REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY - 12 NOVEMBER 2023
A Service of Remembrance was held at the 10 Squadron Memorial on Melrose Farm, Melbourne, Yorkshire on Remembrance Sunday and, as well as a contingent from the active Squadron from RAF Brize Norton, which included the most recently-appointed Officer Commanding, Wing Commander Jim Rycroft, approximately 60 other guests attended and braved the mist, fog and gloomy weather in a chilly temperature of about 6°C.
That said the Service was warmly conducted in style by Chairman Mike Westwood who was standing in for Rev Jim Gould whose health precluded his attendance this year. As usual after the Service local helpers Mike, Gary and Ian were on hand to distribute welcome cups of hot tea and coffee and biscuits for all to thaw out with.
Special mention must be made to appreciate Iris McClements attending the Service. Iris is the widow of the late 'Mac' MClements who was a WW2 Halifax Air Gunner, founder Member of the 10 Sqn Association, and also made an Honorary Lifetime Member before his death in January 2022. Iris herself was in the Royal Observer Corps, stationed in York during WW2, and was the only surviving veteran of the war to be present at Melbourne this year. On the cold day that it was, she deserves our respect in attending.
Speeches were made by Association Chairman Mike Westwood and a particularly warm welcome was given to French visitors Jean-Francois and Veronique Le Cuziat from the America Gold Beach Museum in Normandy, close to 10 Squadron’s WW2 targets on D-Day in 1944. Even their lovely Schnauser dog ‘Ulotte’ was made welcome.
The current Officer Commanding the present-day Squadron, Wing Commander Jim Rycroft then addressed all present and updated everyone with a synopsis of what the Squadron has been up to in the past year. Particular mention and our thanks are due to all those below who made up the Squadron contingent. As ever they were immaculate in their dress, drill, involvement with others attending, and in so doing were an outstanding credit to the Squadron.
The 10 Sqn personnel who gave up their weekend time to impress us all were:
Wg Cdr Jim Rycroft OC10 Sqn
Flt Lt Johann Sponneck Standard Bearer
FS Andy Emberton Standard Party WO (FS in lieu of WO: auth - OC10)
FS Liz Craig Standard Party Escort
Chf Tech Nicholas Spring Standard Party Escort
Cpl Ash Davis ProjO & Association Standard Escort
Cpl Duncan Fellows Association Standard Escort
Cpl Craig Baxter-Leggett Drill Instructor/Parade Support
Unfortunately, there was no large-scale meeting planned for Sunday lunch in the pub this year because our long-standing haunt at the Plough Inn at nearby Allerthorpe, had closed recently in September. It is still uncertain whether that is to be a permanent event or whether it was merely a change of ownership and landlords.
For further information about the Remembrance Sunday Service and to see the many photos kindly taken by Roger Pescott, click on this:
REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY link
The link will open a pdf file containing all the images and a few comments too.
Considering that it was a gloomy dismal day, Roger’s photos are superb.
