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WIWOH Drinks

When I Was On Harriers…

Annual drinks: Railway Inn, Ketton on Sunday 16th December from 7.30pm. Same format as usual i.e. £10 in the kitty on arrival, £5 for the drivers (yes girls, that’s you!) and further whip-rounds as required.

Thanks FITO

GR3 Field Deployments

New in the Gallery, photos from around 1976 of GR3 Harrier Field Deployments. Photos by Barry Osborne.

John “Taff” Evans

"Taff" Evans

It is with regret I have to inform you of the tragic death of John “Taff” Evans in a motorbike accident at the weekend.

He was groundcrew on 1 Sqn, the OCU, and was a much loved 4 Sqn FLM in the early 80s. He was living in Stamford until the latter part of last year when he decided to sell up and return to his native Wales. No details on funeral as yet.

Thanks to Beaker and Mike O’G for passing this on.

South Wales Argus report

BBC New report

Centenary – Sqn Photos including Group Photo

Everybody!

I’ve been sent the photos that the official Sqn photographer took on the day and I’ve uploaded them to the FourFax Gallery.

I have limited space on the FourFax server so I have reduced the images to a maximum of 1280 pixels width. This is great for viewing on a screen but not large enough to download and print. So I’ve also uploaded the original, full-size, images to the FourFax Google Drive. Download them here.

Click here to download the large version of the group photo (above).

New Yarn: Gütersloh Fireworks

From Paul Williams, ATCO Gütersloh 83-86:

Although I wasn’t at the Centenary reunion my ears were burning as Gerry Humphreys was recalling some of the Summer Balls at Gütersloh. When I was the entertainments member on the Mess Committee I tried to come up with something different. Although Gerry was reminiscing over some of the highlights, let me share one occasion which could have turned out better.

Read more…

New Yarn: Plumbers

Another confession from Des Stewart…

Centenary Photos

I’ve started a Gallery Album for the Centenary. Not many photos there yet, but I’ll add loads more over the next few days and weeks.

[Update: 29/9/12. Over 100 photos there now!]

@BrySkye Models

Harrier GR3 XV784 'D' over Gütersloh

@BrySkye (that’s a Twitter handle!) makes models and sets them against a Google Earth background. His images are very realistic. He made a couple commemorating the Sqn’s Centenary and a special one for me showing my GR3 XV784 ‘D’ over Gütersloh.

See more of his work on deviantART – enjoy!

Master Pilot Bernard Douglas Saxby AFM

Master Pilot Bernard Douglas Saxby AFM

From Keith Nicholls:

My cousin, the late Master Pilot Bernard Douglas Saxby AFM, served as a Sgt & Flt Sgt Pilot with 4 squadron from 29-11-1946 until 31-11-1951. I have compiled a book on his flying career using his log books, photographs and letters etc. This is not being published as it is for his family only, however the section which covers his years with 4 squadron I have avalable in MS Word for your use in the 4 squadron history. It contains photographs of his and the squadron Mosquitos and his collegues on the squadron, and also details all his operations with 4 squadron.

This is a fascinating account of the early post-war years in Germany when the Sqn operated Mosquitos and then Vampires.

I’ve converted the Word files into a single pdf. Download it from our Library (13.5 mb)

Stained Glass Window Dedication

The IV Squadron stained glass window was dedicated at a service on 23rd September at the end of the 100th Anniversary celebrations at RAF Valley. For those of you who were unable to attend the service, or visit the church to view the window, there is a short description of the service with photos and the Order of Service. This can be accessed from the ‘Pages’ (Miscellaneous) menu above or clicking here.

Centenary Joining Instructions

The joining instructions (actually the Admin Order) have now been emailed to all attendees (twice, I think…).

The detailed transport plan can be found at Annex C and the Programme of Events at Annex D. I have also attached a Transport Cribsheet to remind you of the pick-up and drop-off times, and a Directions document to help you find your way. These documents are PDF files and so should be easy to open on any modern computer or smartphone.

The Sqn has asked me to emphasise the following points:

  1. Coaches. Officers will be present on coaches for pick ups Friday night and Saturday lunch. They will have our tickets and brochures. The remainder will be available for collection at the Officers’ Mess reception on Friday Night or at IV Sqn Moran Building on Saturday (daytime). Personnel on coaches will have rapid access to events provided their name is on the official fourfax list.

  2. Self Drive. Friday and Saturday night self-drivers are to park at the school car park (map attached) and walk to the Officers’ Mess (50m). The guard will allow them on if their name is on the official fourfax list. For Saturday afternoon it is more complicated. Drivers will need to collect passes from the main guard room (they will have a list, but will not pre-make the passes). There will be a shuttle service of officers with cars to escort people in their cars from the main guard room to the IV Sqn car park.

  3. Saturday Open Day. The hog roast and ice cream van will be outside. A vegetarian platter will be in the crew room. Refreshments (tea, coffee, soft drinks, beer) will be available in the crew room also. Activities include: Sqn History Room, Old videos/photos in crew room, Flying Training Devices and Full Mission Simulator tours, Static display (Typhoon, Hawk, Merlin) and flying display (Spitfire, Sea Fury, Falcons, Sea King, Hawks). There will be a group photo after the Hawks land at 1500L.

  4. Coach drop off. Can everyone ensure that they get on the correct coach for drop off at hotels – they will be labelled. Note that on Saturday night the people staying at Hotel Cymyran will leave at 0005 whilst all others leave at 0015.

  5. Dress is smart casual on Friday evening and jacket & tie on Saturday evening.

Safe driving – see you all tomorrow!

Happy Four

From Mark Broadbent, writing an article for Classic Aircraft magazine:

As part of my article I want to make reference to the ‘Happy Four’ sobriquet. I was wondering, do you when this term emerged? Is it a post-war thing from the Vampire or Hunter period? Any assistance you could provide would be appreciated.

Anybody know when this term was first used?

Centenary – Transport Arrangements

From The Sqn, more details on Wednesday:

The overall plan is to have 2 x 55 seat buses allowing us to split the number of hotels in half. Although full details can only be calculated once numbers confirmed, a round-robin pick up/drop off should take approximately one hour. Due to the magnitude of this task, I will restrict it to just 6 runs as follows (all times local):

• Pick up from hotels starting at 1700 and dropping off at Officers Mess at 1800 (Friday 21 Sep).

• Pick up from Officers Mess at 2300 and dropping off at hotels by 0000 (Friday 21 Sep).

• Pick up from hotels starting at 1200 and dropping off at the Moran Building at 1300 (Saturday 22 Sep).

• Pick up from Moran Building at 1600 and dropping off at hotels by 1700 (Saturday 22 Sep).

• Pick up from hotels starting at 1800 and dropping off at Officers Mess at 1900 (Saturday 22 Sep).

• Pick up from Officers Mess at 0015 and dropping off at hotels by 0115 (Saturday 22 Sep / early Sunday morning).

I will provide you with detailed pick-up/drop-off times for each hotel once I have the final attendance list.

Security: Members on MT coaches: Personnel on coaches will be checked against a list by the coach driver (plus an Officer on Friday) and allowed on without passes as escorted personnel. We are planning to issue passes/tickets on the coach.

Security: Self-drivers: Friday Meet & Greet: Self-drivers can park at the primary school car park opposite the Officers’ Mess (on the left as you drive towards RAF Valley) and walk 100m to the Mess – this is due to limited parking. The guard will have a full list of names and will let guests on without passes provided they appear on the list and have photo ID.

Security: Saturday Day Event: self-drivers will need to report to the Main Guard Room (MGR) and get car permits and individual passes. The MGR will have a list of names to confirm ID, and whilst these are being prepared they will contact IV Sqn to send an escort down. We will have a team of Officers on hand to “shuttle” guests between MGR and IV Sqn car park throughout the day.

Security: Self-drivers: Saturday Evening: Same as Friday M&G i.e. Self-drivers can park at the primary school car park opposite the Officers’ Mess (on the left as you drive towards RAF Valley) and walk 100m to the Mess – this is due to limited parking. The guard will have a full list of names and will let guests on without passes provided they appear on the list and have photo ID.

HFA Christmas Drinks

Friday 7 December, The London Inn, Stamford, PE9 2DB

All welcome!

Stained Glass Window Fund

Thanks to the generosity of members the Association has now raised all the money needed to fund the costs for this window and the fund is now being closed to further donations. The window will be unveiled on Sunday 23rd September at St Mihangel’s Church RAF Valley. Thanks again to everyone who has contributed.