The City of London Squadron Association
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600 Praeter Sescentos “THE RIGHT OF THE LINE” 600 (City of London) Squadron RAuxAF Association Newsletter Patron: The Viscount Trenchard of Wolfeton Affiliated Members; 601 & 604 Squadron Associations. Patron: The Viscount Trenchard of Wolfeton December 2011 Editorial Welcome to the Christmas 2011 edition. Well, I would like to start with a BIG thank you to all of you who have sent me articles for inclusion in the newsletter over the last 12 Months – thank you, it is your material that keeps the newsletter packed and I couldn’t easily do it without you. The Association really does appreciated all your contributions, so please do keep your memories and stories coming folks as this is what helps me produce such bumper editions. Those of you who sent me photographs, thank you – you will notice I use them all and they then go into the archive. These really are wonderful as they help boost the archive, so many many thanks. Thanks as usual for another fantastic articles from the Author and Historian, Ian White. Ian has written another is a series of special articles based upon aircraft types used by our Squadrons which is really interesting. Ian is also writing a good many of the profiles. Many thanks for Ian’s very kind & continuing support and his very interesting articles. This edition also features details about our exciting new web site – so read on! Big thanks has to go to Mr John Wheeler for his technical expertise & brilliance for getting us this far. This is very much a work in progress so keep checking in as we build on it. As usual, we are still particularly interested in receiving any photo’s records etc. please as we still have some big gaps in our history to fill. We have a good deal of Squadron archive but are missing huge chunks from the war years. Any photos etc. will be well taken care of, copied and returned safely, so please have a dig and send me all you have! All items will be very gratefully received, and taken great care of. On behalf of the Association, may I wish you all a very happy & peaceful Christmas & a healthy and prosperous 2012. 1 Obituaries We will try to keep this up to date, but sadly we can only report the passing of old friends and colleagues if we are told about it. Since our last Newsletter, we are sorry to report the loss of the following; Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham of the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team (the Red Arrows). It is with sadness that the MOD must confirm the death of Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham of the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team (the Red Arrows). Flight Lieutenant Cunningham was killed when he was ejected from his Hawk T1 aircraft on the morning of Tuesday 8 November 2011. A full Service Inquiry will investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident. Red 5 – Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham, 35, was born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, and moved to the UK in 1986 at the age of nine. Although a profession in football was a possibility, Sean followed his dream to become fast jet pilot in the Royal Air Force. Sean attended Ernesford Grange School in Coventry during which time he qualified for his Private Pilot Licence at the age of 17. He went on to read Electrical & Electronic Engineering at Nottingham Trent University and completed his Elementary Flying Training as a member of East Midlands University Air Squadron. Joining the Royal Air Force in 2000 Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham was selected for Fast Jet Training. On completion of his flying training, Sean was posted to the Tornado GR4 aircraft serving on 617 ‘The Dambusters’ Squadron at Royal Air Force Lossiemouth. During his three years on the Squadron, Sean completed several operational tours of Iraq as part of Operation TELIC, flying close air support missions for Coalition ground forces. After completing exercises in America, Canada, Romania and France, Sean joined XV (R) Squadron as a Qualified Pilot and Tactics Instructor. Sean continued his instructional role when posted to the Weapon System Officer (WSO) Training Unit at 100 Squadron, Royal Air Force Leeming before being selected to fly for the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team (the Red Arrows) 2010. Flight Lieutenant Cunningham’s family, Father Jim, Mother Monika & Sister Nicolette said: “Sean was first and foremost a much-loved son and brother who will be dearly missed by all of his family, and his many good friends. Since his childhood Sean had dreamed of flying fast jets in the Royal 2 Air Force; through his hard work and dedication he achieved that dream, and the pinnacle of his career was to fly in the Red Arrows. Sean loved his flying and we hope that his life will be an inspiration to all those who share his dreams. His fun-loving nature has never failed to put a smile on the faces of those who knew and loved him; this is how he will be remembered. We ask that the media please allow us the time and space required to come to terms with what has happened” The Rt Hon Phillip Hammond MP, Secretary of State for Defence said: “It was with great sadness that I heard of the death of Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham. He was clearly a gifted pilot who served his country with honour and distinction throughout his career in the Royal Air Force. As a Red Arrow, Flt Lt Cunningham was regarded as among the most talented aviators in the world. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this terrible time." Air Officer Commanding Number 22(Training) Group, Air Vice-Marshal Mike Lloyd said: “The Red Arrows personify the teamwork, professionalism and excellence that is common-place throughout the Royal Air Force and Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham demonstrated each of these values on a daily basis. His contribution to the Service as an aviator in the Tornado GR4 Force, as a Red Arrows Pilot and as an officer has been outstanding. Sean will be missed by all and our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.” Group Captain Simon Blake, the Commandant of the RAF's Central Flying School, said: “Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham joined the team in October 2010 and flew for his first year as Red 3. This year, Sean had commenced training as Red 5 and was the senior member of the ‘front 5’ affectionately known as ‘Enid’, and thus had the unofficial mantle of ‘Uncle Enid’– a key position in mentoring and helping to train the new pilots to the team. His constant smile, energy, and joie de vivre was infectious and he will be sorely missed by his fellow pilots, the entire Red Arrows team and his many colleagues and friends in the wider Royal Air Force. Our heartfelt sorrow and sympathy go out to his family and all those whose lives he touched”. 3 Military Quotations "I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat. You ask, what is our policy? I say it is to wage war by land, sea, and air. War with all our might and with all the strength God has given us, and to wage war against a monstrous tyranny never surpassed in the dark and lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy. You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word. It is victory. Victory at all costs - Victory in spite of all terrors - Victory, however long and hard the road may be, for without victory there is no survival." - Winston Churchill (in his initial speech as Prime Minister to the House of Commons 10 May 1940) …………………………….. "It is a good thing for an uneducated man to read books of quotations" - Winston Churchill: My Early Life (1930) ch. 9. ……………………………… "Never in the face of human conflict has so much been owed by so many to so few." - Winston Churchill ...................................... "The power of an air force is terrific when there is nothing to oppose it." - Winston Churchill ………………………………… Never give in--never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy. -Winston Churchill ……………………………………… 4 600 (City of London) Squadron RAuxAF News Sep-Dec 2011 600 Sqn Update from Wg Cdr Crossman, OC 600 Sqn By the time you read this I will be a distant memory (hopefully not a blot on the landscape) of 600 Squadron. Since the last edition the Squadron personnel have been as busy as ever with mobilisations continuing alongside training and the annual Field Training Exercise being undertaken at Bramley Training Area. The articles provided by Squadron personnel give an insight into some of the activities undertaken. During my 2 year tenure I have endeavoured to channel the professionalism and enthusiasm of the personnel that are both part time and full time members of the Squadron and provide them the leadership and a structure and organisation to allow them to unleash their potential. I think we have moved on considerably although we are constantly striving to improve and will continue to do so. Looking back, I have enjoyed my time meeting and working with such an incredible, eclectic bunch of people both on the Sqn and within the Association. I wish you all every success for the future and look forward to seeing you all again perhaps if I am invited to cross to the ‘other side’ and join your Association ranks.