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Aviation History
1949
1949 - 1633.PDF
FLIGHT, 22 September 1949 •397 SERVICE AVIATION Royal Air Force and Naval Aviation News and Announcements Abbey Service BATTLE of Britain Week was con-cluded last Sunday by a Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey, which was attended by a large congrega- tion, including many high-ranking R.A.F. officers. The King was repre- sented by his principal Air A.D.C., Air Chief Marshal Sir John Slessor. During the service, which opened and closed with trumpet fanfares from the Central Band of the R.A.F., the ensign of the R.A.F. was laid on the high altar, and, in a special prayer, there were refer- ences to those who fell in the Battle. Later, a wreath was laid at the R.A.F. Memorial on the Embankment by Air Marshal Sir Hugh Saunders, on behalf of Lord Tedder, who had left for America the previous day. Britannia Shield Awarded FOR the third successive year, Francehas won the Britannia Shield. On behalf of the French team, which he led, General L. M. Chassin received the trophy from the French Ambassador, M. Massigli, at the Empire Pool, Wembley, at the conclusion of the boxing finals last Friday. The French team was victorious in two of the five sporting events—fencing and " Flight " photograpfi SEPTEMBER SILHOUETTES: Evening approaches as Mosquito 36 night-fighters maketheir way back to Wesf^Malling on conclusion of the Battle of Britain fly-past. A brief report on the operation appears on page 372. cross-country running—and accumulated a total of no points. Great Britain, represented by the R.A.F., was second, with 92 points, and won the shooting and boxing events. Belgium came third, with 74 points, and the Netherlands team (winners of the swimming competitions) were fourth, with 70 points. Norway and Greece scored 67 and 52 points respectively. The Britannia Shield was donated by S/L. E. S. Virpsha, a former member of the Polish Air Force who flew with the R.A.F. during the war and is now a British subject. Competition for the shield is held annually between service sportsmen of Allied nations and is in- tended to perpetuate the spirit of wartime comradeship. S/L. Virpsha, and leaders of the teams taking part in the competi- tion, are pictured overleaf. RECALLING 1940 : Lord Dowding (left), who led Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain, is seen with the present A.O.C., Air Marsha! Sir Basil Embry, and A.V-M. S. F. Vincent, A.O.C. 11 Group, during the Battle of Britain Dinner, held at Fighter Command Headquarters on September 15th. B 29 Antarctic Venture HE Royal Air Force will fly in the Antarctic for the first time when a unit of two officers, three airmen and two Auster 6s take part in the joint Norwe- gian-British-Swedish scientific expedition to the Antarctic between November and the spring of next year. The scientists of the expedition will spend two years in the region. The R.A.F. unit will provide air recon- naissance in the search for a passage through the pack-ice and for advanced bases on the Antarctic mainland, and will also help to find a landing place on the ice-shelf. Participation in the expe- dition will give the R.A.F. a unique opportunity to enlarge its knowledge and experience of polar flying, especially in relation to the effects of climate and magnetism, and to try out many items of Service equipment, including clothing, radio and tools. The area in which the expedition will work is Queen Maud Land, an unexplored tract of the Ant- arctic bounded in the West by the Falk- land Islands Dependencies and in the East by the Australian Antarctic terri- tory. It lies between 20 W. and 45 E. Following the appointment of S/L. G. B. Walford as the R.A.F. comman- der, some 250 officers and men volun- teered to accompany the expedition. Those selected are F/L. H. M. H. Tudor D.F.C., Sgt. P. D. Weston, B.E.M., and Cpl. W. B. Gilby. A radar fitter is yet to be chosen. ,» Week-end Fighter ControlH ASTINGS and Dakotas of TransportCommand will carry over 200 mem- bers of 16 fighter control units of theR.Aux.A.F. from all parts of the country to Exeter and Colerne, where they willbe dispersed to four separate stations to take part in Exercise Bulldog. They will arrive in the West Countryearly next Saturday, September 24th, returning to their bases before nightfallon Sunday. Personnel are divided into
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