INSIGHT · 2018. 12. 19. · 4 INSIGHTMAGAZINE INSIGHTMAGAZINE 5 The magazine is entirely funded by...

INSIGHTMAGAZINE 1

INSIGHT INSIGHT ISSUE 4 ISSUE 4

4 INSIGHTMAGAZINE INSIGHTMAGAZINE 5

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.

ISSUE 4 2018

In this issue… INSIGHT

On the cover: A 5(AC) Squadron Sentinel Flying over Buckingham Palace.

From the Editor…

Welcome to this issue of Insight.

Welcome to this issue of the Insight magazine; my final as editor of the magazine before I handover to Sqn Ldr Craig LeDieu. It has been an enjoyable experience bringing community news to the Station over the last 2 years.

In this edition we have news from 56 Sqn and their freedom parade, the Station Awards dinner and updates from the many RAF100 events that happened in June & July.

As always we strive to include as many articles as we can from our Station community.

Please get in touch through WAD- [email protected] or give Craig or Dan Hopkinson a call.

Sqn Ldr Keith Bissett MSc BSc RAF.

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Deputy Editor:

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39 SQUADRON

CADET VISIT

RAFA VISIT

NO. 56 SQUADRON EXERCISE

HIGH FLYING SUPPORTERS RECOGNISED

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A XIII SQN REAPER PILOT

RAF100 BATON RELAY AT RAF WADDINGTON

RAF100 FLYPAST

RAF WADDINGTON’S 100 STATIONS IN 100 HOURS

RAF WADDINGTON FRIENDS AND FAMILIES DAY

51 SQUADRON HISTORY UNVEILED AT RAF WYTON

AWARDS

RUGBY LEAGUES

THE BATTLE OF THE BARGES

THE ISTAR FORCE AT THE ROYAL INTERNATIONAL AIR TATTOO

V(AC) SQN DACRE TROPHY

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In June, 39 Squadron celebrated a significant number of milestones for its personnel.

The experience levels, like any squadron, vary and many

have thousands of hours of flying experience and some decades of service in the RAF. The ISTAR Force Commander, Air Commodore Dean Andrew OBE MA MBA RAF, visited 39 Squadron at Creech Air Force Base in Las Vegas as Reviewing Officer for the Squadron’s Wings presentation and Honours & Awards event. Personnel receiving honours and awards included Master Aircrew Jim Tracey, who received a total of three awards; his Royal Warrant, Meritorious Service Medal and a Clasp to the Long Service & Good Conduct

medal (LS&GC). This marked a fitting end for the Squadrons Warrant Officer who has departed the Squadron to work in the Reaper Force in Waddington. Corporal Bradshaw received a Commendation for his excellent work as an acting Sergeant and Reaper Liaison officer in Al Udeid, supporting UKRF operations on Op SHADER. However arguably the most important aspect of the ceremony was the award of the new Remotely Pilots Air Systems (Pilot) brevets to the new ab initio members of the Reaper Force pilot cadre. Flying Officers Bennett, Cocks and Higgins were presented with their brevets, which were blessed by Wing Chaplain Major Joel Kornegay from the US Air Force, prior to the Force Commander awarding them.

I know the heat won’t last and by the time you read this, it might feel like

the summer of 2018 is long gone. It certainly has been an extraordinary season. Political turmoil, Brexit uncertainty, England making the semi-finals and of course the RAF100 national events. The preparation and participation in the Parade, 104 aircraft Flypast, Air Power Conference and Royal International Air Tattoo placed extra demands on everyone in the RAF to some extent, but I hope you agree it was worth the effort. We should all be very proud of the style and professionalism displayed by every member of the team and the fact that we sustained high tempo air operations throughout. My particular thanks go to often unsung Air Cadets who supported local and national events in huge numbers with characteristic enthusiasm and energy.

We’ve had several excellent local events: the RAF100 baton visited the Station – circling around most of the unit; the Station Awards Dinner – where we recognised the best amongst the Whole Force; and various RAF100 charity,

Force Development and Adventurous Training events. Our Friends’ and Families’ Day and STEM engagement program were bigger and better this year as additional RAF100 Engagement money was made available from LIBOR funding.

The capstone event of the RAF100 celebrations was of course the one hundred aircraft flypast over London on Tuesday 10 July, concurrent with the presentation of the new RAF Colour, and the culmination of the RAF100 Baton relay – 100 days after the 100th anniversary of the Royal Air Force as an independent air force. What an amazing achievement and day of celebrations – televised live. The flypast was the largest gathering of the royal family and RAF aircraft since 1977 (the Silver Jubilee). The Station and the ISTAR Force were well represented with every Squadron Standard proudly paraded down the Mall into the grounds of Buckingham Palace for the ceremony in front of Her Majesty The Queen. No V(AC), VIII, 14 and 51 Squadrons joined the celebration as part of the 19-element display flying overhead Buckingham Palace, spread over 9 minutes, then splitting to the Runnymede Memorial, Heathrow Airport and the RAF Museum. Not only did we successfully launch all the elements of the RAF100 flypast but every squadron was also

represented at the Royal International Air Tattoo static display at Fairford.

I hope you have the chance to enjoy the rest of the summer whether at Waddington or deployed away. We have some new challenges to look forward to in the Autumn as the Modernising Defence Programme matures and we continue to build the Next Gen Air Force.

For Faith and Freedom.

Gp Capt Tom Burke MA BSc RAF

Welcome to Insight magazine. I’m writing this on what promises to be the hottest day ever recorded in the UK.

Station Commander’sForeword...

INSIGHTMAGAZINE 9

39 SquadronPresentation of Flying Wings and Honours & Awards

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RAFA VisitMr Tony Kiddle, Ex 56 Sqn technician and four esteemed colleagues of RAFA Wisbech were hosted by the RAF Waddington Stn RAFALO team.

Starting the visit at the Heritage centre, the guests were

given a very insightful brief about the history of RAF Waddington by Historian Mr Chris Dean. Tony recalled stories linking his time to 56 Sqn, of particular interest was the story of the day he attempted to visit a downed

Sgt Pilot. Unfortunately the pilot was discharged a few hours prior to Tony visiting but having signed into the medical facility the pilot was informed. He found Mr Kiddle at work on the flight-line and the picture shown E-3D was the silk scarf given to him by Sgt Atkinson in 1951 for his kind gesture. In 2016 this was donated to 56 Sqn as an historical exhibit. Moving to 8 Sqn guests were hosted by Flt Lt Tidbury who provided a walk around of an E-3D and informed the group of the intricacies of working life in the Air.

Cadet VisitCadets from 127 (Wakefield) Sqn ATC recently visited RAF Waddington in order to learn how a flying station works and to see the different roles that ensure the Station runs smoothly.

During the visit cadets visited 8 Sqn and a number

of sections and got to see how day to day operations are conducted. The cadets received a capabilities brief on the E-3D Sentry aircraft before going on board to see how the aircraft works, followed by visits to Survival Equipment Section (SES) and Air Traffic Control (ATC). SES are responsible for providing flying clothing, life jackets and life rafts, along with a number of other pieces of safety and survival equipment, which allow aircrew to carry out their roles safely.

On board Sentry cadets see the work stations that are operated in flight by a variety of different trades.

SAC Hart, a survival equipment fitter, briefs the cadets on the role of SES and the different equipment provided to aircrew.

Fg Off Devreau shows cadets the inner workings of ATC, highlighting the key role in ensuring aircraft can safely land and take-off at RAF Waddington.

Cadets visit 8 Sqn dispersal, learning about the role that Sentry carries out within the ISTAR force.

Fg Off Devreau shows cadets the inner workings of ATC, highlighting the key role in ensuring aircraft can safely land and take-off at RAF Waddington.

ATC provides a crucial service managing the airspace around Waddington ensuring that aircraft can take off and land safely.

Visits like this are an opportunity for all to showcase the work they do to the next generation, allowing cadets to hear about roles within the RAF that they may not be aware of. Equally it is a great opportunity for cadets to gain knowledge of the RAF and its operations and an awareness and understanding of the demands on people and aircraft across the Service.

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On Sunday 10 June 18, No. 56 Squadron personnel were able to exercise their newly acquired ‘Freedom of the District’ in the village of North Weald, parading through the village in this, the RAF’s Centenary year.

The squadron - based at RAF Waddington - is one of the oldest and

most notable units of the RAF, having played a part in the Battle of France and the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940.

The community were able to enjoy the parade by 56 Squadron, a picnic, music courtesy of the Epping Forest Band and the band of 56 squadron ATC, as well as a magnificent fly-past from a Hurricane of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. The sunny day concluded with the laying of the wreaths- a wonderful tribute to over 250 servicemen, servicewomen and civilians employed at the station,

who lost their lives in peace and war since the airfield’s inception, 102 years ago.

The ‘Freedom of a District’ is quite the honour, having been a custom as far back as Ancient Roman times, the honour is granted to military units which have earned the city’s trust and as such allows them the freedom to parade through the district, and is an affirmation of the

No. 56 Squadron exercise their ‘Freedom of the District’ in North Weald

bond between the unit and council with the community of North Weald. The honour was only very recently bestowed upon 56 Squadron by the Epping Forest District Council on 24 April.

No. 56 Squadron stands to remain as a significant part of North Weald’s history; whilst North Weald is no longer an air base, it stood as an important fighter station during the Great War and remains the spiritual home of 56 Squadron having been based there from 1927 until 1941.

Seeing the local community turn out to show their support in such numbers was a proud moment for the Squadron, further strengthening the relationship between 56 Squadron, North Weald and Epping Forest District.

Officer Commanding 56 Sqn said:

“It is with a great sense of pride that 56 Squadron first exercised the Freedom of its spiritual home at North Weald and marched on to its Battle of Britain airfield on 10 Jun 18. Representing the RAF in its centenary year with a superb parade, the Squadron further reinforced the enduring links between the Service and the District of Epping Forest – a connection that goes back more than 100 years. Made to feel very welcome by the local community, 56 Squadron personnel were in high demand by the residents, especially for photographs! The Firebirds all look forward to the next time we exercise our Freedom.”

14 INSIGHTMAGAZINE

High Flying Supporters Recognised at RAF Welfare Charity’s Annual Awards Ceremony

The recipients of 10 awards spanning RAF Station of the Year to

incredible corporate support were announced, watched by an audience of RAF personnel, including Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier and beneficiaries of the RAF’s leading welfare charity.

As in previous years, the most hotly contested award was the RAF Station of the Year which went to RAF Marham. Throughout 2017, personnel from RAF Marham carried out a host of fundraising challenges, all in aid of the RAF Benevolent Fund.

Personnel reached new heights when they scaled Mount Kilimanjaro, the team galvanised public interest and participation in events such as the New Year’s Eve 10K and GEAR 10K and they hosted many other fundraising activities such as quizzes, golf tournaments and even a Tornado pull during their Families’ Day. RAF Marham’s collective efforts have raised more than £30,000 for the RAF Benevolent Fund.

Air Vice-Marshal David Murray, Chief Executive at the RAF Benevolent Fund, said: “The annual awards ceremony is a highlight in

The RAF Benevolent Fund’s annual awards ceremony, in London, celebrated the charity’s generous supporters.

the RAF Benevolent Fund’s calendar as it’s a chance for us to champion all of our wonderful supporters and share the incredible stories of the people they enable us to help. This year’s cohort of nominees and award winners are all truly inspiring; their creativity and endeavour to continue to support our charity is what inspires all of us at the Fund to carry out our mission of ensuring no member of the RAF Family faces adversity alone.”

Winners in the remaining nine categories were: Welfare Caseworker of the Year, Michael Raw of SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity; Airplay Youth Worker of the Year, Julia Purton from RAF Henlow; Outstanding Support from an Organisation, the Worshipful Company of Bakers with the RAF Target Rifle Club; ATC Squadron of the Year, No 723 (Wigan) Squadron Air Training Corps; Corporate Fundraising Activity of

the Year, Aston Martin Cambridge; RAF Stations Challenge Cup, Leuchars Station; Above and Beyond, Squadron Leader Ryan Morris; Fundraising Team of the Year, Team RAFBF Cosford; Special Recognition Award, Sue and Chris Beadel.

Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier said: “The RAF could not do what we do without the support of the RAF Benevolent Fund, who in turn could not carry out their vital welfare work without the support of fundraisers and corporate organisations like those celebrated here tonight. “It was an honour to meet some of the beneficiaries who have been supported by the Fund and to hear the impact the Fund has had on their lives.”

Sue Beadel and her husband Chris received the Special Recognition Award for their dedication and commitment to raising vital funds for the

charity which supported them when their 25-year-old son, Simon, passed away unexpectedly.

On collecting her award, Sue said: “We are so touched to receive this award; it means so much to us. No one expects to lose a child but when we did, the Fund were there for us. It felt as though they dropped everything to be there for us. So for us we wanted to give something back but you don’t have to have gone through something like this to raise money for charity.”

This is the sixth year that the RAF Benevolent Fund has recognised the outstanding contributions of its supporters, personnel on stations and corporate partners who support the charity each year.

The awards ceremony, which was sponsored by Lockheed Martin, was held at Gibson Hall, London.

Award winners on the night. Photo: RAF Benevolent Fund.

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My day begins rather early with an alarm at 0500 when I find the courage to get up to go to the gym. I’m not a morning gym person but I’m too fatigued to train effectively after a full day in the ‘box’.

I n a job where I sit down all day it’s surprisingly tiring, albeit mentally not

physically. I finish gym by 0615, have some breakfast and then make my way to XIII Squadron for 0700; at this time the aircraft are being flown by colleagues.

Firstly, I’ll ensure my crew has no currency issues that will become prevalent during the out brief process, then sign for the aircraft and consider the clearances the crews have been given by tactical air traffic control so far and start building my situational awareness.

However, it’s not always a single set of clearances for a single aircraft that I would be looking for. As the aircraft has a phenomenally long loiter time it would be unbearable to keep the crews in the box for the entire sortie. As such we have a unique ability to relieve the main crew witha ‘flex crew’. This crew jumps between the different control boxes giving each dedicated crew a much needed break. Therefore it’s essential to know the details of all of the aircraft flying for that day.

Secondly, I check in with the Authorizer (Auth) to make sure there are no short notice changes to the program and then get into the truly essential

task of the morning, filling my coffee flask. I’ll see the Sensor Operator and Mission Intelligence Coordinator who will be my crew for the day and discuss anything of significance that’s happened already such as weapons employment, emergencies etc.

It’s now time for the main brief with presentations from Squadron Operations, Intelligence and Met personnel followed by a quick flight notes brief from the Auth. We then complete our crew brief, discuss the specific details of the day’s tasking and talk through some potential emergency scenarios. Then I, as Captain, fill out the Auth sheets and we get an out brief from the Auth. We then step to the box and begin the process of gaining the aircraft.

There are: 5 checklists, 5 safety switch crosschecks, 2 phone calls, 4 people and some standardized text messages (through a secure text chat) needed to gain the aircraft successfully.

The first checklists setup the box and configure the systems to work with the satellites. After checklist number 4 I’ll make a telephone call to the other crew. There will be a formal handover release message them and a formal accept message from us. From this point onwards we are legally responsible for the aircraft.

We fly the sortie as tasked by the unit we are supporting that day. The typical tasking relates to combat intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance. This means we investigate hostile activity and then, if required, prosecute with lethal precision strike ordinance. When we reach our ‘off task time’ we begin the transit home. As we near the home base we begin to hand the aircraft back to the launch and recovery crew. As the aircraft has an inherent satellite delay it’s extremely hard to land or take off.

Therefore, there is a crew co-located in theatre who use a

A Day in the Life of a XIII Sqn Reaper Pilotsimilar system run via line of sight. We contact this crew and let them know all the relevant details they need to plan the recovery of the aircraft and run a couple of checklists. Once ready we hand over control and the aircraft is their responsibility.

Now we get in-briefed by the Auth, have a crew debrief and, if required, a weapon debrief. I will sign the aircraft back in, complete all the relevant paperwork, ensure there’s no further admin to do within the Squadron and leave to the mess for some dinner. I need to be in bed early so I’m ready to start it all again tomorrow. We work a 6 days on, 3 days off cycle so if you ever ask someone on XIII Squadron what day it is don’t be surprised if your first response is ‘day 4’. The Reaper is far from perfect but as someone who has joined the RAF to fly them I can honestly say this is my dream job and I feel absolutely honoured to be part of such an innovative technological boom.

Fg Off King, XIII Sqn.

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RAF100 Baton Relay at RAF Waddington

The Station Commander, Group Captain Burke, was greeted by the

Sub-dean of Lincoln who then took custody of the baton in the picturesque setting of the Cathedral. The Station has close ties with the magnificent building - it features on the Station crest as it helped to guide crews back home in World War II.

The baton’s journey continued to the International Bomber Command Centre and saw a member of 8 Squadron, part of the Narrow Boat Committee and personnel from the Physical Education

Flight, getting their hands on it. Whilst there, the team were hosted by a tour guide and told various stories that captured significant historical events. This highlighted how important the celebration of RAF100 is.

After visiting the All Saints Primary School in Waddington, the baton was delivered to Station by the “100 stations in 100 hours” cycling team. In formation, the team rode on to the camp and presented the relay baton to the Station Commander.

Following a group photo of BSW personnel, the ISTAR Force Commander and Station Commander congratulated members

of the cycle team on their fantastic achievement.

Group Captain Burke said: The baton relay has been a great way of connecting the Station to the community. RAF Waddington has always enjoyed close links to city of Lincoln. It was a privilege to start the baton relay at the Cathedral that is symbolized on our Station Crest. We were delighted the relay was seen by so many people in the County, especially the next generation who will see us into our second century.

To maximise the availability of the baton on Station the Motorcycle Club played a

key part in the logistics of moving the baton around the Station, visiting every squadron on the loop of RAF Waddington; OC 14 Squadron took the baton for a spin, 5 Squadron accepted the baton in front of their Sentinel R1 and 51 Squadron also welcomed the baton in front of the Rivet Joint with a team photo.

To complete the day the baton was then handed to pupils of the Station Nursery from OC Personnel Management Squadron. There the children enjoyed the roar of the motorbikes, had photograph opportunities

with the baton and saw the arrival of two airfield fire engines and their crews. Finally, after the day’s excitement, the RAF

Waddington Fire Section gave the baton a lap of honour around the camp prior to its departure.

Cathedral_Baton_Outside : The Station celebrating RAF100 with the Clergy of Lincoln Cathedral.

Squadron Leader Blackwell hands over to 51 Squadron.

Stopping by the International Bomber Command Centre.

The 100 stations in 100 hours ride onto the Station.

Baton-Nursery Handover: Station RAF100 Project Officer, Squadron Leader Bissett hands over to Squadron Leader Schofield.

OC 14 Squadron, Wing Commander Farrow rides to V(AC) Squadron.

Group Captain Burke in Lincoln Cathedral.

The Station personnel performed the final

lap of the Station with the RAF100 baton..

The nursery children enjoy time with the baton.

On 14th June, as part of the RAF’s centenary celebrations, the nationwide RAF100 Baton Relay arrived at RAF Waddington via Lincoln Cathedral and the International Bomber Command Centre.

Wing Commander Cloke hands over the RAF100 baton to the Station Commander for its relay on Station.


The ISTAR Force Turn Out for the RAF100 FlypastOne hundred days after the centenary anniversary of the formation world’s first independent air force, over 100 aircraft took to the skies on 10th July, to form up for a special flypast over London.

With more than 1000 Service personnel on parade on the

ground, and many hundreds more taking part in the commemorative service in Westminster Abbey, as well as the activities on Horse Guards Parade, this was a once-in-a-lifetime occasion. On the ground, each of the Station’s Squadron Standards were paraded, along with every Colour and Standard in the RAF’s inventory. Over 100 Waddington personnel were involved either on parade, collecting for the RAF100 Appeal or in another official capacity. For those on parade the 10 days spent in ‘boot camp’ ensured that they looked their best.

This was the largest formation of aircraft to fly over London since Her Majesty The Queen’s Silver Jubilee celebrations in 1977. The ISTAR Force provided 2 Shadows from 14 Squadron, one Sentinel from 5(AC) Squadron, a Rivet Joint from 51 Squadron and one Sentry from 8 Squadron for the formation. The ISTAR aircraft took to the skies from RAF Waddington over an hour before the flypast to take up their holds over the North Sea. Coordinating a flypast of 19 elements, with over 100 aircraft flying over the capital, is a complex affair as the ground speed of the aircraft varied from 90 knots to over 300 knots causing a concertina effect over Buckingham Palace.

The holds over the North Sea allowed the crews to perfect their timings – they had to be on time plus/minus 5 seconds to be able to safely fly over the capital at around 1000 feet above the ground.

The ISTAR aircraft were spread throughout the formation and had a secondary flypast objective of overflying the Runnymede Air Forces Memorial just south of Heathrow a couple of minutes after ‘saluting’ Her Majesty, and the Colours and Standards of the Royal Air Force, in the grounds of Buckingham Palace. Runnymede is the Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorial commemorating over 20,000 airmen & women lost in World War II who have no known graves and overlooks Heathrow Airport (formerly RAF Heston).

It was estimated that over 100,000 members of the public in Central London came out to see the flypast with approximately 65,000 in The Mall.


RAF WADDINGTON’S 100 Stations In 100 HoursBack in September 2017, during a cycling outing, two Wing Commanders from RAF Waddington thought, while battling into a head wind, that it would be good to do some sort of cycling challenge to celebrate RAF100.

As they talked an idea emerged.One of the Wing

Commanders said: “Why don’t we celebrate the RAF’s 100 years by visiting 100 present and former RAF Stations by bike in 100 hours.” The trip needs to be physical, hard and a challenge though… Ten months later, after months of long practice rides, they set out to start their mammoth task. The team departed from Air Command in RAF High Wycombe on Sunday 10th June and cycled around 100 miles per day taking in various sites on the way to RAF Waddington. They took in sights including RAF Bovingdon, Medmenham, Uxbridge, and many Force Development stops along a very interesting one at Bletchley Park, staying at Halton and Scampton for night stops during their tour of bases.

The arduous ‘tour’ of the RAF’s stations required many stops along the way to recharge the team’s batteries; aided by their support team with snacks and drinks as well as several cake & lunch stops later an energised crew arrived in Lincolnshire for the last hundred miles. After a circuit of the stations in Lincolnshire the team arrived in Waddington to

pick up the RAF100 baton for its tour of the Station.

After around 80 hours and with over 540 miles on the clock, neither could remember which of the two Wing Commanders exactly came up with the words ‘physical, hard, challenge’ but they managed it. On arrival at Waddington the team presented the baton to the Station Commander.


RAF Waddington Friends and Families Day 2018After months of planning, Friends and Families Day 2018 finally arrived and despite some troubling early forecasts, the weather held for what was a fantastic afternoon of family fun on the Sports Pitches.

With the help of our numerous industry partners, Service

Charities, RAF LIBOR funding and local sponsors, we wanted to provide a fun-filled, family orientated event with a little something for everyone.

In doing so, we hoped to embrace the fantastic energy of the RAF100 celebrations to-date and capitalise on the excellent work undertaken throughout the year by the Station’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) Ambassadors.

This superb team of volunteer ambassadors provide a hands-on insight into the fabulous opportunities associated with a career in STEM, inspiring the next generation of scientists, engineers, mathematicians and hopefully, RAF personnel. On the day, the opportunity to fly micro-UAVs was a particular hit with youngsters and grown-ups alike!

Attracting more than 3000 people, Friends and Families Day provided the perfect opportunity for the wider-Station community to come together, relax and enjoy a vibrant mix of live music,

children’s entertainment, fairground rides, living history re enactors, food, drink and community outreach teams. With live music performances by the RAF Waddington Volunteer Band and the Military Wives Choir, the stage proved a real highlight amongst the crowds, with the dancing lasting right until the end of our headline acts’ fantastic set.

It was also great to see our wonderful Service Charities represented, furthering the work of the RAF100 charitable campaign and reaching out to the people they support. We were also proud to be able to invite a number of local veterans along, to join in the fun, celebrate their contribution and recognise the important place they play in our community.

Our very own Fire Section were on-scene providing invaluable fire safety advice to our families and the ever-popular Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance, whose arrival certainly proved popular with the kids, were also there supporting the day and raising the profile of their important work.

Overall, it was a fantastic event made possible thanks to the incredible support of our industry partners, Service Charities and local sponsors whose very generous donations, allowed us to put on this much-loved event. We hope you all had a fantastic day and are looking forward to next year’s event!

Friends and Families Day 2018

51 Squadron was based at RAF Wyton during its Cold War days from 1963, until it’s move to RAF Waddington in 1995, after which it came “into the light” and adopted the more overt stature enjoyed today.

a fitting archive and display of historic memorabilia in well thought out displays. All this has been housed within an old part of the station infrastructure (formerly a Barrack Block then the Station library) to finally become the Wyton Heritage Centre. Inside the 2-storey facility a very interesting Wyton timeline has been created by Group Captain (Retired) Steve Lloyd (formerly of the Air Historical Branch), where each room is linked to its position in the timeline.

It was decided that the display could be enhanced, in the 1960s - 1990s area, with a larger 51 Squadron presence as the Squadron was stationed at Wyton for more than 30 years. Museum curator, Jim Blackwood, set

centre stalwarts and former EWAU/EWAD members, Alan Palmer and Ron Hewlett, onto the task of setting up the SIGINT area and commissioning a board displaying the names of the Officer Commanding of 51 Squadron during the 1963-1995 era. With funding, and donations of items, from 51 Squadron and 51 Squadron

26 INSIGHTMAGAZINE

Association, there are now several declassified artefacts on display.

On Wednesday 25 July 18 a formal unveiling ceremony took place with Station Commander RAF Wyton, Wg Cdr Rachel Dixon, receiving the board from Sqn Ldr Keith Bissett, Executive Officer 51 Squadron. Also in attendance were present and former members of the Squadron including Mr Dave Thorne, MAcr Glyn, MAcr ‘Spike’, Mrs Sutton and the wider enterprise including Wing Commander Ray Smith.

51 Squadron History Unveiled at RAF Wyton

During the Wyton era the Squadron used platforms including

the Canberra and Comet before converting to the Comet derived Nimrod R1. In close alliance with 51 Squadron was Electronic Warfare Avionics Unit (EWAU) which later developed into the Electronic Warfare Avionics Detachment (EWAD). The role of EWAD was to design, develop and build the complex avionics

housed on the Nimrod R1 airframe to enable its crews to carry out its specialised and complex tasking.

RAF Wyton has enjoyed a rich history since the birth of the RAF, from training pilots, to being the centre of excellence for Intelligence Gathering in many varied fields. To that end, a group of enthusiasts wished to build

Ron Hewlett explains the purpose of equipment he

designed for the Nimrod R1.

MAcr ‘Spike’ looks at the recently declassified equipment where he used to operate.

The unveiled role of Officers

Commanding No. 51 Squadron

(Wyton era 1962 to 1995)

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The Winner of this years RAF Waddington Outstanding Contribution to Charity is Stu, a Flight Lieutenant with a passion for a charity close to his heart. He’s completed a series of charity events in aid of raising funds and awareness for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) in support of friends of his who have a little boy who suffers from DMD. Stu decided to set about raising money and awareness of this condition. Over the last 12 months

he has run a series of long distance events and has raised nearly £6000.

The Winner of the RAF Waddington Outstanding Team Award is the Lincolnshire Emergency Medical Response Team

LEMR is a registered charity set up to provide a rapid and dynamic response to 999 calls across the entire county of Lincolnshire. In its 20th year, LEMR is manned by serving and ex-service personnel who give up their spare time to man two Rapid Response Vehicles. Fully equipped including ambulance markings and blue lights, they are deployed by East Midlands Ambulance Control as a regular asset, in response to emergency calls. On top of normal shifts and training, these volunteers also give up their time to

fundraise for the charity in local supermarkets, city centres etc. They also provide

first aid cover for station events and carry out school visits to educate children regarding emergencies and dialling 999. Our scheme operates under the banner Military Volunteer Lifesavers and are known throughout EMAS as ‘RAF Responders’.

28 INSIGHTMAGAZINE

RAF Waddington has been celebrating the exceptional people that make up the ISTAR Whole Force.

A bespoke visit to the International Bomber Command

Centre was followed by an awards evening with a guest appearance by Phil Vickery - a member of the England Rugby Union 2003 World Cup winning squad.

There were several awards categories ranging from the Outstanding Team Award to the Spirit of Waddington Award, each one given in recognition of how RAF Waddington’s personnel continue to make a significant contribution to operational output, take leading roles in the community and accomplish outstanding sporting achievements whilst continuing to provide world class Combat ISTAR from our home base and deployed locations around the world.Held in the Warrant Officers’ and SNCOs’ mess, the evening was a fantastic finale to a day of events attended by award nominees, industry partners, representatives from the County Council, local adult education providers and station personnel.

Group Captain Tom Burke (Station Commander RAF Waddington) said: “This evening has been a great opportunity to

celebrate the achievements and selfless dedication of some very special people from across the Whole Force. The RAF Waddington awards nominees and commendation winners are exemplars of professionalism, courage and commitment. They are truly the best of us. I would also like to pay particular thanks to the seven industry partner organisations for sponsoring the event.”

The Winner of the RAF Waddington People’s award is Pamela from the Station NurseryPamela has managed the Station nursery and kids’ club since 2013 transforming the nursery and pre-school club into a central element that brings families together. Pamela was praised for making sure she maximises the learning and development of our service children with a care and love that is echoed throughout her entire team providing outstanding childcare. It is Pamela’s passion and hard work that keep the Station Nursery and kids’ club a safe, fun and loving environment to learn in.

The Spirit of RAF Waddington Award - awarded in recognition of overcoming adversity to excel in personal and professional excellence.

Awarded to Bob a Flight Sergeant who joined the Service in 1984 has served in an engineering role for a third of the RAF’s 100 years. Diagnosed with cancer in April 2017 Bob has endured and continues to receive complex and lengthy treatment. A personal choice, Bob

Awards

to help me manage what is a pretty grim situation.” The Winner of the RAF Waddington Outstanding Sporting Achievement is awarded to Sam a Senior Aircraft Technician.

Sam is the Royal Air Force’s only licensed amateur National Hunt jockey; regularly competing in nationally televised races including prestigious courses such as Cheltenham and Sandown park. Self-supported and funded he has placed 14 times with 3 wins in his career.Described as daring and always competitive, Sam has raced the Grand Military Gold Cup 6 years running. This 3 - mile race, held since 1841 over steeplechase fences, is the pinnacle of the Military racing calendar with Her Majesty the Queen as its patron.

The Winner of the RAF Waddington Resourcefulness and Innovation Award is Jillian, a Sergeant at RAF Waddington who has been praised for her work as a Stress and Resilience Champion. A qualified Trauma and Risk Management practitioner, she has developed and pioneered procedures so that personnel have the skills to identify and deal with stress and resilience issues. Jill’s work has been

INSIGHTMAGAZINE 29

continues to work, managing and supporting his team to deliver exceptional results. He’s always upbeat, cheerful and positive, and as many of his colleagues have said – Bob typifies all that is great of a military man. He, and his young family, have bravely faced the challenges put in front of them with exceptional courage.

Also awarded the Spirit of Waddington Award was a small team of individuals singled out for the support and compassion they have shown to Tom, a young Officer diagnosed with a terminal illness. Unable to attend the event, Tom has praised these individuals for the care and consideration they have shown for him and his young family. Processes have been put in place to ensure that the family have access to medical and pastoral support 24/7 and the team have been there to help with the difficult decisions that a family must make when faced with a terminal illness. In Tom’s words - “If there were medals for kindness, these 4 individuals should all be at the front of the queue. They have made me feel like their priority always and constantly strive to ensure that my family and I are being cared for. They have never let anything get in the way of helping me and my family and continue

Rugby League 9’sRAF Waddington Rugby Club hosted the inter-station RAF Rugby League 9’s competition on Wed 18 Jul 18.

The competition has been devised to encourage more

players to try the sport and ensure the game is being played at Station level. This is the third and final 9’s competition culminating in advancing the 4 best teams into the RAF Rugby League XIII Cup Final and Plate respectfully.

Waddington Rugby started the day well and had real strength in depth across the squad, so much so some players were farmed out to travelling teams to ensure everyone had good numbers. The competition was in parts fierce and exhilarating with some strong displays of energy, determination and mateship were shown across all the teams.

Of course it was never in doubt that Waddington would do well enough to reach the final but the emphatic way in which all teams were dispatched in the competition was a testament to the level of expertise within the squad. Waddington ran out 22-4 winners against Brize in the final and will go on to play RAF Wittering in the XIII version of the game cup final in Aug 18, to be played at RAF Cranwell.

Wg Cdr Gordon, Chairman of the RAF Rugby League, presented the trophy and exclaimed his gratitude to Waddington for organising such a well-received event.

30 INSIGHTMAGAZINE

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INSIGHTMAGAZINE 3332 INSIGHTMAGAZINE

June had seen the evacuation of Dunkirk and fall of France:

Britain was alone and facing almost certain defeat at the hands of Germany. The German forces in France spent July in reinforcement, rest, and refit in preparation for Operation Sealion, the Invasion of Britain, and the scent of victory was in the air. However, the Germans had to convince Britain to surrender. Although a good proportion of the battered British Army had been evacuated from France, it had left behind its heavy equipment and supplies. However, an obstacle to German victory still stood in the way: the English Channel. The Germans had to cross the sea to bring its victorious army to battle and their High Command hoped that an early British surrender would lead to an unopposed crossing. How to achieve this?

Despite its ill-equipped army, Britain still had two vitally important assets to prevent invasion: the Royal Navy at its main base at Scapa Flow, and the Royal Air Force. Germany could not invade while the RN was able to intervene: its capital ships greatly outnumbered the Kriegsmarine and would have decimated the invasion fleet. Germany needed air superiority for the Luftwaffe over the invasion area to allow its bombers to keep the Royal Navy at bay – it needed to destroy the Royal Air Force before any invasion could begin. The Battle of Britain began in August 1940, with RAF Fighter Command at its very limit

The period of August and September 1940 was of huge significance for the Royal Air Force.

to keep the Luftwaffe at bay before the final victory in late September. The story of the Battle of Britain is not for these pages however – we need to concentrate on Waddington’s part in keeping the invasion away.

As the Battle of Britain got underway, the Germans sailed their fleet of invasion barges, loaded with troops and supplies, to the Channel ports and awaited orders to transport the Wehrmacht to England. These were not the landing craft to be seen later in the War – these were large sea-going cargo barges that in peacetime plied their trade along the channel coast and the German river and canal systems. Most were bulk carriers, converted to carry troops and vehicles by fitting a ramp to the bow. They were slow, unwieldy, and after being unloaded in the ports were packed together in their new harbours waiting for their time to bring the army over. While the Luftwaffe engaged with Fighter Command during daylight hours, at night, the aircraft of Bomber Command went out to strike the German invasion forces. As part of No 5 Group, RAF Waddington’s Hampdens of No 44 Sqn were assigned the barges moored in the cross-channel ports as their priority target.

The Battle of the Barges got underway at the end of August. The Waddington crews were happy to get to grips with packed shipping in easy to find locations, although the Germans ensured that the ports were heavily defended: so great was the show of searchlights and flak that the crews referred to the “Blackpool Front” and it took considerable nerve to pick out the target at night and to accurately bomb the barges from a relatively low altitude.

The Other Battle of Britain: The Battle of The Barges

On the night of 7th - 8th September 1940, intelligence reports suggested that the invasion barges were being readied to move, and Bomber Command went to full alert, recalling all crews that were on stand down. Three of 44 Sqn’s Hampdens, led by their OC, Wg Cdr Reid, were tasked to attack barges at Ostend. Sgt Jim Taylor, Wg Cdr Reid’s W/Op Gunner in this scratch crew described the scene:

“Having identified his target. Wg Cdr Reid climbed to 1,000 feet, the worst possible height for flak as virtually all calibres could get you up there! Almost immediately we were coned by searchlights and pounded by what seemed to be all the flak in the World – light, medium and heavy. Inevitably we were hit and I was fascinated to see lumps flying off our tail, that is until lumps started flying off my radio set right next to me. Both the under gunner and I fired off long bursts at the searchlights, but as it was almost as bright as day over the docks, I doubt that it made much difference, although it did make us feel better to be doing something vaguely militaristic.”

Despite this very fierce opposition, the attack was successful and Wg Cdr Reid was awarded an immediate DFC: his citation for the award read:

“One night in September 1940, this officer successfully carried out a dive bombing attack on an assembly of barges in Ostend Harbour. On arrival over the target area he made reconnaissance runs at an altitude of 1,000 feet, during which he selected the most vital parts to attack. He then climbed to 6,000 feet and made a dive attack to 500 feet, obtaining direct hits on the target with a stick of eight

250lb bombs. During the preliminary runs and in the attack, intense anti-aircraft fire seriously damaged his aircraft, affecting his controls and shattering the pilots’ compass and the rear gun hatches. Despite these difficulties, W/Cdr Reid pressed home his attack with great determination and skill, showing complete disregard for his own safety.”

The action above was typical of the attacks carried out during this period by Waddington’s bomber crews. At the end of the Battle, in addition to Wg Cdr Reid’s DFC there were DFCs for Sqn Ldrs Collier and Gardner; Flt Lt Eustace, and Plt Offs Jones, Lewis, and deMestre. There were DFMs for FS Clayton and Sgts Wintle, Chesters, Collins, and Ayton. It wasn’t always one sided – seven of 44 Sqn’s Hampdens failed to return during the battle: 18 aircrew died and 5 became prisoners of war. Bomber Command’s achievement during the Battle of the Barges was vital to Britain’s survival. On 12th September, Admiral Raeder reported that “…the harbours at Ostend, Dunkirk, Calais and Boulogne cannot be used as night anchorages because of the danger of British bombing. Further delays are to be expected in the assembly of the invasion fleet”, and on 17th September, German High Command ordered that invasion shipping should be dispersed in order to reduce losses. The Battle of the Barges had been won.Every September, we remember the Battle of Britain and pay tribute to the 550 pilots of Fighter Command who died during the Battle of Britain…perhaps we should also remember the 790 aircrew of Bomber Command who died during this same period.

Footnote: a painting depicting Wg Cdr Lewis’ attack currently hangs in the foyer of Waddington’s Officers’ Mess. A print from this painting is in the Sgts’ Mess.

The RIAT team encouraged mass participation from

the RAF, as part of over 300 aircraft, that travelled to Fairford for the show over the weekend of 13-15 July.

The RAF showing was impressive. In addition to the RAF Sports Teams, RAF Police, Mountain Rescue Teams, and other ground demonstration there was a mass of RAF aircraft in the ‘RAF Village’. As part of the ‘RAF Village’ the ISTAR Force supplied an 8 Squadron Sentry, 5(AC) Squadron

German invasion barges in Boulogne Harbour, September 1940.

Wg Cdr Reid (bending over), with other personnel of 44 Sqn in May 1940.

Wg Cdr Reid (bending over), with other personnel of 44 Sqn in May 1940.

The ISTAR Force at the Royal International Air TattooThe Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) at RAF Fairford this year celebrated the RAF’s centenary as part of our RAF100 commemorations and held 100 days after the centenary itself.

Sentinel, 51 Squadron Rivet Joint and a 14 Squadron Shadow. There were also future elements of the ISTAR Force out in force to inspire the audiences of RIAT: The P-8A Poseidon, manned by many members of our RAF maritime ‘Seedcorn’ crews, and the new Protector Remotely Piloted Air System, made the journey over the Atlantic from the United States of America for the air show.

It is unusual to gather the ISTAR Force together for any event and even more so for an airshow – this was the UK Rivet Joint’s first airshow. Visitor numbers for the event exceeded 185,000 over the weekend and many people stopped to have a tour inside a Sentry or talk to the crews of the Sentinel and Rivet Joint.

INSIGHTMAGAZINE 35

V(AC) SQN Dacre TrophyOn 13 June 2018 the No 1 Gp Honours and Awards Ceremony was held at Halton House Officers’ Mess.

Air Officer Commanding (AOC) 1 Gp, Air

Vice Marshal (AVM) Gerry Mayhew announced that the winners of the 2017/18 Dacre Trophy (for best Sqn in 1 Gp) were No V(AC) Sqn of RAF Waddington. Sqn Ldr L’Abbate, Senior Engineering Officer (SEngO) V(AC) Sqn accepted the award on behalf of all squadron members.

The Dacre Trophy was created by Air Commodore George Dacre and his wife Mrs Elizabeth Dacre in memory of their son Kenneth, who was killed in action over Germany in 1943. First awarded in 1952 to the “…regular squadron of Fighter Command showing greatest proficiency in weapons training…” it is a Bronze casting of three classical archers, representing military skill and expertise.

Throughout the trophy’s history, it has been fiercely contested and V(AC) Sqn has won the coveted title on no less than seven previous occasions.

The Trophy was not awarded in 2005 onwards and subsequently fell into abeyance; however, in 2013, Gp Capt Phil Dacre (retd) agreed on behalf of the Dacre family to revive the annual competition and revise the criteria to better reflect the Royal Air Force of today. And so, after a gap of over 8 years, V(AC) Sqn became the first recipients of the Dacre Trophy in the modern era in recognition of their outstanding achievement and sustained contribution to operations in Afghanistan and their highly effective bilateral collaboration supporting French military forces in Mali.

Speaking of the award, Wg Cdr Holland, V(AC) Sqn’s Officer Commanding said: ““This is an incredible achievement for V(AC) Squadron and the Whole Force that recognises the hard work and dedicated

Sqn Ldr L’Abbate, SEngO V(AC) Sqn receiving the keepsake glass trophy from AOC 1 Gp, AVM Gerry Mayhew, flanked by the ISTAR Force Commander and Station Commander RAF Wadddington.

The Dacre Trophy, a Bronze of three classical archers

representing military skill and expertise.

effort of everyone, past and present: Engineers, HR, CIS, Ops, Pilots, Mission Crews, our industry partners and the support units at RAF Waddington.

During the last year, every single member of V(AC) Squadron and the Whole

Force has contributed to this success and we are extremely proud of this achievement. The award of the Dacre Trophy also recognises the sacrifices that our families and friends make every day; without them we simply wouldn’t be able to do what we do.”

The glass keepsake trophy presented to V(AC) Sqn.

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