Changi-ite and the RAFCA committee wish members and their families peace, goodwill and happiness this Christmas and throughout the coming year RAF CHANGI ASSOCIATION including HQ FEAF December 2016 Issue No. 62 RAF Changi Association (Including HQ FEAF) Founded May 1996 The aim of the RAF Changi Association is to bring together all those who were stationed at RAF Changi (including HQ FEAF) Singapore, in order to renew old friendships and make new ones. www.rafchangi.com Chairman/Archivist: John Dicks 4 Langley Crescent, Kings Langley, Herts. WD4 8EW. Tel: 01923 400221 • [email protected] Founding Member/Newsletter Distributor: Mike James 12 Shiners Elms, Yatton, Bristol BS49 4BY. Tel: 01934 833170 • [email protected] Secretary: Pat Holt 14 Burrowfields, Basingstoke, Hants RG22 4XJ. Tel: 01256 477253 • [email protected] Treasurer: Richard Collins 115 Station Road, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex CM0 8HQ. Tel: 01621 785096 [email protected] Newsletter Editor: Les Davies 4 The Bryceway, Liverpool L12 3HJ. Tel: 0151 228 9874 • [email protected] Membership Secretary: Malcolm Flack 14 Highfield Close, Amersham, Bucks. HP6 6HG. Tel: 01494 728562 • [email protected] Publicity/Press Officer: Brian Lloyd 32 Redwood, Burnham, Bucks. SL1 8JN. Tel: 01628 661005 • [email protected] Webmaster: Tony Holt 14 Burrowfields, Basingstoke, Hants RG22 4XJ. Tel: 01256 477253 • [email protected] Regalia Officer: Dolores James 12 Shiners Elms, Yatton, Bristol BS49 4BY. Tel: 01934 833170 • [email protected] Almoner/Medal Adviser: David Haylock 37 Pierces Hill, Tilehurst, Reading, Berks. RG31 6RB. Tel: 01189 425753 [email protected] Reunion Liaison Officer: Peter Mersh 24 Asher Reeds, Langton Green, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN3 0AN. Tel: 01892 862643 [email protected] Liaison Officers Iberia: Brian Morgan Tel: 0034 952 196446 • [email protected] Australia: David A. Wood Tel: 0061 2 8338 9103 • [email protected] New Zealand: Brian Churcher Tel: 0064 7 549 4230 • [email protected] © RAF Changi Association. No part of this Newsletter may be reproduced in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without the prior written or verbal consent of the chairman or secretary. Changi-ite Newsletter 2 December 2016 Chairman/Archivist’s Report By the time you read this, Remembrance Sunday will have Editorial passed, but I am pleased to be able to inform you that this year the THE RAF Changi “Units of the Far East Air Force” group managed to raise twenty-four Association’s members to march down Whitehall and past the Cenotaph. founder, Mike In this group were six members from the Changi Association, James, has deci- with the remainder coming from the Seletar Association and the Butterworth and ded it’s time, on health Penang Association. I personally think this will have been my last time since my knees grounds, to terminate his are beginning to complain! role as RAFCA’s Reunion However, I would be pleased if more of you could volunteer to march next year, Coordinator. Please accept our and I can assure you that it is a very moving and worthwhile experience. A full report thanks, Mike, for all the on the day will be in the Spring Newsletter. hours and effort you have You will possibly be aware that our membership numbers are gradually falling, and contributed over the years! new members becoming increasingly difficult to find. At the next committee meeting Future responsibility for we will be discussing the implications of this problem, and how it could possibly affect the post has been delegated the number of mini-reunions that we are able to organise in the future. to Peter Mersh (M1768) We appreciate that it is a good time to meet up with acquaintances and ‘shoot the and we wish him well in his bull’ about the good times we all had at Changi, but it’s quite a big job sending out the new undertaking. Peter’s invitations, etc. and then witness only a few turning up; but having said that, I would contact details appear on page 2 of this issue. hate to see these gatherings disappear altogether. The article War or Things remain much the same with the archives. Pictures and items of memorabilia Emergency by Albert Peters continue to arrive, which keeps me busy, so keep them coming; they are much in the last issue prompted appreciated by all and sundry. much discussion, both In closing, and bearing in mind that I will not be conversing with you until 2017, I verbal and written. A sequel would like to wish you, and your families a very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy to the saga from Denis and Prosperous New Year. Kindest regards. John Dicks Barclay (M124) is included in this month’s letters pages. The topic certainly provided food for thought! May I wish all our Membership Secretary’s Report members and their families a memorable Christmas and There has been very little activity of enquiries from potential new a very Happy New Year. members since my last report in the summer, which has meant that Les Davies my records show that the year looks like ending with roughly only 45 enquiries which will have produced around 24 new members. Contents This might be what we have to accept as we are all ageing very Committee Reports ..........3/4 fast nowadays. Nevertheless, with the aid of the latest technology there is out there, Changi Air Display ..............4 perhaps those of you who have managed to master it, must often have seen words like Postcards from the Past........5 “I served at Changi”, so I am hoping you will try to pass on some words of A Long Time Ago .............6/7 encouragement about us and our aims and existence which long-term may help the Odyssey To Singapore .........8 longevity of the association. Moxey’s Changi Murals........9 In the meantime we have sadly learnt of the passing of 14 members (including two Searchline .....................10 previous members) since my last report. The current membership stands at 950 as at RNZAF Bristol Freighter.......11 22nd October 2016. Your Letters.........12/13/14/15 May I remind members that Subs are due on the 1st January next (see the Christmas Letter to the CO...16 Mini Reunions..................17 remittance slip in with this edition) and always a prompt remittance will be appreciated Stanley Warren ............18/19 from those who pay by cheque etc., so I can pay them in early in the new year. Those Obituaries......................19 who pay by Standing Order only need to just check that the correct date of payment is New Members/Events ........20 in place which overall will enable me to complete the renewals smoothly. So, as always, do keep in touch and the association aims are and still is to keep the memories of ‘Changi’ alive. I send my personal best wishes to all members. Malcolm Flack December 2016 3 Changi-ite Newsletter Blasts from the past Secretary’s Report Cards continue to be sent out to members who are ill and A ‘white lie’ they do seem to enjoy receiving them. Please let me have details of items for inclusion on aided mercy the Agenda for the next AGM. These must be received at mission least ONE month prior to the meeting so that the committee can give answers on the day. AN R.A.F. doctor, who recently parachuted into Christmas Island in answer to an SOS, said on his return Mike James (Founding Member) to Singapore yesterday that, but for a I would like to inform all members who have attended the ‘white lie’, his plane would probably Annual Reunions, which I had the pleasure of coordinating not have reached its destination. over the past few years that, due to my health, I am standing He is Flg. Off. John Wilkinson of down from the position with immediate effect. I would like the RAF jungle rescue team. e SOS to take this opportunity to thank everyone in the Association was from Dr. John Blay, the only for all their support. I really took great pleasure in seeing everyone smiling doctor on the Island, whose English and having a great time. For me, that was enjoyment in itself. I understand wife had become dangerously ill in that Peter Mersh (M1768) is to take over the honour as Reunion Coordinator childbirth. Flg. Off Wilkinson said in the future. I hope he has as much enjoyment as I had holding and that his plane had to stop in Jakarta organising the events. Many thanks. on the way out to refuel but the Indonesian authorities at first refused to supply petrol. Memories of a Changi Air Display “It was only when they were told that the patient was an ‘American’ that ITH a deafening roar the RAF they agreed to let us refuel,” he added. WBeverley transport plane put down on Flg. Off. Wilkinson said that when the runway, settling like a butterfly on a he eventually arrived at the hospital in buddleia and taxied to its designated holding Christmas Island Dr. Blay had spot. Rolling to a stop, the huge doors at the brought his wife through the crisis. rear below the twin tailplanes opened like a giant clam. From the cavernous cargo hold, down the ramp marched a squadron of musicians, their instruments glinting like jewels, wearing white Happy Christmas! pith helmets as if on safari in the African bush. is was the Far East Air Force Band playing a stirring marching tune as they took up position under the recently erected canopy. From there, shaded from the burning sunshine incidental music accompanied the events that followed for the rest of the day.