RAF Benevolent Fund Celebrates the RAF’s 90th Birthday
On 31st March, the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund celebrated the 90th birthday of the RAF with an event at Edinburgh Castle. The event saw the Controller of the RAF Benevolent Fund, Sir Rob Wright, mark the date by passing two limited edition commemorative books, “So Many” and “So Few”, to Air Officer Scotland, Air Cdre Clive Bairsto, Station Commander RAF Leuchars.

After the presentation, the Band of the RAF Regiment Beat Retreat followed by the Sunset Ceremony and a fly past of Tornado fighter jets from RAF Leuchars over the Castle. The parade closed with the Pipe Band from RAF Leuchars playing outside the Scottish National War Memorial.

The event was attended by some 200 invited guests, including beneficiaries Christopher Ledgard, Roger Morewood and Joanna Martin, pictured above with Sir Rob Wright.

Prince William Chinook flight
Several newspapers report how Prince William landed an RAF Chinook helicopter in a field near to his girlfriend, Kate Middleton’s, home during a routine training flight recently. Battlefield helicopter crews routinely practise landing in fields and confined spaces away from their airfields as a vital part of their training for operations. These highly honed skills are used daily in conflict zones such as Iraq and Afghanistan. Helicopter bases continually seek permission from land owners to use their fields and there are only two fields permanently available in Hampshire.  Opportunities to use alternatives are therefore regularly seized. The sortie on 3 April 2008 was fully authorised and planned and was an agreed part of Prince William’s attachment to the RAF. The aircraft landed in the field, after taking all necessary safety precautions, and was on the ground for 20 seconds. Nobody got on or off the aircraft. This was very much a routine training sortie that achieved essential training objectives.

After a long period of updating and reorganising the new look worldwar2exraf.co.uk website has finally arrived. Those who visit the site on a frequent basis will no doubt see a few changes, as well as a few new additions and one or two pages which have disappeared.
So what’s different from the old style site?
Well apart from a new makeover our theme has changed from “Reuniting WWII EX RAF Friends & Lost Pals”, to Remembering & Uniting” which we feel will appeal to a broader section of those who visit the site.  

NEW REMEMBRANCE PAGE - Instead of just allowing details to be added to find family and friends of those who served during world war 2, there is now a new section entitled the “Remembrance Page” where you can add details of family or friends who served in the Royal Airforce during world war 2 as a lasting tribute. You can add photos, and even a  personal tribute video if you wish which we will be more than happy to put together for you.  What a great way for your children, and grandchildren to remember those you love. Hop on over to the Remembrance Page and take a look for yourself. There is a personal tribute video set up for my own father Leonard Rex Smith. Why not let us add one for you?

NEW PHOTO GALLERY - And talking of photos we now have a brand new Double barrelled Photo Gallery with loads of photos for you to have a look at to see if you recognise anyone.There is the bog standard photo gallery and also a new Slide show feature Gallery with music.
As they say a picture paints a thousand words and it is surprising how many people have been contacted through the site because they recognised someone’s photo.

GLOSSARY OF AIRFORCE SLANG -  Taken from our sister site rafmates.co.uk Our glossary of airforce slang should bring back a few memories for those of us who served in the RAF.
Be warned, however some of the terms can be pretty ripe so if you are of a nervous disposition then don’t look.
Of course if there are any we have missed then please let us know so we can add them to the list.

SITE BLOG – well if you are reading this then you have found another new addition which was also taken from rafmates.co.uk. Hopefully it will be updated on a regular basis with news and views, not only about the site but RAF stuff in general.