June 2019 9.30am - 11.30am 10.00am -12.30pm 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 20 I Military Wives Choir 25 I PADRE’S Corner Introduction by Colonel CA Bisset MBE, Wattisham Military Wives Choir will News and information from Wattisham’s Commander Attack Helicopter Force and welcome new members, with no experience Padres. Wattisham Flying Station. Col Bisset prepares or auditions necessary. to leave on posting after 3 long years. 25 I Childcare Centre 21 I HIVE News and information from the Wattisham 3 Regiment AAC 08 I Information available to all at Wattisham Airfield Childcare Centre. News and updates from 3 Regiment Army Air HIVE. Corps, including Apaches taking off for Estonia. 26 I Station Welfare Departments 23 I Suffolk Family Carers If you need help or advice please speak with 12 I 4 Regiment Army Air Corps Military Families Project Launch. any of the welfare team who are there to help News and updates from 4 Regiment Army Air families and service personnel alike. Corps, including Apaches making Arctic Debut. 24 I Heritage Corner Featuring the Great Escape from Stalag Luft 29 I Orchard Barn News 14 I 7 Avn Sp Bn REME 111 in 1944. The Orchard Barn Charity wins awards to News and updates from 7 Aviation Support provide FREE Workshops. Battalion REME, including many articles 25 I The WRVS HERRICK Club about what the Battalion has been doing. 30 I MET OFFICE News of the facilities available in the HERRICK Club from Julie the new hat! The MET Office has a Makeover, but still Blades Netball Team 20 I manages to accurately predict the weather. A busy start to 2019 for the Blades Netball Teams. THE EAGLE | 4 THE EAGLE CONTENTS From the Editor: Lt Col (Retd) RW SILK MBE Station Staff Officer elcome to the Spring August 2019, a large-scale Families edition of the Eagle, Day will be held between 1230 and Walthough over the 1830 hrs to which all families, service Easter break it felt more like personnel and civilian employees summer - so let’s hope the good are invited to attend - please see weather continues! I am pleased to the poster on the back cover. report that the new mobile phone mast outside the Main Gate is Remember that wherever you are now fully operational, providing a serving you can view The Eagle on- strong signal for 02 and Vodafone line at: www.theeagleonline.co.uk customers alike, whilst a feasibility study is underway for a second mast Another useful website is the Suffolk to improve EE coverage. Superfast Armed Forces Community Covenant, broadband is also now available for which can be viewed at www. most customers on site. As you will suffolkmilitarycovenant.org.uk see from the Commander’s foreword, Just a reminder that the Editorial this has been a particularly busy Deadlines for 2019 editions period for the Force and much has of the Eagle are as follows: been achieved. Notwithstanding this, Col Chris Bisset is poised to Summer: Friday 2 August 2019 relinquish command of the Attack Winter: Friday 22 November 2019 Helicopter Force at the end of May 19, after a record 3-year stint. We Articles for inclusion should be sent to owe him a debt of gratitude for the Station Staff Officer at the email successfully guiding the Force address below and all contributors are through a very busy and sometimes encouraged to meet these deadlines. challenging period and wish him the best of fortune in his new appointment. In his place, we Editorial: warmly welcome Col Paul Hayhurst, HQ, Wattisham Flying Station, who is no stranger to Wattisham and Wattisham Airfield, IPSWICH, Suffolk, IP7 7RA who previously commanded 4 Regt Tel: 01449 728210 AAC. Finally, a note for your diary to 01449 728212 coincide with the 80th Anniversary Email: [email protected] of the Airfield, on Thursday 22nd 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: Sherrie Bacarese; 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 Lance THE EAGLE | 5 thE EAGLE DIVES Foreword by Colonel CA Bisset MBE the coast of Wales. We have on infrastructure and there is Commander Attack Helicopter Force and maintained aircraft in Cyprus more in the pipeline. Some Wattisham Flying Station at readiness without missing of it may seem like small beer a beat. We have deployed a but, when you stand back and Whilst it is, at times, too front-line Squadron to the add it all up, the sum of all easy to dwell on some of Arctic Circle in Norway for those efforts is significant. It the uncertainties ahead, the the first time ever and proved is with a sense of irony for me future for both Army Aviation that we can fly and operate that our hard fought and long and those delivering Attack them in that environment. battle to improve connectivity Helicopter looks bright. A new Conversion to Role Training has at Wattisham finally seems to aircraft, the E Model Apache, is continued without missing a be delivering. For customers of just around the corner, and we beat despite a critical shortage some mobile phone networks, have an ever-growing group of of technicians and delivered a the signal strength is booming, people who have been trained course without deploying to the and I have heard some on it. Beyond that, it is clear USA, a first in many years. We genuinely good news from a few the immense hard work of have delivered Attack Aviation living in quarters on camp who all in the Force has paid huge mass effect, practised striking are seeing more respectable dividends. The Army, through targets deep in France without broadband connectivity. But, t is with mixed emotions its Divisional Warfighting stopping for fuel and, most more needs to be done and we that I write what will be ambitions, and particularly the recently, deployed a Squadron will continue to press. my last introduction to IRON RESOLVE, SPECULAR to the Baltic States as part of I deliberately have not I attributed any of the above to the Eagle. At time of writing, and WARFIGHTER exercises, NATO’s Enhanced Forward 3 full years has passed since I has been reminded of the Presence. I could go on and it is any units or individuals because took command and it seems centrality of our capability to its worth noting that, despite the they are all a result of the hard to have gone by in a blur of success. immense hard work required to work and commitment of not frenzied activity. The good As a snapshot of the last 3 do all of this, many others in just the front-line units but also news is that I will be replaced years, we have deployed aircraft Defence look on with envy at the civilian staff, contractors by Col Paul Hayhurst, who is no by Ro-Ro ferry to Oman for the the variety we achieve. and all of you who make this stranger to many of you. Having first time and stole the show in The home front has hardly stuff happen. Thank you for commanded both 663 Squadron a firepower demo on Ex SAIF stood still either. Although your unstinting support during and then 4 Regt AAC he is ideally SAREA. We have live fired in the base is significantly my time in command - it has placed to take the Force forward Jordan, fired Hellfire missiles fraying at the edges, proudly been an honour and privilege to and face the myriad of challenges at targets indicated by Wildcat displaying its 80-year history, serve as the commander for the over the coming years. reconnaissance helicopters off we have made some progress last 3 years. New Mobile Post Office Service at Wattisham new Mobile Post Office Opening times are Tuesday and has now been introduced Friday 2 pm to 4 pm.