Honorary Branch President - Air Marshall Sir Christopher Coville KCB. BA. FCIPD. FRAeS. RAF, Rtd THE SOMERSET & DORSET BRANCH NEWS A branch of the Royal Air Force Regiment Association – a Charity Incorporated Organisation Registration Number – 1157881 Registered Office – Force Protection HQ, RAF Honington, Bury St Edmund, Suffolk, IP31 1EE Branch Meeting Place By courtesy of the Management, the Branch members and their Ladies are invited to meet at 10:45 for 11:00hrs on Sunday 4th June 2017 in the Snug (next to Hamiltons Tea Room) at Cricket St Thomas Hotel, Nr Chard. We extend our grateful thanks to the General Manager for willingly accepting our application and giving us freedom to enjoy the hotel facilities. Members are also welcome to enjoy a bar snack at lunchtime if pre-ordered, or to use the bar and catering services that can be found elsewhere in the establishment. We are allowed to hold a bi-monthly raffle of donated prizes and the Branch 100 Club is also drawn. Cricket St Thomas Hotel is well signposted (brown signs) from all directions and may be found on the A30 Chard to Crewkerne road. Sat Nav users should enter TA20 4DD. Somerset and Dorset Branch Honours RAF Regiment Founder Members With the RAF Regiment celebrating its 75th Anniversary the Branch decided that this celebration should not pass without recognition to our “old and bold”. The Branch has three founder members on its books and on Sunday 9th April a special presentation was made by the Branch to these members. One member, Leslie Racher was not contactable therefore unable to attend the presentation. The two RAF Regiment founder members present were Francis Allan Perry and Ronald Morey. Ronald and Mary Morey Allan and Maisy Perry 1 Honorary Branch President - Air Marshall Sir Christopher Coville KCB. BA. FCIPD. FRAeS. RAF, Rtd In support of this presentation the Branch was delighted that Air Cdr Andrew Neal AFC RAF (Rtd) could join us and represent the RAF Regiment and the Association. rd 1967 Commissioned into the RAF 1989 Posted to RAF Kinloss for 3 tour, Regiment. Joined No 26 Sqn RAF this time as Commanding Officer of Regt at Bicester, then posted as Adjt No 120 Sqn. Following the Iraqi of No 3 Wg at RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus invasion of Kuwait in August 1990, 1970 – 72. led the Nimrod deployment to Oman to conduct surveillance sorties in the 1974 On completion of navigator training Persian Gulf. Awarded the Air Force and conversion to Nimrod Maritime Cross in the Operation Granby Patrol Aircraft, returned to Honours List, and promoted to Mediterranean and joined No 203 Group Captain. Sqn based at RAF Luqa, Malta. 1992 Attended NATO Staff College, 1977 Returned to UK for first tour at RAF Rome, Italy. Kinloss as a Nimrod captain on No 1992 Returned to RAF Kinloss for fourth 120 Sqn. tour, this time as the Station 1979 On promotion to Squadron Leader, Commander. qualified as an RN Observer flying 1995 Attended Royal College of Defence Wessex and Sea King helicopters, Studies, London. and posted to Royal Navy base at Portland on exchange and 1996 Promoted to Air Commodore and instructional duties. appointed Air Officer Maritime Air at Joint RN/RAF Headquarters 1982 Posted to RAF Kinloss for second Northwood. tour, this time as a flight commander 1999 Appointed Director at Personnel on No 201 (Guernsey’s Own) Sqn. Management Agency Innsworth, Joined the RAF Association, at the responsible for the career planning Guernsey Branch, as a Life Member. for officers and airmen aircrew 1985 Attended Advanced Staff Course. throughout the RAF. 2001 Decided to leave the RAF on early 1986 Promoted to Wing Commander and joined Instructing Staff at RAF Staff retirement to move into the aerospace industry and joined Ultra College, Bracknell. Electronics as a Director. 2010 Retired for the second time to take up a number of non-executive director roles. 2011 Joined the Council of the RAF Benevolent Fund and represent the RAFBF on the Central Council of the RAF Association. 2 Honorary Branch President - Air Marshall Sir Christopher Coville KCB. BA. FCIPD. FRAeS. RAF, Rtd 1417583 Cpl Francis Allan Perry Cpl Perry was presented with an inscribed plate and stand plus an inscribed tumbler Military History: Cpl Perry joined as a Ground Gunner on 28th August 1941 and then the RAF Regiment in 1942. Cpl Perry underwent training at Penarth (Wales) and Winton (Bournemouth). On completion of training Cpl Perry was posted to RAF Linton-on-Ouse. Later Cpl Perry sailed from Liverpool and joined 251 Sqn situated between Alexandria and Cairo in Egypt. During his service Cpl Perry served in Palestine, Trans Jordan, Syria, Turkish border, Italy, Greece and Austria. Cpl Perry was demobbed on 31st December 1946. Decorations: Africa Star / Italy Star / 1939 – 1945 Star / 1939 – 1945 Defence Medal / 1939 – 1945 War Medal / 1941 – 1945 Greece Medal. Allan joined the Catterick Branch of the RAF Regiment Association in 1991 and then later transferred to the Somerset and Dorset Branch where he and his wife Maisie are active members. Allan and Maisie will be celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary this year 3 Honorary Branch President - Air Marshall Sir Christopher Coville KCB. BA. FCIPD. FRAeS. RAF, Rtd 1701297 LAC Ronald Morey LAC Morey was presented with an inscribed plate and stand plus an inscribed tumbler Military History: LAC Morey joined the RAF Regiment in August 1942 and completed his training at Blackpool and the Isle of Man. Subsequently LAC Morey was posted to 2728 Sqn at Gravesend and then later to Dover on defence duties. In 1943 LAC Morey was posted to 2734 Sqn Anti-aircraft unit at Headcorn with further postings to Hunsdon, Honiley, Odiham, Old Sarum, Fareham and Gosport. On 16th June 1943 LAC Morey landed at Juno Beach, took up defensive positions at Plumetol and then progressed into Germany. LAC Morey returned to the UK in July 1945 and in November 1945 sailed to India serving at Bombay, Karachi and Calcutta. LAC Morey returned to the UK in March 1947 and was demobbed. Decorations: 1939 – 1945 Star / France and Germany Star / 1939 – 1945 War Medal / 1939 – 1945 Defence Medal / Normandy Landings Medal / Canada and Allied Forces Medal. In May 2016 LAC Morey was decorated with the “Chevalier de l’Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur” presented to him by the French Consular. Ronald and Mary will be celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary in 2018 4 Honorary Branch President - Air Marshall Sir Christopher Coville KCB. BA. FCIPD. FRAeS. RAF, Rtd On completion of the AGM the Branch members were joined by members of Ronald’s and Allan’s families for the presentation. On completion of the presentation everyone enjoyed a Buffet prepared by Warners Cricket St Thomas. Specially made for the occasion Ronald and Allan cutting the cake A moment to treasure for the great grandchildren 5 Honorary Branch President - Air Marshall Sir Christopher Coville KCB. BA. FCIPD. FRAeS. RAF, Rtd Moments to treasure 6 Honorary Branch President - Air Marshall Sir Christopher Coville KCB. BA. FCIPD. FRAeS. RAF, Rtd A moment to treasure for the great grandchildren 7 Honorary Branch President - Air Marshall Sir Christopher Coville KCB. BA. FCIPD. FRAeS. RAF, Rtd Moments to treasure Issue 142 8 April 2017 Honorary Branch President - Air Marshall Sir Christopher Coville KCB. BA. FCIPD. FRAeS. RAF, Rtd Allen Perry talking to Air Cdr Neal and Branch Chairman Alec Hunt Why is Maisy sitting to attention? Ronald and Mary Morey talking to Air Cdr Neal Issue 142 9 April 2017 Honorary Branch President - Air Marshall Sir Christopher Coville KCB. BA. FCIPD. FRAeS. RAF, Rtd Family members of the Moreys Family members of the Perrys Master of Ceremonies – Lew Hall Issue 142 10 April 2017 Honorary Branch President - Air Marshall Sir Christopher Coville KCB. BA. FCIPD. FRAeS. RAF, Rtd AGM Minutes RAF Regiment Association Somerset & Dorset Branch Warners Cricket St Thomas – 9th April 2017 Dedication: Read by the Chairman. Apologies: None Members Present: A. Hunt - W&B Griffin - L. Hall – J&E Cossey K&J Perry – A&M Perry – G. Houghton – M&T Summers – R&T McKelvey R&M Morey. Minutes of The Last Meeting: These were read and accepted as a true account of the meeting. Verified and signed by the Chairman. Matters Arising: None. Chair’s Report: This year the Corp is celebrating its 75th anniversary and this branch is especially honoured to have two founding members of the RAF regiment – Allan Perry and Ronald Morey. In appreciation of their service to the regiment and to our country the branch through Air Cdr Andrew Neil AFC RAF (Rtd) will be making a presentation to our two esteemed members after the completion of the AGM. This year has been a steady year for the branch, however, sadly we have lost Stan Hendey and John Matthews. Recruiting new members has been an issue and through Lew Hall we have approached John Smart at the Bristol Branch asking them on their views with regards to amalgamating branches – we are waiting for their response. The annual reunion held at Warners Bodelwydden Castle was a success and my sincere thanks to everyone who was involved with the running of the reunion – additionally over that weekend we raised more than £500 for charity – which was no mean feat. The Christmas lunch was another success with 30 attending the lunch and 18 of us made a long weekend of it as well at Cricket St Thomas. Without the following my chairmanship would have been quite difficult, so my heartfelt thanks to Lew Hall (whom I relied on heavily for advice on regiment matters and his contribution in helping to plan the next reunion at Littlecote).