INSIGHT BATTLE OF BRITAIN DINING IN NIGHT INSIGHTMAGAZINE 1 2 INSIGHTMAGAZINE INSIGHTMAGAZINE 3 INSIGHT Issue 5 2013 From the Editor… From Brammer to Bremner… There may have been some who have taken the time to minor confusion over the present articles highlighting Brammer/Bremner handover the diverse activities of service of the editor role of the Insight personnel, families and the Magazine, but I clearly have a community. The Insight team lot to thank Squadron Leader have been working hard to EDITORIAL TEAM: Brammer for, the last editorial ensure the magazine reflects [email protected] for a start. I am grateful for the spectrum of activities at RAF the vibrant and professional Waddington and we are always External Email: Use personal email addresses listed magazine that he and his team keen to receive articles, so please Tel: 01522 720271 (6706 Ext No.) have developed and hope to if you are organising an event or Editor: continue to ensure it meets the activity, send us some pictures needs of RAF Waddington and and an article, to let everyone Sqn Ldr Stewart Bremner the local community. know what you are up to. [email protected] Deputy Editor: As we enjoy the last few days Looking forward, there are of Summer it is clear from the more changes coming to the (Flt Lt) Heather Constantine wide range of articles that we Insight editorial team and we [email protected] have received, that the Station are all keen to ensure that the Assistant Deputy Editors: has had an extremely busy but magazine meets the needs rewarding few months. With of the readers. If you have (Sqn Ldr) Mark Brammer and (Flt Lt) Joey Marquet–Horwood continued support to enduring any feedback for the team Distribution: and contingency operations I please contact us at WAD- Corporal Stephen Calvert am extremely grateful to those [email protected]. Ext 6495 [email protected] Artwork: S Oliver Photography: Sgt Karl Whitelaw, Cpl Loz Platfoot, Cpl Sarah Draper, SAC Chris Davidson, SAC Lauren Pope, SAC Andy Stevens, SAC Ben Stevenson Advertising by: Jo Marchant Tel: 01536 526674 Designed by: Rosalyn Parry Tel: 01536 521126 Published by: Lance Publishing Ltd, 1st Floor, Tailby House, Bath Road,Kettering. NN16 8NL Tel: 01536 512624 On the cover Fax: 01536 515481 Battle Of Britain Dining In Night www.lancepublishing.co.uk Email: [email protected] Printed by: Lance Print Ltd 4 INSIGHTMAGAZINE 22 18 39 06 In this Issue… Station Commanders COMMUNITY MATTERS 28 EX BRILLIANT ARROW 06 Foreword 14 RAF WADDINGTON’S V (AC) WADDINGTON BRAVES EX HENDEUM 06 SQN WINS DACRE TROPHY 16 GREAT SUCCESS 32 BATTLE OF BRITAIN REFURBISHED CLIMBING EXERCISE 07 DINING IN NIGHT 18 WALL OPENS 34 NORMANDY EAGLE THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN RAF WADDINGTON RUGBY PUSH (ANOTHER) 500! 10 MEMORIAL FLIGHT 20 TOUR 2013 39 ALL CHANGE AT THE TOP RAF Waddington 54 SQN 97TH ANNIVERSARY 13 22 THROUGH THE AGES 41 REUNION WEEKEND The magazine is entirely funded by advertising and costs the Station nothing to produce. Insight is not an official publication and, unless otherwise stated, views expressed in this magazine do not necessarily represent MOD, RAF or Station policy. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the permission of the editor or publishers. Advertisements accepted on the understanding that they conform to the British Code of Advertising Practice. Insight is produced by kind permission of the Station Commander, RAF Waddington. INSIGHTMAGAZINE 5 Station Commander’s Foreword... Group Captain Al Gillespie Station Commander RAF Waddington’s V (Army Cooperation) Squadron WINS THE What a Dacre TropHY Summer…. The squadron which played a central role in supporting The tempo and variety of activity had been able to join us at such supported by RAF Waddington a formal function and I know French operations in Mali is really quite daunting. That we he was particularly proud to continue to deliver so much, so join in our commemoration of earlier this year has won the consistently and so successfully the courage and fortitude of is impressive in its own right but “the Few”. The Honorary Air relaunched Dacre Trophy. I don’t underestimate how much Commodore was delighted with of that success is based on the the evening although I have yet professionalism and ingenuity to gauge whether he was also of our team. It never ceases impressed with the stamina of to amaze me how seemingly some of the modern generation impossible tasks are achieved, who were still celebrating when against the odds - it genuinely he departed the next morning… is the people that make the difference. I am always pleased to see articles highlighting that force RAF Waddington is unique in development, adventurous that we host such a diverse, training, community support and sometimes disparate, range and sporting activities of cutting edge capabilities. It continue at RAF Waddington is often the case that these in parallel with the operational capabilities, and the extent commitments. These activities of our ongoing operational are key to the continuing commitment, are only fully development of our personnel understood here at Waddington and provide welcome respite so it seems natural that we between the operational should invest a significant commitments. They also provide amount of effort in hosting valuable support to service senior visitors from across families and engagement with Government and wider Defence the wider community, both vital to better their understanding to the continued success of of what we do and how we do the station. it. This engagement is vital if we are to maximise the effective As I approach the end of my employment of our battle- tenure as Station Commander, winning capabilities but also, and I can look back with immense really importantly in my view, it pride at the achievements of the has the positive side effect that Station. These achievements have our efforts are widely recognised. not been easy, they have relied upon the enduring commitment I was honoured to host our of our personnel, underpinned by Honorary Air Commodore, the support of our families and His Royal Highness the Earl of friends. It has been an honour Wessex, at our Battle of Britain to be part of such a varied and Dining-In Night in the Officers’ capable station, championing Mess. This was the first time ISTAR by consistently delivering on the Honorary Air Commodore operations in the UK and overseas. 6 INSIGHTMAGAZINE Presenting the prestigious Air Commodore Dacre was trophy to V (Army Cooperation) during the 1930s whose son Squadron at the RAF Leuchars Flight Lieutenant Kenneth airshow, Air Vice Marshal Stuart Fraser-Dacre was killed in 1943. Atha, Air Officer Commanding In his memory, the family No. 1 Group, praised its presented the RAF with the members’ efforts over what has bronze Dacre Trophy, which was been a busy 12 months. awarded most proficient fighter Squadron, annually, up until Air Vice Marshal Stuart Atha, 2005. Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Group said. “This recognises V V Squadron was a multiple Squadron’s contribution, not just winner of the Dacre Trophy in Afghanistan, which endures, in the 1970s when it flew but also at very short notice to Lightnings and the award Africa, where it was key to the recognised weapons proficiency. success the French enjoyed,” . The trophy was last presented in 2005 and this year retired Group The RAF Waddington-based Captain Phil Dacre agreed, on squadron has been flying behalf of his family, that it should Sentinel R1 aircraft carrying the be revived to recognise the best Airborne Stand Off Radar (ASTOR) squadron in No 1 Group. system over Afghanistan since 2008. In January 2013 it was He said: “I think it has a deeper deployed to assist French forces meaning as a result of this against Islamic insurgents in Mali, change and it is very appropriate RAF Waddington’s flying 66 sorties and generating that V Squadron should be the 100 intelligence reports as it first winners.” tracked insurgents fleeing French Officers’ Mess ground troops. Squadron member Flight Lieutenant Russ Power was Accepting the trophy, Squadron sure his colleagues appreciated Battle OF Leader Chris Setterfield said it winning the Dacre. “For someone meant a lot to everyone on the to say you’re doing a good job squadron. “It is an extra level of is quite nice,” he said. “It’s been a Britain recognition and a pat on the busy three years and the families back as we continue to work suffered the most - they deserve hard,” he said. it more than we do.” DINING IN Author Off Cdt Rob Taylor, 7644(VR) Sqn NIGHT referring to the monumental His Royal battle the Royal Air Force fought over Britain between the 10th Highness the July and 31st October 1940 defeating the German Luftwaffe Earl of Wessex and halting the planned invasion joins RAF of Britain. Station Commander RAF Waddington for Waddington Group Captain Al Gillespie said “It’s an honour Battle of Britain to host our Honorary Air Commodore His Royal Highness Dining In Night The Earl of Wessex at such a significant formal occasion which RAF Waddington Honorary we proudly hold each year to Air Commodore His Royal remember the sacrifice made Highness The Earl of Wessex during the Battle of Britain and was the guest of honour at RAF celebrate the freedom that Waddington’s Officers’ Mess this has afforded over the last Battle of Britain Dining In Night, 73 years”. a formal occasion held each year to commemorate the most Honorary Air Commodore is an important event in Royal Air honorary position bestowed by Force history. Her Majesty The Queen and is designed to strengthen the bond Since its formation 95 years ago, between the military unit and the RAF has continually defended the individual.