Time waits for nobody and again, Christmas & New Year are upon us with the usual, merciless pressure from all areas.  So this is a quick message to alert you to some key points, in advance of the Newsletter publication in the New Year.

Firstly, you may wish to note in your diaries that our Reunion Weekend this year will be Friday 10 – Sunday 12 June 2016, with the AGM, Lunch, afternoon programme and Evening Dinner being Saturday 11 June 2016.  Please contact Tillington Hall early to book your rooms and avoid disappointment, just quote “RAF Reunion” to secure the preferential rate.

However, in a departure from our usual routine, the TSW Families Day will be the preceding Weekend.  We are trialling a separation of the 2 events to reduce the pressure on TSW personnel, Mess staff and Station infrastructure; whilst also removing the clash between our Annual Dinner and the TSW Hangar Party – hopefully freeing a number of TSW personnel to attend the Dinner; and allowing us to enjoy a more leisurely Dinner and post-prandial prattle.   A tour of the TSW site and equipment and displays will still be available, and we hope to have a tour of the RAF Museum set-up on 6 Site, where items as exotic as Douglas Bader`s legs reside… 

Next, I should advise you that we (VP SC, Gp Capt retd Duncan Grant, Historian Peter Berry, Treasurer Tim Newstead and myself) successfully travelled to St Croix sur Mer in October with the redoubtable & irrepressible Servicing Commando veteran Alan McQuillin to present the Servicing Commando Plaque to the Mayor.  We participated in a ceremony attended by neighbouring mayors, locals of all ages (including some eyewitnesses of the D-Day landings from the local fields!) and an immaculate and numerous honour guard from TSW led by the CO, Wg Cdr Tim Moss.  The Newsletter will contain a full report on this event, with photographs!

Finally, and to keep this as brief as possible, I close with a Christmas message of friendship to you all and hope that 2016 is a good year.