RAF Servicing Commando & Tactical Supply Wing Reunion Dinner, AGM & TSW Families Day (1st & 2nd July 2022) – by Chairman John Andrews

Published
July 12, 2022

Now that the dust has well and truly settled after a very successful Reunion Dinner and AGM, I have finally had chance to sit down to write a few lines about the event for those that couldn’t attend. As you’re all probably aware, this was the first Reunion Dinner and AGM that we’ve been able to hold since the outbreak of Covid several years ago and my first as Chairman, having taken over at about the same time as the outbreak. Whether it was down to the 2-year break or the increase in popularity of being a member of our Association, this year saw the highest attendance for the dinner on Friday night, with 100 members attending. This was fantastic to see and we could have potentially had more at the dinner had we not been capped at 110

Once the transport and guardroom issues were resolved, and the formal photograph taken (exercises not dissimilar to herding cats!), we sat down to a 3-course dinner in the WO and Sgt’s Mess. The Events Secretary, Wayne Shelton and Association Chaplain, Fr Jim Horton, were on hand to deliver an Association Prayer and Grace before we tucked into an excellent meal prepared by the Mess chefs.

The dinner passed off with no major incidents apart from the usual barracking of the Top Table speeches (mostly by the Events Secretary!). With dinner complete and the port and whisky flowing freely, the Association President and CO TSW gave speeches before a number of awards were presented. (Please note: the rank of Air Specialist 1 is equivalent to SAC in old money!)

Aviator of the Year Award

(Sponsored by David Packman)

Air Specialist 1 (AS1) Mason Preston

The Association President presenting the award to AS1 Preston

The Craven-Griffiths Cup

(In recognition of the Most Improved Individual)

Air Specialist 1 (AS1) Roxanne Clark.

Robin Craven-Griffiths presenting the award to Cpl Chadwick on behalf of AS1 Clark

The Alan Matthews Sword

(In recognition of the JNCO of the Year)

Cpl Benny Postins

Unfortunately, AS1 Clark was unable to attend in person so the award was collected on her behalf by Cpl Alex Chadwick, who missed out on receiving the ‘Aviator of the Year Award’ 2021, due to Covid.

After the speeches were completed, the Events Secretary engaged all attending current and former COs in a game of ‘Do You Know Your APFCs?’ (Bo**ocks) before ‘inviting’ the Top Table to make their way through to the bar for Cheese & Biscuits, Coffee and further alcoholic refreshments.

David Packman had very generously donated £200 to the costs of the dinner, which was matched by TSW, so with £400 behind the bar, the remaining diners soon made their way through to the bar.

The AGM on Saturday morning was greeted by further booking-in issues at the Guardroom, which led to a slight delay in the start of the AGM. CO TSW gave an operational update on TSW activities over the past 12 months and also the recent changes to the wider Air Force in terms of the recent adoption of ‘Gender-Neutral’ ranks. Understandably, this provoked much discussion and a number of questions from the assembled Association Members. Committee Member Reports followed from the Treasurer and the Membership Secretary with the remaining reports being summarised by the Chairman.

Full details of the points covered in the AGM can be found in both the RAFSC & TSWA AGM Report and the RAFSC & TSWA Annual General Meeting Minutes

Copies of the citations and CO TSW’s report can also be found via ‘Links to Association Documents‘, within ‘The Latest’ dropdown menu in the header above.

The TSW Families Day started shortly after the AGM finished so members made their way down from the Mess. They were greeted to a sight similar to a small Olympic Village; tents, tee-pees, the Association marquee, TSW beer tent, the ‘Dunk Tank’ and some NATO green 12’ x12’s for added colour.

The Association marquee was selling a wide range of merchandise from T-shirts, polo shirts, mugs, .50 Cal bottle openers to the last remaining copies of Alan Matthews’ book ‘Cold War, Hot Peace’ 50 Years of Tactical Supply Wing. Business was brisk all afternoon, although the new white T-shirts with the TSW badge and the union flag background were a bit of a struggle to sell. That said, merchandise sales for the afternoon reached over £2,500, so thank you to everyone who made a purchase! The Association also provided cold beers and hot pork rolls for all Association members – just a little perk of being a member!

Before Alan McQuillan left to travel home, we managed to get him to sit on the newly unveiled ‘Don Fisher Memorial Bench’. Don’s daughter Sandra approached the Association during lockdown with a donation and a request for a bench or tree at the NMA Alrewas, in memory of her father. Unfortunately, the NMA no longer accept personal donations / memorials, so TSW agreed to step in. After the groundworks had been completed by the WO Wynn, Sgt Plummer and our very own Wayne Shelton, the bench was secured in place and the brass plaque fitted. The bench is made from recycled plastic and will never need sanding, varnishing or polishing!

Beside the Association beer garden, Aaron Handol (the new focal point for the Association Historical Archive) had set up a display of RAF Servicing Commando memorabilia and period uniforms and inert weapons. Aaron took over the Archive from Pete Berry, who had carefully and diligently logged, filed and catalogued the contents over a considerable period. With live music planned for the evening session, I unfortunately had to leave for the drive back down to the South West. All in all, it had been an excellent weekend.

My personal thanks go to the following people:

CO TSW, the Wing WO and TSW personnel for supporting the Association’s activities.
The Association Committee Members for their efforts leading up to and during the weekend.
Pete Berry for safe guarding the Association Archive (pre-handover).
All the Association members who attended the Dinner, AGM and Families Day, without which we couldn’t run such events.

Chairman

This web site provides details of the Association and other essential links including those to its forebears. Please send comments, suggestions and contributions for the website to the Webmaster.

RAFSCDO – TSWASSN News