EDITORIAL - This issue is sadly back to Black and White in hard copy BUT still colour on the web, take a peek if you can. One of the quickest methods of broadcasting news, events gossip is our Blog Book. Use has been made of this medium to post updates between Newsletters, especially for items about XXIV and RAF Lyneham that appear in the local Wiltshire paper. Do try it out, give it a browse and add your own comments.

It has been a quiet few months Association wise since the last Reunion but on the positive side our membership has grown, with at least 12 new members along with a very well supported Summer Social this year. We must be doing something right. Be sure to grab the opportunity to come along to this years reunion on the 2nd October 2010 as you will see that Lyneham and the Squadron’s days are running out before it up sticks to Brize Norton.

Reunion Report for Sat 3rd Oct 2009 For all of you not able to attend the Reunion’s, this article is a belated attempt to give you a bit of a feel of what the day is like. So let’s put my hasty notes back into some form of narrative and see if we can recapture a little bit of the occasion.

A slightly different format faced the regulars this year as the day was centred around the Station Briefing Room and adjacent crew room. The reason for not being able to congregate in the old haunts was soon revealed, namely that with the run down of the Station prior to moving to Brize Norton, the general level of décor was starting to look a bit jaded. As it turned out, the new location proved very satisfactory and quite cosy on such a blustery and cloudy day.

Wing Commander Andy Bacon was well supported by his Executive Officers and Squadron Liaison team who gave up their valuable free time to make us all feel most welcome. After parking the AGM to one side, we all came together for a series of presentations by both the current serving offices and an ex OC XXIV, Chris Carrington. This was followed later by lunch, a raffle, trips around the airfield, Air Traffic control, Simulator rides and viewing of the newly refurbished History Room.

First up was a timely reminder of what was going on in Afghanistan. The emphasis was centred on a Hearts and Mind philosophy with such examples as leaflet drops, medical aid for the civilian population and building up the countries infrastructure; the successful installation of a large water turbine to generate electricity being the best example. It is an every day occurrence for the battle front to call in air support with heavy pressure to say “yes” to all requests. The C130J is especially suited for precision dropping of containers, day or night and can dispense fuel on the ground to Chinooks for their important missions to Forward Outpost Bases, which includes air support to all the NATO counties operating in theatre.

We were shown an example of typical log book entries for someone engaged in Operation Herrick who are detached into theatre for 4/5 weeks 2/3 times a year. The crews are pushed right up to the maximum legal limit of flying time. XXIV Squadron aircraft are also used to fly VIP’s around Afghanistan, a role that harks back to WWII duties.

On return to the UK, there are plenty of other tasks to complete, one of the more famous being the mercy mission to save the Stronorway twins, which incidentally involved a French exchange officer as the captain of the flight. Along with a variety of charitable jobs such as Help the Heroes, the British Forces Foundation and the Squadron’s newly affiliated charity CALM (Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Movement), everyone is fully committed.

An important piece of work to look after the heritage of the Squadron is being undertaken by Major Todd Shugart on exchange for the USAF. Todd is a self confessed aircraft history geek, with a special weakness for the Hastings and Badges. The entire history collection has been reorganised and catalogued on a timeline, sensitively laid out in the display cabinets and the photographs remounted in specially embossed albums.

The new albums appeals is a mini project in its own right and being promoted by S/L Al Tano. To date, they have been sponsored for and ordered 3, which cover the years 1991-2000 (Worshipful Company of Carmen), 2001-2010 (XXIV Sqn Assoc), and 2011-2020 (Clive & Sheila Harley). Note – If you have some memorabilia you wish to donate, please feel free to send it to XXIV Squadron for the attention of Major Todd Shugart – it will be well cared for.

As a reminder of what the Squadron were up to 25 years ago, ex OC XXIV, Chris Carrington stepped up to the stage to recount what went on in 1983, some 9 months after the end of the Faulklands War. It was all about the Air Bridge and the very long logistic pipeline down to the South Atlantic. The Herc was now put in the role of airborne refueller with other aircraft and resupplying the Islands, as initially it was the only aircraft able to land at Stanley. It was a complex planning operation which involved quite a few different aircraft types with varied upper and lower speed limits to accommodate and long duration flight sectors. Crews at Stanley would be away typically for 4 months at a time and perform the airborne roles of Fighter Refuelling and Air Sea Rescue duties. (see full article on page ?)

The rest of the day concluded with a variety of events from the programme, but sadly not a flight in the local area, as the high level turbulence and the cargo compartment of Hercules are not the best places to be. Our thanks to Sam Wright who organised an impromptu raffle for the bottle of Champagne donated by Norma Hagon and the level of interest found by all those in the new History Room [see photo album page].

The evening was rounded off as ever with a first-rate Ladies Guest night in the Officers Mess where the Association invite along the serving members to show our appreciation for the fine work they continue to do. The number of times we will be able to take advantage of the facilities of either mess at Lyneham is rapidly coming to an end as flying is scheduled to cease at the base from September 2011 onwards. So until the next Reunion.

IN OMNIA PARATI

Read all of the Issue 17 Newsletter by clicking the link