ROYAL AIR FORCE REGIMENT ASSOCIATION www.rafregt.org.uk BIRMINGHAM BRANCH – Branch Appeal Goodies for Our Injured Boys Page 2 Further Support for the RBL Page 2 “Poppy Day” by Amanda Prowse Page 2 GOODIES FOR OUR About the Authoress Page 3 – INJURED BOYS Page 2 The Authoress a Picture Page 3 Dedicated to Joe Ward ex-Regt Page 3 “Battle Back” “POPPY DAY” Page 3 Branch Birthdays Page 4 BY AMANDA PROWSE RAF Regiment News Page 4 Page 2 RAF Regiment hands at Kandahar to the Afghans Page 4 Armed Forces Minister Visits RAF Regiment Page 5 RAF REGIMENT NEWS Whalley boy travels to Italy to honour hero uncle Page 6 Page 4 Wing Commander G J (Gerry) Wilson MC Page 7 An Obituary Page 7 National Memorial Arboretum Update Page 8 £3 Million NATIONAL MEMORIAL National Memorial Arboretum gets Page 8 ARBORETUM UPDATE Air Loadmasters Remembered at NMA Page 8 Page 8 The Para who fell to earth and found art Page 9 Future Events at the NMA Page 9 FROM THE RAF REG.T From the RAF Regiment Secretary Page 10 Deaths Page 10 SECRETARY Page 10 Ex-Sergeant Royston Jones Page 10 Ex-LAC Arthur Paice Page 11 STOP PRESS: Ex-Wing Commander David Sharples Page 11 Page 12 New Notices Page 10 Corps Diary Dates Page 12 STOP PRESS: from the National Secretary Page 12 From the National Secretary Frank Xavier Page 12 “Straw Man Paper” issued 28th ‘11 Oct Page 13 Membership 1-11 Page 13 Add to these concerns Page 14 Solutions? A-F Page 14 – Have a history teacher explain this if he can! Page 15 Joke Time Page 15 Dates for Your Diary Page 16 Birmingham Branch Committee Page 16 “STRA W MAN PAPER” ON PAGE PLEASE READ THE The Best Fighters in the RAF 13 AND LET ME HAVE YOUR OPINIONS BY FRIDAY Operate on the Ground 23rd DECEMBER 2011 AT THE LATEST. THIS PAPER IS OF GREAT IMPORTANTANCE FOR THE FUTURE OF The Royal Air Force Regiment OUR ASSOCIATION SO PLEASE TAKE PART Ground-based specialists, NEWSLETTER NO: 269 protecting RAF assets from Politicians and their foibles Page 14 Letter to David Cameron PM Page 15 enemy attack. The Pa tNrioOtic RVetiEremMent BPlaEn R 2 011 Page 15 2 THE BIRMINGHAM BRANCH NEWSLETTER NUMBER 269 NOVEMBER 2011 1 Dear Readers. As a nation, we have a regard for the Goodies for our Injured Boys Armed Forces that is the highest it has been for It is most important that we remember the generations so please support Poppy Day, as part dangers that our young men and women serving of the RBL 90th anniversary year Poppy Appeal. “Poppy Day” on operations are all facing, so please remember by Amanda Prowse the appeal your Branch Committee have set up. “How far An original story of love and war Please send any donations you may wish to make, would you go to bring home the one you love? to the Branch Treasurer Tom Magee and he will “I love this book, Poppy Day had me crying one ’t put it down” pass them on to the right place. minute and laughing the next; I couldn We still need money for the injured lads - Carol Vorderman and lassies so see what you can do. It may be that ’s The book is moving and also very funny in due to the article that I published in last month places and it is a book that would appeal equally newsletter, some of you might have got the wrong to men and women. Every penny raised by this idea that we have stopped collecting money for book goes direct to helping the Battle Back centre our injured troops. Nothing could be further from at Lilleshaw which helps service personnel the truth. complete their rehabilitation following treatment We have stopped collecting for the at RAF Headley Court. Military Ward Welfare Fund as it has plenty of “How far would you go to bring home the one money. We are still collecting money for the you love? This is the question posed in this further support of our injured troops. contemporary love story that spans half the globe However, it will be no good if we forget from East London to Afghanistan. Poppy Day is all about them after they leave Selly Oak Hospital a twenty one year old hairdresser, devoted to her or Headley Court, for those badly injured may husband Martin and blessed with a sunny need support and or assistance for the rest of their disposition. lives. The Royal British Legion is the best option ’s Martin is the one constant in her life, her for this and this year our new Lord Mayor “Home for the Brave Appeal” is the best one for protector and best friend since they were six, but when Martin joins the army, in search of us to support this year. fulfillment and a better life for them, things take a Further support for the RBL dramatic turn. Martin and Poppy are an The following article is about a new book ‘ordinary’ couple who find themselves in an “Poppy Day” – called no not that one, a fictitious extraordinary situation, when Martin is taken young lady called Poppy Day instead, and hostage while on tour in Afghanistan. although the publicity material says that it will Battling against army culture and appeal to both men and women, I have the feeling procedure, Poppy decides to try and bring her that my wife will love it. ‘Mart’ home herself and enlists the help of Miles, As all the proceeds from this book will go “Battle Back Centre” which a journalist, in favour with various Middle Eastern to helping the terrorist organisations. Frustrated by a bungled rehabilitates would ex-service men and women, rescue mission, Poppy uses deception to jump on please help this worthwhile cause by buying the a plane to try and find her husband. book. It is printed by the Royal British Legion Fuelled by naivety, she feels that nothing and every penny raised will be donated to them. is impossible when doing it for the man she loves. Add to this the fact that you will be Her journey forces her to pay a very high price … helping service personnel who have experienced and incurs some heartbreaking consequences ‘Poppy Day’ gives an insight into life life changing injuries in Afghanistan to get their ’s like to be lives back to normal, and you have a package beneath the uniform, a peek at what it which will capture the hearts and imagination of the one left at home, ticking off the days until everyone who reads it. your loved one returns and what happens when 3 there is the knock on the door that every forces organisations that they belong to. Every book … wife, husband, mother, father or lover dreads sold helps a wounded serviceman take a step ABOUT THE AUTHORESS closer to getting his life back on track. The An army wife writing about an army wife, authoress Amanda will be visiting Camp Amanda lives in Bristol with her husband Simeon BASTION with Carol Vorderman MBE who and two boys Josh and Ben. She started writing wrote the foreword and Mr Russell Thompson in earnest four years ago, having always OBE, who is the Director of National Events and obsessively crafted short stories and scribbled Fundraising for the Royal British Legion, to ’s, partners and notes for potential books. promote the role of service spouse ’s novels follow the theme of Amanda families in conjunction with the excellent work of ordinary women in extraordinary situations and the Legion. While they are there, they will visit explore how human nature reacts when RAF Regiment personnel and I am hoping to have individuals are tested to the very edge of their pictures and stories from them to publish in later limits. newsletters. The Authoress Amanda Prowse Battle Back For the second year in succession and on 12 previous occasions, Joint Service Parachute Centre Weston-On-The-Green (JSPC (W)) has hosted the Battle Back programme. The Battle Back programme was launched in 2008. It is not a charity - it is an MOD initiative based at DMRC Headley Court. It exists to ensure that the seriously injured have access to the same opportunities in sport and adventurous training that are currently available to the able bodied. www.poppyday.co.uk Its aims are to identify, facilitate and encourage adaptive Adventurous Training (AT) Amanda is married to Major Simeon and Sport opportunities for wounded Service Prowse MBE, who has served for 26 years and is personnel. The objectives of the programme are currently training soldiers to deploy on Op to introduce and integrate our wounded heroes Herrick with the land warfare centre in into a variety of Adventurous Training disciplines. Warminster. Simeon has been deployed on 8 As part of the remit at JSPC (W) the Battle operational tours including Northern Ireland, The Back students are trained parallel to the Joint Balkans and Middle East; he has been honoured Services Adventurous Training (JSAT) Basic, with 9 medals. Intermediate and Advanced Freefall Parachute The book has been published and is courses on a 6-week rotation. Each Battle Back available on www.amazon.co.uk in paperback for £4.50 and Kindle for £4.02. student arrives with a full medical certification It can also be ’s and Waterstone’s from the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Unit, obtained from Sainsbury ’s Headley court (DMRC) and after 20-minute bookshop. It is part of this year Royal British parachutists brief, they are escorted to waiting Legion Official Poppy Appeal in their 90th aircraft before being securely attached to their Anniversary year.