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Aviation History
1952
1952 - 2235.PDF
15 August 1952 195 East. The other squadron of the regular force will shortly be equipped with Vam pires and the territorial squadrons will receive them as they become available. In the meantime, pilots will train on Mustangs which are being taken from reserve. Battle of Britain Service A SERVICE of thanksgiving for the vic tory achieved in the Battle of Britain will be held in Westminster Abbey on Sunday, September 21st, at 3 p.m. Applications for tickets from widows and bereaved parents of Battle of Britain air crew, and from retired R.A.F. officers and Battle of Britain pilots who wish to attend, should be addressed to the Under-Secre tary of State, Air Ministry (S.4-d), White hall, S.W.i, not later than September 8th. Not more than two tickets can be issued to any applicant. R.Aux.A.F. Appointments RECENT appointments to the command of Fighter Control Units of the R.Aux.A.F. include those of W/C. H. Priestley, No. 3620 (County of Norfolk), W/C. A. C. Case, M.B.E., B.Sc., No. 3604 (County of Middlesex) and W/C. A. V. Duffill, D.F.C., No. 3505 (East Riding). These three officers all served in the R.A.F. during the war. W/C. DuffilFs D.F.C. was awarded under exceptional circumstances; the remainder of his crew all received the D.F.M. for the same action. While crossing the Dutch coast his forma tion was attacked by a large force of enemy fighters and his aircraft was hit, both sergeant gunners receiving wounds and a fire breaking out, which was extinguished by the navigator. The air gunner continued to engage the enemy despite wounds in the legs, and W/C. Duffill (then a flight lieutenant) took skilful avoiding action while the navigator dragged the other gunner across a large hole in the fuselage and gave him efficient first aid. W/C. Duffill eventually flew his badly damaged bomber back to base. AMERICAN TRANSPORT: Over 400 members of No. 45 Parachute Brigade, Territorial Army, recently took off from Topcliffe, Yorkshire, in 13 C-82s of the United States 12th Air Force. The exercise, in which regular troops provided the opposition, was to attempt to secure a bridgehead across the Rhine. Reorganization of R.A.A.F. TN a statement made by the Australian A Minister for Air, Mr. William Mc- Mahon, important changes in the organiza tion of the higher administration of the Royal Australian Air Force are revealed. The Air Board has been reconstituted. In future the secretary and civilian head of the Department of Air will sit as a full member, replacing the previous finance member, and will share collective responsi bility for Air Force control and administra tion. His main responsibilities will concern interior economy at headquarters and co-ordination of departmental and financial administration of the R.A.A.F. as a whole. These duties will, of course, be in addition to those for which he is responsible as the permanent head of the department. The effect is expected to be two fold : it should ensure that all Service and departmen tal problems will be con sidered by. one authority and also that integration of Service and civil adminis tration will be closer. Delegation of authority to members of the Air Board is a further feature of the re-organization. De tailed administration, in accordance with approved policy, will become the responsibility of the Air Member or head of branch concerned. This, it is thought, will reduce con siderably the number of detailed submissions to the Board and create condi tions for a rapid and effi cient flow of business through the department. PAKISTAN PRIZE : Air Mar shal Sir Victor E. Groom, A.O.C.-in-C. Technical Train ing Command, presenting the Azhan memorial shield to L AjApp. A. M. Chaudhry at the recent graduation parade of No. 63 Entry at Halton. The shield is awarded to the best all- round Pakistan apprentice. High Speed Flight Association IT has been decided to form an associa tion of the High Speed Flight personnel who took part in the Schneider Trophy contests of 1927, 1929 and 1931. It is felt that the inauguration of such an association on the 21st anniversary of Gt. Britain win ning the trophy outright would form a unique link between the Service and civilian personnel who participated in this contest. Those eligible to join the association are : all R.A.F. officers and airmen who were on the posted strength of the R.A.F. High Speed Flight for the Schneider Trophy contests held at Venice, Italy, on Septem ber 26th, 1927, and at Calshot on Septem ber 7th, 1929, and September 13th, 1931; civilian representatives of the aircraft industry directly concerned at Venice and Calshot with the competing aircraft and associated equipment; and civilian techni cal personnel of the Royal Aircraft Estab lishment, Farnborough, and the Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment, Felix stowe, who were seconded for duty with the R.A.F. High Speed Flight. Air Marshal Sir John N. Boothman, Controller of Supplies (Air) at the Ministry of Supply, has accepted the presidency of the new association and A. V-M. F. W. Long has agreed to act as chairman of the organizing committee. Those wishing to join the association should write to S/L. H. G. Thomas, M.B.E., H.Q., Fighter Command, R.A.F., Bentley Priory, Stanmore, Middlesex. Reunions THE Battle of Britain reunion dinner will be held at H.Q. Fighter Command on Monday, September 15th, at 7.30 p.m. All serving and released aircrew personnel who flew in fighter aircraft in the Battle of Britain between July 10th and Octo ber 31st, 1940, and who are eligible to wear the clasp of the 1939-45 Star, are invited to apply for tickets to the Senior Personnel Staff Officer, Fighter Command, R.A.F., Bentley Priory, Stanmore, Middlesex, as soon as possible. Communications should be marked "Battle of Britain Dinner." No. 3 S. of G.R. (Squires Gate) will hold its seventh reunion dinner at Blackpool on October 4th. Particulars may be had from Mr. A. C. M. Powell, 26, North Promenade, St. Annes-on-Sea, Lancashire.
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