Insight - Winter 2022

INSIGHT INSIGHT WINTER 2022

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A BUSY YEAR FOR LINCS & NOTTS AIR AMBULANCE

2022 is set to become the busiest year on record since the Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance (LNAA) began its operations in 1994. Already the number of incidents attended are eight per cent higher than the same time last year, which was LNAA’s busiest year to date.

This increase is set to rise further, for the helicopter which until last month flew from 7am to 10pm, has increased its flying capabilities and is now able to fly through the night until 2am, the only fully night capable air ambulance in the entire East Midlands region.

So far, the doctor-paramedic crew have responded to 1,413 missions, a stark reminder of the need for LNAA. And the team know that without the support of the people of Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire, they would not be able to deliver such a dedicated and life-saving service.

LNAA receives no direct Government funding for its day-to-day operations. Yet, it needs to raise £8 million this year to deliver its life-saving service every hour of the day.

Buying one of our Virtual Gifts this Christmas is a wonderful way to purchase a thoughtful gift for a loved one and donate to this vital service at the same time. All proceeds will help LNAA continue its vital work providing emergency medical treatment at some of the most serious and time critical 999 calls.

In this issue… INSIGHT

Winter 2022

From the Editor…

Sqn Ldr Sam Haley

Welcome to the Winter edition of Insight and InsightOnline.

2022 seems to have passed in a flash as I write this for the final edition of the year, and my final edition as Editor. During my tour, it has been great to read all of your articles and review the broad range of activity that the Stn takes part in over the four seasons and editions. I would like to thank Flt Lt Dan Hopkinson who has been the deputy Editor for considerable time, and the foundation to keeping Insight’s standards as high as possible. I will be handing over to Sqn Ldr Stu Lennox for the next edition starting early 2023, and I am confident he will continue to drive improvements and innovations to keep the magazine relevant. Should you have any suggestions for changes, improvements or enhancements, please send them to Stu and the team at WADInsightEditorialTeam@mod.gov.uk

As discussed during the last issue, we continue to promote sustainable living and a move towards digital. The physical number of copies will reduce this edition with more links available online through home pages and SharePoint. But the awesome InsightOnline page will continue as always to allow you access to RAF Waddington articles. In addition, RAFmags.co.uk hosts both Insight Online and a whole host of other Stn magazines for your perusal and comparison!

We hope you enjoy the final edition of the year and look forward to receiving your articles in the new year for the first of 2023.

EDITORIAL TEAM:

WAD-InsightEditorialTeam@mod.gov.uk

External Email:

Use personal email addresses listed Tel: +44 (0)1522 726704

Editor: Sqn Ldr S Haley WAD-InsightEditorialTeam@mod.gov.uk

Deputy Editor: Flt Lt D.J Hopkinson daniel.hopkinson524@mod.gov.uk

Designer: Amanda Robinson

Advertising by: Jayne Bailey Tel: 01536 334 219

Published by: Lance Media Group Ltd, 1st Floor, Tailby House, Bath Road, Kettering, Northamptonshire NN16 8NL

01536 334 222

Printed by: Micropress

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.

Station Commander’s Foreword...

Gp Capt Mark Lorriman-Hughes

visit the heritage centre, 51 Sqn and the old ATC tower during their time here at RAF Waddington.

51 Sqn History Corner

In this edition the History Corner will focus on one of 51 Sqn’s former members, Air Gunner (and POW) Albert Gunn, who sadly passed away recently. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time.

Here is Albert’s story.

Welcome to the Winter edition of the Station magazine to close out 2022. As the year comes to an end, it’s a great opportunity to look back and see how much we have achieved over the past 12 months. I write as we have recently celebrated a number of partnerships and success, with the Waddington Awards, Industry Day and a visit from the Honorary Air Cdre HRH the Earl of Wessex KG GCVO ADC. He met a wide range of personnel on Station and I’m sure there will be some articles and pictures in the New Year edition of Insight. This edition is crammed full of history. 51 Sqn have written about Albert Gunn, a former POW who recently passed away, but with an incredible story he leaves behind. XIII Sqn have written about the Whisky Hotel 799 shoot down during a reconnaissance patrol; believed to be the last Air to Air loss by the service during conflict. We also were pleased to host the Veterans of the Cosford Royal Aeronautical Society who were able to

As we head into the festive period, Sophie Broady who is a mental health nurse working with XIII Sqn, has provided some really useful information on how to make the most of your time off and money during the winter break. Importantly and often forgotten or disregarded, she has offered some advice on self-care and ensuring we take care of our own wellbeing.

As a front-line operational Station, Christmas will be different for many of us. The Station continues to lean heavily into ops and this will carry on regardless of what the rest of the country are doing. It’s worth remembering that our roles, the tasks we undertake and support we offer both at home and overseas contribute to a level of freedom that everyone enjoys. Be it COVID support last winter to military assistance to the civil authorities, flying sorties, PED’ing data and imagery plus all the support functions, which keep a busy station running. This work goes a long way to supporting our international partners and protecting the UK and its people, 365 days a year.

Thank you for your sterling efforts through an incredibly successful year at RAF Waddington and best wishes to you and your families for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Albert was from Kirkaldy and just after turning 18, he signed up to the RAF as an Air Gunner. On receiving his call-up papers, he reported to the aircrew reception centre at Lords Cricket Ground. On completion of his three week initial training he continued through various stages of training at places including Bridlington, Bridgnorth, Dalcross and Ricall before being posted to 51 Sqn in October 1943 at RAF Snaith.

Albert conducted operational sorties throughout November and December 1943, until the night of 29th December when his aircraft did not make it home. It was a Bombing run on Berlin in tail number JD264, and having climbed to around 15,000ft over the Netherlands,

the aircraft came under attack from a German fighter with Albert returning fire. Not long after this, the outer starboard engine started to lose power so was shut down. Soon after, the inner starboard engine had the same issue so the decision was made to turn around and make for home. They were well inside German territory and despite jettisoning the entire load, the aircraft could not maintain altitude. When the inner port engine also started to lose power the decision was made to abandon the aircraft. While making his way through the fuselage, Albert put on his parachute but the straps had already come away, which should only happen when the chute is deployed. He did what he could to repack the material and held the whole lot against his chest. As he went through the cockpit he noticed the altimeter was reading 2,000ft. Ensuring he had the parachute handle in one hand, and holding the pack as tightly as he could, he dropped out of the escape hatch and once clear of the aircraft he pulled the handle, and after a jerk, began to fall gently through the cloud. He thought he could hear the aircraft coming back around but it was actually in a dive which ended in an explosion.

On landing in a field, Albert started to head away from the crash site as quickly as possible, going through the gardens of a village and down the country lanes. He realised he was being followed, and despite his best efforts, was captured by a German guard. Albert was taken to a local shop, and the owner’s daughter was woken to try and ask Albert questions in English. Albert gave nothing away and so was taken to the local police station and then to a Luftwaffe aerodrome.

Albert during training.

Photo taken by the Germans, on arrival at Stalag IVB.

On New Year’s Day he was put on the Berlin-Frankfurt Express to be taken to the Dulag Luft interrogation camp. He spent a number of days here, going through a routine of interrogations and cell time, and despite the best efforts of the interrogators which included using fake Red Cross documents and threats of being taken to the Gestapo headquarters, he gave nothing away.

Albert was then moved to Stalag IVB which is where he would stay until the end of his captivity. Initially located in a hut which was 90% army, he had his flying boots taken and issued with a kind of wooden sandal. Due to the weather he quickly developed frostbite, so medical assessment and issue of boots from the Red Cross were required. When the camp managed to hide a fellow POW the day before he was due to go on trial all of the RAF were taken out of the block, individually identified and then all re-housed into a separate area of the camp (the

hidden individual was never found by the Germans). Into April 1945, Albert stated that excitement was growing within the camp having heard how the war was progressing on their contraband wireless radio and also by seeing the number of allied aircraft conducting raids on the increase. There was one occasion where the billet Albert was in, was strafed by two American Mustangs, who had mistakenly attacked a POW working party and for some reason carried on firing through the camp (fortunately nobody was injured).

On Monday 23rd April 1945, everybody woke up to find the Germans had abandoned the camp, and a lone Russian horseman arrived to issue orders to the Russian POWs then left. The next few days were spent venturing out to try and scavenge whatever was available in the local area, but with the Russians advancing on the camp, the decision was made to leave on 6th May. Despite making it to the village of Riesa just over the Elbe River, Russian forces soon arrived and rounded up all of the Allied POWs and placed them in an ex-German Panzer barracks with no beds and just enough room for everybody to sleep on the floor. Albert was here until 23rd May when American Army lorries arrived to transport everybody to Halle Airfield near Leipzig, and two days later flown to Brussels, then to Oakley before getting on a train to Cosford for medicals, new kit and issue of travel warrants. The next day, Albert made it home.

A far more detailed account of Albert’s story, told in his own words, can be found in the book “Last of the Kriegies”.

Blue Skies, Sgt Gunn.

Scotty's Little Soldiers

Scotty’s is currently providing a range of emotional health and wellbeing support to hundreds of bereaved Forces children and young people across the UK. One of the biggest challenges faced by bereaved children is the sense of isolation, with many feeling like no one understands how they feel. Just by being a Member of Scotty’s, children and young people form a caring community with hundreds of others who have also experienced the death of a parent who served for the British Armed Forces.

Scotty member Austen, aged 10yrs said, “knowing Scotty’s is there for me means a lot. I feel really looked after, and I know that I’m being cared for. The activities they organise help me forget everything bad that is going on.”

Your support means that we can continue providing support to children like Austen on a long -term basis. Thank you for your part in helping us to support bereaved British Forces children and young people.

Best wishes,

Sgt Albert Gunn in front of a 51 Sqn Halifax at RAF Snaith.

Nikki & Everyone at Scotty's Little Soldiers.

51 Sqn Flying log for the night JD264 crashed.

Ex Camino Eagle – Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela

Arriving at Gatwick airport at shortly after 0200hrs on a Saturday (17th) morning with little more than a copy of the Joining instructions and my passport I embarked on the third iteration of Ex Camino Eagle.

What was Ex Camino Eagle? The mission in the JI’s was for personnel to develop individual spiritual, mental and physical resilience whilst also expanding personal awareness, develop emotional intelligence and interpersonal communication skills as well as an aid in recovery for service personnel, these are all key attributes for all ranks of all professions to attain and many are not necessarily developed outside of the force development (FD) environment, so Ex Camino Eagle seemed to be the best FD to attend to continue development of these attributes, plus it was in Spain!

How? We a group of 18 individuals from across all professions were to walk around 100km over 5 days of the Camino de Santiago ‘the way of St. James’; this would be the minimum distance required to qualify for the Camino Compostela - the Compostela is the original religious

certificate written in Latin, expended by the Church when pilgrims prove they have either walked 100km or cycled (or travelled on horseback) 200km to Santiago de Compostela at the end of our journey.

The Camino de Santiago is a large network of ancient pilgrim routes stretching across Europe and coming together at the tomb of St. James (Santiago in Spanish) in Santiago de Compostela

in north-west Spain. Some of these routes even start in England but as we landed in Santiago and were bussed to Ourense, this would be the start of the pilgrimage for us. After our mandatory in brief from the DS and the Padres we were free to explore the local town as we would not start walking until the next day, many of us were unknown to each other but this was quickly rectified after

some tapas and cerveza and like many situations in the military we quickly began to form friendships and bonds.

We began on Sunday the walk from Ourense to Cea, we initially set off in a group walking out of the town into the local area, no maps were required and we had to just follow the markers, safe to say all did not go to plan and quickly we were all

going in different directions, but somehow eventually everyone made their way out of Ourense into the local countryside on the correct route. I spent much of the morning walking by myself, it was nice to be away from the hustle and bustle of urban life. We would periodically stop at set locations in order for everyone to check in and meet up before being released again, plus this would offer the ideal opportunity to get a stamp for your pilgrimage passport, which would be the evidence required for the completion scroll at the end.

Monday was to be a strange day for us as individuals and as a group as we were only to walk for a few hours in the morning prior to watching the Queens funeral in the hotel in Lalin. Despite being away we all felt we wanted to be a part of this and so did many of the locals who joined us in this solemn occasion. Tuesday and Wednesday followed a similar theme as Sunday; we walked for around 20km through the picturesque Spanish countryside visiting small tavernas along the way whilst being able to reflect either as an individual or within a group setting.

Thursday, our goal was in sight the city of Santiago de Compostela which has welcomed pilgrims from all over the world for more than 1,200 years. The final 20km transitioned from the rural Spain we had all become accustomed to over the last few days to the sprawling city, but the route still provided postcard views including vine covered roads providing shade from the midday sun. We all congregated at a small taverna just outside of the center of

Santiago so we could all finish our pilgrimage together.

Once the last person had arrived, we all walked together to Santiago de Compostela cathedral, the reputed burial place of St James the Great, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ and the end of our journey. When we arrived in the square, we were just a small group of 18 there were hundreds of people of all ages also completing their pilgrimage from all over the world; countries such as Argentina, Mexico, the Philippines and the USA were all represented.

Over the next day we received our Camino Compostela from the Padres who had accompanied us through our journey whilst in the setting of the Hospederia San Martin de Pinario, a 16th century monastery, which was also our hotel for two nights, a truly unforgettable experience whilst in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Santiago de Compostela (Old Town). We returned to Gatwick and our respective units on Saturday morning.

Our iteration of this exercise was a huge success offering all personnel within the RAF a chance to relax and decompress whilst taking part in physical activity with guidance (spiritual or not, if you wanted to seek it out) and be in an environment where all are equal, something which is rare in the military. Regardless of religion or being someone who does not believe or still undecided. I would thoroughly recommend this to all our personnel.

AS1 John Downing Crossbow Flight, 1ISR Sqn

Running Club Summer 2022 Season Round Up

The Running Club has been involved with both the Local League and RAF races across the summer season and has had some success in both.

The Lincs Services Running League (LSRL) is made up of the local RAF and Army Stations and this season consisted of six races of mostly road courses at various bases in the local area.

We had a busy first month with four races held in June. This included a race, combined with the CO’s Cup and included the chance to run on the taxiway and the long drag up the runway, albeit with the prevailing wind at your back. By combining it we were able to dramatically add to the points tally as all runners score points towards the team prize, so if you only took part in one race this year you still added to Waddington’s score.

The hot period of weather meant several cancellations or delays to races and it was August before we ran again with the race at Wittering also being the RAF 10Km Championships, which was a great chance to see some of the top RAF runners sprinting off into the distance and achieving some impressive times. We were unable to get a full ladies team that day which was a shame as there were very few teams, and we would have been competitive with a full complement. For aspiring runners please give this some consideration as we head to the cross-country season as the same will apply.

As a round up, RAF Cranwell won the overall prize with RAF Waddington coming in 2nd, although we did win both the ladies and men’s individual team prizes, such are the vagaries of the overall team prize scoring.

For those who are keen on running around muddy fields and tracks in the depths of winter then please look to the upcoming cross-country season, which is again held across the local bases usually staring in November and finishing in March.

Ladies run approx. 5km and gents approx. 10K and the scoring is made up so that you are best having two ladies and two gents scoring for your team. As with the summer season all runners are welcome with a very wide range of abilities at all the races and the guarantee of a drink and chocolate at the end. We will also attend as many RAF races as possible and once again, don’t just think that this is for the elite as the team prizes are often closely fought by those stations that can get a full ladies or men’s team. If nothing else it is a chance to represent the station and see just how good some of the top RAF runners actually are.

Please contact any of the running committee or look for announcements on the Station Community TEAMs page or the poster in the Gym.

Discover Bransby

Come and visit our rescued horses, ponies, donkeys and mules!

Building on the amazing success of their first book, Bransby Horses is delighted to announce the launch of their second.

Pudding’s Christmas Miracle told the story of an abandoned Shetland pony and was a huge hit when it launched in 2020, selling over 2,500 copies.

Two years on and the sequel, Pudding’s Picnic Panic, builds on the educational style tale by teaching readers about the importance of not feeding horses you don’t know.

Sally Crawford, Executive Director of Engagement and Income Generation, said:

“Children and parents seem to have really taken to these books. As well as being a lovely story for little ones to get lost in they also carry an important message about equine welfare.

“With the summer holidays just around the corner, more families will be venturing out on walks and may want to feed horses they come across – through Pudding’s story we’re urging people to not feed without the owner’s permission, as it could do more harm than good. “

“We hope everyone enjoys Pudding’s new book as much as the first. Once again, all profits help us continue with the welfare and rescue work we do out in the community.

“Whether you decide to buy the book, sponsor an equine or make a donation, you’ll make a positive difference and for that we’re truly grateful.”

Based in Lincolnshire, Bransby Horses has been rehoming and rescuing ponies, donkeys, mules and horses for over 50 years.

Pudding’s Picnic Panic costs £6.95 from BransbyHorses.co.uk/Pudding or by calling 01427 788 464.

HOTO

Wing Commander Simon Nevin handed over command of Number 51 Squadron to Wing Commander Keith Bissett on Friday 21st October.

Linguist

Sgt Watt had the good fortune to accompany 8 Sqn to Santiago, Chile, as an interpreter to aid in facilitating the delivery and hand-over phase of the RAF’s sale of two E-3D Sentry AWACS aircraft to the Fuerza Aérea Chilena (FACh).

Wing Commander Nevin moves on after leading the Squadron to achieve a record-breaking number of operational hours for the UK RC-135 Rivet Joint in 2021 and again in 2022.

Wing Commander Bissett is returning to the UKRJ following a staff tour and he said "It is a privilege to take command of 51 Squadron. It is an operationally focussed squadron which, alongside our partners,

delivers operational and strategic intelligence to our commanders. Effectively deployed in garrison since the start of 2022, the Squadron's engineers, operations staff, and aircrew have been working tirelessly, alongside our ground exploitation personnel, to produce what is required of us. I expect that we will be asked to remain at the vanguard of RAF operations, and we will continue to rise to that challenge."

Much of the detachment took place against the breath-taking backdrop of the Andean mountains at the Atahualpa Air Base, where further engineering and flying training was delivered in preparation for the Sentry’s maiden flight in Chilean colours.

Duty also called at the British Ambassador’s official residence, the British Embassy and El Bosque Air Base Escuela de Perfeccionamiento. When time allowed, he endeavoured to foster and develop inter-Squadron relations with his 8 Sqn RAF associates via a broad

selection of Santiago’s hostelries, eateries and tourist spots. He was also honoured to be part of the group that accompanied the Defence Attaché, Group Captain Liz Hutchison, in meeting Chilean-born veteran Lt Paul Walbaum.  Lt Walbaum fought for the Royal Navy in World War II with the Minesweepers and later with MTB782, after he and his sister had travelled by sea to the UK from Chile to aid in the war effort.

With the last of the RAF's C2 platforms now sold to and being flown by our Chilean friends, the Force eagerly awaits the implementation and integration of E-7 Wedgetail to the ISTAR fleet.

XIII Sqn History - The shoot down of WH799

In a little-known and long-forgotten sideshow to the Suez crisis of November 1956, the British government conducted secret aerial reconnaissance missions over Syria.

These missions came amid Cold War fears that the British-French-Israeli attack against Egypt would ignite a direct East-West confrontation. The fears were heightened after it emerged that the Syrian President Shukri al-Quwatli had travelled to Moscow at the behest of Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, in order to win support for Egypt.

Although everyone knew it was unlikely that the Soviet leadership would risk going to war with the West over the Suez Canal, the British and French were still keen to verify reports from the U.S. Embassy in Damascus that over 100 Soviet MiG-17s were parked in the Syrian desert ready to join the battle, and that Russian arms shipments were seen moving through the port of Latakia.

The Syrians knew that the RAF was conducting sorties over its territory. They even knew the flight path, which took the aircraft over Latakia, Aleppo, Homs and then, 5 kilometres from Damascus, back over Lebanon toward Cyprus, at the time a British crown colony. But there was little they could do to intercept the Canberra bombers of XIII Squadron operating out of Akrotiri. They had to rely on spotters

stationed at border posts and by the time Damascus knew anything about it, the aircraft had already gone.

But on 6th November 1956, the Syrians got lucky. The frontier post at the eastern city of Al-Bukamal, on the Euphrates, telephoned to say that a Canberra was operating at extreme range from Cyprus on a mission to photograph airfields in Syria. Three Syrian Air Force British-built Gloucester Meteors, one of which was flown by a certain Lieutenant Hafez Assad, were scrambled to intercept. The groundcontrolled interception of the Canberra was directed by Major Moukabri of the Syrian Air Force using an interception plan devised by Squadron Leader Tahir Zaki of the Egyptian Air Force who was serving as air attaché at the Egyptian embassy in Damascus at the time.

The cumbersome Canberra bomber, call sign Whisky Hotel 799, had little chance in the brief and one-sided encounter led by Lieutenant Munir al-Garudy, who claimed credit for downing the airplane. The Canberra was crippled when its starboard engine was hit and set alight by canon fire. The pilot, Flight Lieutenant Bernard Hunter, said in later interviews:

"At about the same time (that he decided to climb back into cloud cover), Sam Small warned of a pair of Meteors coming from port of starboard. I can't remember which. I had to turn into their attack. So, there were 3 factors in this particular problem, none of which was helpful to the others as no matter where the Meteors were coming from, I had to turn towards them. It went on like this for a few minutes, which seemed like several hours, and during the first attack we did not get hit. Then Sam said almost immediately after the first attack, with us still climbing, that another pair were coming in, so we turned again. I turned towards them and that's when the starboard engine was hit.

I had been calling Roy, who was in the prone position to take photographs, to come back to the rumble seat (a spare seat alongside the pilot). He got the message, I think, but did not come back. Eventually, it got to the stage where I was rapidly losing control of the situation, one engine out, still burning. I told Sam to get out, to eject, and from the rear navigation position he ejected quite safely. We were still under attack and I started the desperate business of trying

to get hold of Roy. I never did contact Roy on the R/T and, as far as I know, he must have gone back to the rear navigation position to try and eject. Since the ejection seat had gone, I assume he tried to bail out. I am not sure, but I think I heard a big thud on the aircraft which could have been Roy's body hitting the tail plane. I suspect it was. I then ejected. It seemed only seconds before I hit the ground and broke my left ankle. The sequence of events was very quick so I couldn't possibly estimate how low I was, but I remember thinking at the time, if I don't get out now I won't get out. I didn't know whether I got out over the Lebanon or not, my mind was revolving around the fact that if I'm in Syria they're not going to be very friendly."

In fact, Hunter's Canberra crashed just inside Syrian territory, while he and Flight Lieutenant Sam Small landed virtually on the frontier, but just on the Lebanese side. Hunter, unlike many RAF aircrew, did not carry a pistol and he believed that this saved his life. Certainly, the crowd which gathered around him after he landed assumed he was an Israeli and started to rough him up until an English-speaking local teacher told them to leave him alone.

Flight Lieutenant Hunter then

explained he was from the RAF, whereupon things quietened down. The teacher handed Hunter over to the border post where he was interrogated by a Syrian officer.

In short, the whole episode was deeply embarrassing and needed to be swiftly ended. After treatment and a debrief in a Beirut military hospital, in the presence of the air adviser to the British Embassy and Lieutenant Colonel. Abdel-Kader Chehab of the Lebanese Army, Hunter and Small were quietly repatriated to Cyprus.

Back in Akrotiri, the human side of the story was beginning to play out. The cost of the secrecy was being felt as Mrs Ellen Urquhart-Pullen received news of her husband, Roy’s death aged just 26:

’The Squadron Leader came by the next day and told me the plane was shot down and Roy had not survived the crash’’

she later recalled on the telephone from Holland. To add to her anguish, the sensitivity of the incident meant that her husband was given a quick and quiet burial in Beirut, which she was not allowed to attend (although she was able to choose the inscription on the headstone).

Sqn Ldr Chris Breedon, XIII Sqn Historian

1 ISR Wing Awards Evening 2022

On Thurs 6th Oct, 1 ISR Wing Entertainments Committee organised the Wing’s Awards Evening at The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Lincoln.

As all great events do, the evening began with arrivals drinks and the chance for all ranks to mingle, before we went through for our delicious 3-course meal. Before the final course, some of the edited name cards which had discretely made their way to the top table were read by the President, Flt Lt Jonathan Evans – which led to much hilarity and allowed us to get to know one another on a much more… personal level! The meal was concluded by Mr Vice, LH Craig Rowan, with port toasts a plenty!

There was a brief from OC 1 ISR Wing, Wing Commander Neil Sefton, giving an overview of what each Squadron had achieved over the last year and their respective successes, before looking forward to what the upcoming year had in store for us all.

Our Wing Warrant Officer, WO Anthony Chivers, then began the awards ceremony, highlighting individuals whose performances had stood out to their colleagues and listing the nominees. The previous 2021 winners then revealed the winners and delivered their winning citation.

Wg Cdr Sefton then presented the deserving winner their trophy.

A special mention to those who received awards on the evening:

1 ISR Wg Charities Award –AS1 Rachel Cathro

Operational innovation Award – Cpl Ben Bishop Operational Support Award – Cpl Sam Turner Rakesh Chauhan Award for Excellence in Leadership – Cpl Jonathan Davies

Balley Trophy for Junior rank of the year – AS1 Nathan Ridley

The Phillip Carter Trophy –Sgt Colin Delderfield

To even be nominated for such an award is a huge achievement, so we would like to extend our congratulations to those nominated, as well as the winners.

Personnel travelled from all unit locations to attend the evening, providing a great opportunity for the busy Wing to finally get together again. All in all, there were approximately 120 wing personnel in attendance and a great time was had by all!

On behalf of the 1 ISR Wing Entertainments Committee, I would like to wish WO Chivers the best of luck as he is sadly leaving the RAF after 30 years of dedicated service and beginning an exciting new chapter of his life, working with Inzpire. We look forward to welcoming our new Wing Warrant Officer, WO Jacqueline Garland, and are excited for what the future holds.

We look forward to seeing you all at our next Awards Evening in 2023!

Cpl Harriet van Houben Secretary, 1 ISR Wing Entertainments Committee

Veterans Visit by the Cosford Royal Aeronautical Society

Way back in the Autumn of 2021 the Waddington Veterans Committee received a veterans visit request from the Cosford Branch of the Royal Aeronautical Society.

The country was still recovering from post COVID restrictions so we hoped we could, at the very least, host a visit to allow 20 veterans to enjoy a memorable day and leave with a big smile. So, a plan was put in place for December 21. Unfortunately, the day before their visit, restrictions were back in place and all the hard work had to be cancelled…. ahem, I mean, postponed….

Late morning on 31 August 22, after their 3-hour, roadwork infested journey, when the members arrived at the Guardroom, we met them and hoped we could raise their spirits a little higher.

RAF Waddington Heritage Centre

The Heritage Centre was the first port of call, hosted by one of the HC guides Mr Phil Doorbar. Phil as usual gave a very knowledgeable and enthusiastic guided tour throughout, taking them from the very start of Waddington’s beginning in 1916 with the RFC, right up to the present day.

The Heritage Centre exists to promote and preserve the remarkable and continuing heritage of RAF Waddington, its units and its personnel. Over the years it has gained a vast collection of documents, images, artefacts, and anecdotes which are housed within the former WW2 NAAFI building. It provides a facility to educate both

Service personnel and civilians, to allow further research and to publicise the history of the Station. It is also the final resting place to the remains of PD259, a Lancaster Bomber which crashed on a training sortie in Scotland after getting airborne from RAF Waddington in 1944.

Lunch was now beckoning....

Our thanks go to the Warrant Officers and Sgts Mess for

51 Sqn

In the afternoon, 51 Sqn were kind enough to host a limited, yet informative, tour of the Rivet Joint aircraft. The group appreciated being up close and personal to such an iconic and mysterious aircraft.

The Old Control Tower

Luckily, next door was the old control tower, so not far to walk. Built just after the Second World War and used in one form or another until 1996, it has sadly fallen into disrepair. It is still bears the recognisable outlines of when it was in its former glory.

new paint job, she still casts an impressive and powerful sight as she stands on the edge of the taxiway stripped to the bare metal.

The Cosford group were enthused throughout the day, often asking many questions, not only of the history of RAF Waddington, but also of present day RAF working practices, ethos and lifestyles, which the veterans committee were only too happy to answer. One of the oldest gentlemen present was an ex-engine fitter, now in his 80s, he could have easily put most of us to shame with his stamina after a full, yet rewarding day. They all left with smiles on their faces… well worth the effort.

The Cosford Branch of the Royal Aeronautical Society was initially formed in 1944 as the Birmingham Branch, and in 1994 became the Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Cosford Branch in recognition of the closure of

RAF Halton No.1 School of Technical Training.

The organisation is made up of members from the aerospace industries and also ex RAF personnel, so a visit of this kind is not only especially useful to showcase what RAF Waddington represents but also allows veterans to keep in touch with former units.

Article by FS Andy Lloyd

Huge thanks to the following, for whose efforts made this happen

C/T Bret Leeson

Sgt Sophia Pegg

Cpl Ryan Mcdonough

SAC Leanne Cornes SAC Hadassah Gesage WOSM Heritage Centre

The sight of the Vulcan Bomber still causes a stir by those who remember Operation BLACK BUCK, flown by Flt Lt Martin Withers on the successful bombing raid of Port Stanley airfield in the Falkland Islands in 1982. Whilst still awaiting a

hosting such a large group for an excellent lunch.

Vulcan Bomber XM607

OPENING HOURS:-

Monday 10am - 8pm

Tuesday 10am - 9pm

Wednesday 10am - 8pm

Thursday 10am - 9pm Friday 10am - 8pm

Is your life taking a new direction. You may be getting married, moving into a new home with your partner or considering separation or divorce. Whatever your new direction, our team of family law experts will help you and your family, make the right decisions for your future. There for you, supporting the forces

Looking After Your Mental Health and Wellbeing This Christmas

Hello, my name is Sophie Broady. I am a Registered Mental Health Nurse currently undertaking the Wellbeing Coordinator role on XIII Sqn.

have set hours and imply some boundaries. Have a good schedule and set small, achievable goals.

Have an exercise routine – 3 x sessions per week if possible. Get some fresh air, daily!

4. Physical exercise – This is clinically proven to boost your mental and physical health. Attend a class, get a gym routine together or a gentle jog around the local area. Please do set realistic goals and ensure you are fit and well to carry out activities. If you are unable to do any of the above, go for a walk, listen to some music or maybe meet a friend to join along.

During the past few years, individuals have experienced a new way of life due to COVID 19. More recently, there has been an increase of worry surrounding financial stressors. Some people feel comfortable with the reduced contact, working from home and less social interaction, however others have struggled with this. Here are some tips to support you and your overall mental health and wellbeing and some ideas to keep costs down over the festive period:

1. Keep in touch – Try and arrange face to face quality time with people you love and connect with people. Facetime or call friends and family regularly, stay connected.

2. Talk about your feelings –It can be hard to admit that during the festive season you don’t actually feel that great. By talking through how you feel can improve your mood and make it easier to deal with tough times. There are numerous agencies that you can contact if you would like to talk to someone outside of your circle. Please see below.

3. Build a routine – This is an effective way to have a plan of action and can alleviate stress and worries to some extent.

Get up and go to bed at similar times every morning and night.

Write a meal plan or prep meals to eat during the week. If you work from home,

5. Self care – I often ask people, what do you do for you? Many cannot answer… Self care is a necessity to our wellbeing, its about looking after ourselves in order to be the best we can be and look after others. Self care can be a number of things: Reading a book alone for an hour, getting your hair cut, getting a manicure, a massage, having a hobby, going golf. The list is endless! I encourage people to take time out of our busy lives to have some self care and focus on YOU.

6. Set a budget – Plan what you can afford, there are lots of apps that can support with this. You can also plan ahead for next years festive season.

7. Buy second hand - Use pre loved apps such as vinted, depop, ebay and marketplace. Lots of fabulous

bargains and unused/ unwanted items that could be a perfect present or gift. Please do remember to use a safe way of paying and ensure it is a secure site.

8. Only buy what you need – Some people feel under pressure to buy expensive and extravagant gifts. Maybe agree to meet for a lunch in the new year or even a day out when the weather improves. If you know there are a lot of family members, maybe agree to only buy presents for children.

9. Search for deals – There are many ways of accessing cheaper deals, make use of sales and discounted items. Always search for discount codes or vouchers before making purchases both instore and online.

10. Buy after Christmas – Like many armed forces families, you may travel to see loved ones and friends after Christmas. There are great deals after Christmas day and many items are reduced. This also includes gift wrapping, cards and accessories.

1ISR Wg World Masters and JSR

RAF Masters Rowing has proven that it is in a very healthy state this year, competing at multiple regattas, culminating in very competitive performances at the World Rowing Masters Championships at Libourne, France and then followed up with a successful showing at the Joint Service Regatta.

The journey to Libourne started during COVID.

The Masters E 4-, under the expert coaching of Sqn Ldr Kath Linton, led the way committing to a gruelling training regime which included a first venture into the world of stretching and warming up properly, going so far as to indulge in yoga at times! All the rowers spent a lot of lonely, dark hours on the rowing machines over the winter, waiting for the better conditions to return to get back on the water.

speed in preparation for the main events at the end of the year.

Weather cancelled the second Peterborough regatta of the year, with a low water level meaning the competition couldn’t run, which would have been the final outing before the World Championships.

So it was September, Libourne beckoned, and a 650 mile road trip in the High Wycombe SIF minibus towing a full trailer. A team of 4 drove the boats

conditions. This was the beginning of a day and a half of great racing, including an eight which was an amazing battle between the RAF and a Spanish crew for 5th place. Silverware is very hard to come by at this level but good races happen at all stages. Success did come, however for SAC Lou Elkington of 7010 R Sqn, winning 2 golds in the Double and the pair with her rowing partner Dawn from Newark Rowing Club. Sadly, we were unable to compete from Friday onwards due to the sad passing of her Majesty the Queen. Our

adventure was cut short for the worst possible reason, but representative sport would resume in time for us to take on the Army and the Navy in the Joint Service Regatta (JSR) later in the month.

JSR took place at Peterborough Rowing Club, a fantastic location which allows rowers from across the Services to compete in multi-lane racing over a 1000m course.

Early indications were positive for the RAF, with wins in a number of the morning’s

But all the hard work over winter yielded results. The regatta season started well, with competitive performances in the singles, doubles, fours and eight at Nottingham Masters, including a win for the Masters Doubles for Chf Tech Andy May and 1 ISR Wing’s Flt Lt Matty Parle.

Success continued at Peterborough Regatta and Henley Town and visitor’s regatta, neither with silverware but both provided rare opportunities to get the crews together from the dispersed home stations to build boat

down while the rest made their own way, meeting up at the venue on the Tuesday before the competition started at Wednesday lunch time. Any more training now was pointless, there was just time to get the boats ready and have a couple of laps of the course before racing began in earnest. Well, there was enough time for a few cheeky races against each other, but no one kept score (2-0 to us!)

The first RAF race was Sqn Ldr Chris Morrill and Cpl Mike Yeomans in the MasD Double, a competitive race in beautiful

events, including the Masters Men’s Single and Double Sculls, followed by wins in the Women’s Double Sculls, Quad and Mixed Coxed Four. The RAF was really making a statement of intent and as lunch approached, there was no let up for the first two IS events. With the Men reclaiming the IS Quad from the Army and the Women claiming the

Double Sculls. This meant that, going into lunch, the RAF had already taken back the two IS events lost last year and were well on their way to another dominant performance!

Following lunch, the Army were able to make some inroads and did claim wins in some of the Men’s Improver events and also the Men’s Open Scull.

However, the RAF Women continued to outperform their service colleagues, picking up win after win. The afternoon also saw the closest race of the day, with the Army and RAF going down to the wire for the win in the Men’s Coxed Four, with the Army winning by a photo finish!

Approaching the end of the day, it was clear the RAF had retained its crown as the overall Event Champions. Now the only question was, would they be able to win a clean sweep of the IS events?

The Women’s Coxed Four was up first and provided a fantastic race from start to finish. The Army crew took an early lead, only for the RAF crew to come back at them, taking the lead by half distance and keeping it all the way to the finish for the win. This set the precedent for the final event of the day, the Men’s IS Eight. Again, the race did not disappoint, with the RAF gaining an early but uncommanding lead over the other two services. However, under some pressure, the RAF crew kept their composure and held off a late push from the Army to retain their title.

With the final two IS events won, the RAF topped off a hugely impressive day, by

winning all 4 of the IS events, something which hasn’t been done for over 20 years, whilst also securing 12 wins out of a total of 21, with the Army picking up 8 and the Navy collecting 1. Ensuring the RAF picked up where they left off in 2021 as overall JSR Champions. A trend they will look to continue at next year’s event!

For more information on rowing in the RAF, please contact the RAF Rowing Club via the following methods: your local PEd Flt, the website at www.rafsportsfederation.uk/ sports/raf-rowing-association or the RAFRA Moss portal.

The RAF Rowing Club can also be followed on Twitter via @ RAF_Rowing_Club.

As you will be aware, there is still conflict in Ukraine. 51 Sqn continues to provide exceptional levels of output. This was highlighted in October when the Sqn smashed through its previous record of 880 hours flown in a year; it should be noted that this year is measured from 1st April so that feat has been achieved in just over 6 months. Despite this high operational tempo, there has been plenty of other things going on to provide a change of focus when Sqn Personnel get the opportunity.

51 Sqn Dining-In Night

A long-awaited DiningIn Night (around 4 years of waiting) took place on 25th August at the Bomber Command Memorial. Arriving in the evening and being guided through the centre and towards the large marquee underneath the spire, the setting was ideal for a former Bomber Command Sqn. Around 70 guests including Aircrew, Engineers, Ops, Int and partners were treated to the delights of JEngO Flt Lt Wong’s playlist while they dined. For some in the room it was their first

Greetings once again from Area 51.

official Dining-In Night and so were educated in some of the traditions. Mr Vice was Sgt Cal Ashton and being placed in close proximity to the XO, he was educated rather quickly. Following the event there have been only positive remarks, with all the praise going to Sgt Dani Scurr who was the driving force in getting the whole thing organised. OC 51 said:

“‘It was a long time coming, with COVID and then intense operational pressures making it difficult to get enough of the Whole Force team together in one place over the last two years, but it was so worth the wait. The evening was superb, and I can wholeheartedly recommend the IBCC as a dining venue. The staff were excellent, the food high quality, and the backdrop outstanding, with everyone thoroughly enjoying the event.”

Sgt Andy Merrrit – The bravest marathon man of them all.

Sgt Andy Merrett continues to raise money for charity whilst continuing his battle with Motor Neurone Disease. Despite his illness Andy has continued to inspire those around him by completing Iron-man challenges, marathons and ultra-marathons. However, with the condition now moving into his legs, he recently had to drop out of a XC marathon after 19 miles. Despite this setback, he could not resist the opportunity to compete in the 2022 London Marathon.

Eager to complete this latest challenge, and keep competing in the sport he loves, Andy made a conscious effort to slow his pace on this occasion and felt brilliant at the half-way point. Sadly, he was struck by cramp after 20 miles, but showing a true warrior spirit, and after applying some deep heat, he overcame mental and physical challenges to complete the race and raise £3,370 for the RAF Benevolent Fund.

Although the marathons are starting to present an increasingly difficult challenge, he fully intends to keep defying the odds by competing in half-marathons and has already entered the 2023 XC Marathon.

established between the RAF and their USAF counterparts, the trio supported USAF Rivet Joint operations in the South Pacific.

This was an excellent opportunity for the Air Forces two allied nations to strengthen their bonds and expand defence capabilities. At a time when the USAF were experiencing workforce issues and requiring assistance to maintain their presence in the area, they looked to the RAF for assistance. Therefore, three of the RAF’s finest aircraft maintainers were integrated into the 82nd Reconnaissance Squadron to work alongside U.S. Air Force Airmen to launch and receive jets and perform aviation maintenance.

Each country’s maintainers are certified to work on their allied nations’ aircraft, but this program is still in the early stages of development and highlighted differences in the scope of training. Of their USAF colleagues, Connor Jenkins noted, “Airmen at the 82nd RS have a lot more in-depth knowledge of their individual trades and individual exposure to the aircraft”

Konnichiwa

from KADENA AIR BASE

Av Specialists Cpl Elliot Beddows and AS1(T) Connor Jenkins, joined Cpl Thompson from the Mechanical trade on the detachment of a lifetime to Kadena Air base, Okinawa, Japan. Through a bilateral co-manning agreement

Whilst Adam Thompson said, “We've helped with a few faults and assisted getting the jet in the air, at times when they might not have been able to, if we weren't here” he also quipped “I think we've maybe brought the spirits up a little bit.”

The latter part of the statement was supported by the USAF supervisors that noticed improved morale, both in and outside of the workplace.

51 Sqn Dining in Night.

All members of the crew, Airmen and visitors alike, speak of the memories and lasting friendships they made. Each of the RAF trio expressed appreciation for the camaraderie they had witnessed.

The deployment to Asia was especially eyeopening for them. From the high tempo operations, the close proximity to adversaries and the extreme weather, Kadena’s NATO ally has received an indepth understanding and appreciation for the defence of a free-andopen Indo-Pacific region.

“Well, I see this aircraft as a whole platform shared across two countries,” said RAF Corporal Eliot Beddows.

“The more that we can work together on it, it doesn't matter where we are. We'll help make the program better in every way because I feel like we can learn so much from each other. I think both ways round. And I think we've definitely done that through chatting to these guys. It’ll help us both at home and flying missions out here and help us operate better.”

One member of 51 Sqn who is at the upper levels of their sport is Sgt Zac Allin, who is currently holding on the Sqn before commencing his Rivet Joint Conversion Course to become a Raven. His chosen sports are Kayak and Canoe Slalom, having been on the water from the age of 4 with his parents. Having found a liking for these sports he quickly progressed up the divisions, before reaching the top division in the UK aged just 13. He then represented Great Britain at both Junior European Championships and Junior World Championships, both times winning a bronze

medal in the team events, and an individual U23 World Championship Semi-Final appearance in 2017 before an injury in 2018. He returned to action in 2019, getting to the Semi-Final in both the U23 European and U23 World Championships.

Zac then joined the RAF in 2020 and has made the most of the opportunities available:

2020- Inter service Canoe Freestyle Champion.

2021- Inter service Canoe Freestyle Champion.

2021- Inter Service Canoe Slalom Championships champion in K1, C1, C2 (C2 in boat with Sqn Ldr Keith Hughesman) and Team events.

2021-Inter service Marathon Kayaking K2 Bronze medal (in boat with Flt Lt Alex Bowyer).

2021- Inter Service Sprint Kayaking K4 Champion (in boat with 3 others), Inter Service K2 Silver medal (in boat with Flt Lt Alex Bowyer).

2022- Competed in UKAF Canoe Freestyle Event, Inter Service events are still to come.

These opportunities were one of the key reasons Zac decided to join the RAF, as following his injury, he wasn’t able to compete at an elite level. He says:

“I had seen the RAF team training at the national water sports centre and knew that if I wanted to compete at a high level again the support is there. Even now not competing at the same level as before, RAF Canoe Association gives significant support traveling to events, new equipment, and time off to train for Inter service and RAF Championship events.”

When asked what his ambitions are for the future, he said: “My current ambitions in the sport are to keep representing the RAF In Inter-Service Kayaking competitions and develop the RAF team as a committee member of the RAF Canoe Association. I have organised the 2022 RAF Canoeing Championships which were a success in my eyes and looking forward to the Inter-Service Canoe Slalom championships in October where I aim to retain my title! I did get my ranking in the premier division (top division of national rankings) reinstated for this year’s British ranking races with the intent to compete again, but I think I'm going to wait until next year to allow me to get back to race fit again!”

since May 2020. It wasn’t the easiest of starts for Wg Cdr Nevin having been parachuted in while the world was in the grip of the first wave of Covid-19. Despite this, in the summer of 2020 he oversaw the successful Sqn deployment to Souda Bay and organised RAFA Rides. By the end of the year he had overseen the reorganisation of the Sqn’s aircrew structure; as well as implementing critical changes on the engineering side, which have seen the Sqn output go from strength to strength.

All of this was done while he was still completing his Mission Commander training on the OCU. In 2021, Wg Cdr Nevin did not just oversee the two Souda Bay deployments, he

Departure of OC 51

Finally, October saw a big change for 51 Sqn, as we said goodbye to OC 51 who has been in command

was an active participant in all aspects, and at the same time managed to make RAFA Rides even bigger. He was also crucial in enabling the

Wg Cdr Nevin on his final day in command of 51 Sqn with his leaving gift.

Sgt Zac Allin representing the RAF at the Inter-Service Championships.

first ever 51 Sqn operators to deploy and fly with the USAF from Kadena AFB in Okinawa, Japan. Traditionally 51 Sqn has taken part in Ex RED FLAG, but Wg Cdr Nevin was the strongest of advocates for participation in a new exercise, RESOLUTE HUNTER, which led to a small delegation heading out to Fallon AFB in Nevada to report on the suitability of the exercise. 2022 was the busiest year for Wg Cdr Nevin with the start of the Ukraine conflict, however the reality is that the Sqn had been at an operational tempo in support of this for months and over the Christmas period of 2021. Throughout this time, Wg Cdr Nevin did his utmost to ensure the Sqn provided the required operational output, while balancing the need to protect his people from external pressures to always be doing more. The achievements of the Sqn during the period has seen praise pouring

in. Wg Cdr Nevin also approved a 12-month rolling deployment to Kadena for the SSD operators following the success of the previous year, along with the engineers mentioned earlier who also got the opportunity to deploy.

Wg Cdr Nevin also had a knack for records. In April 2021 the Sqn achieved its highest ever monthly flying hours of 137:25, only to better that the following March with a new total of 175:15. Also in March 2022 the Sqn’s total RJ hours passed through the 5000 hour mark, and at the time of writing is close to the 6000 milestone, in addition to the highest yearly total mentioned at the start of this article. Wg Cdr Nevin also holds the longest flight record from 9th Apr 2022 with a time of 15:05, a flight on which he was the mission commander. On that sortie he also set a UKRJ first, as the aircraft conducted air-to-air refuelling twice

(which had never been done before) but then also a third time just to ensure he could not be beaten.

The night before he handed over command, OC 51 accepted the ‘Christopher Moran’ award for operational excellence on behalf of 51 Sqn at the 1 Group Awards dinner. This was a most fitting end to his time in command.

On his final day in command, his message was: ‘Alas, all good things come to an end, but I have nothing but appreciation and admiration for the team that I leave behind, and I know they will continue to do extraordinary things under the leadership of Wg Cdr Bissett. It has been an unbelievable 2.5 years, with

some spectacular highs and some devastating lows; I know the team members we have lost would be enormously proud of what 51 Sqn have achieved, especially in the last 12 months, and I have no doubt they will continue to deliver battlewinning SIGINT to our NATO and Coalition partners going forward. I look forward to seeing 51 Sqn continue to go from strength to strength and wish them all the very best for the future.’

From all at 51 Sqn, we wish Group Captain Nevin and his family all the best for the future.

Swift and Sure

51 Sqn in September 2022, Wg Cdr Nevin front and centre.

TAKE COMMAND OF YOUR CAREER

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