RAF 100 Bestowing the Freedom of the Borough of Wrexham upon the RAF in Wales

Transcription

1 RAF 100 Bestowing the Freedom of the Borough of Wrexham upon the RAF in Wales On Wednesday, 22 nd August 2018 the Freedom of Wrexham County Borough Council was bestowed upon the RAF in Wales, to commemorate their 100 th year and to acknowledge the historical events of Wrexham. This was bestowed at a Civic Event in the Guild Hall to which members of the ROC Association were privileged to be invited. The invitation arose from a visit to the National ROCA Display at the Armed Forces Day at Llandudno on 30 th June when the Armed Forces Liaison Officer for North Wales Council visited the display, she was given the ROCA Heritage business card to get in touch with us. Air Commodore Adrian Williams was particularly keen that we should be contacted because of our history in North Wales and remembering how Wrexham had been instrumental in protecting Liverpool in WWII. On receipt of the invitation I was delighted to be able to send historical documents from the archive, the Order for the Service of Thanksgiving on the occasion of the 50 th Anniversary of the formation of the ROC held at Wrexham Parish Church on 26 th October 1975, as well as a letter to Flt Lt Bill Gibson who was seconded to HQ ROC and given the task of co-ordinating the 50 th anniversary around the country, thanking him for his assistance, from Obs/Commander R E Wilcox-Jones. (copies below). Invitations to attend the events were then sent to members by Jenny Morris. Michael Shinton, Chairman and John Jones, Secretary of No 17 Group North Wales attended, as well as Stan Robinson and Nuccio Cantali of No 13 Group South Wales and Rodney, Angela and Lucy Siebert of No 21 Group Preston. Below are their reports: Edwina Holden, National Heritage Officer. From: Michael Shinton, Chairman, No 17 Group Wrexham ROC Association. A special service and presentation commemorating RAF 100 years was held in Wrexham, North Wales, for the purpose of receiving the freedom of the Borough, this included mention of the 75 years service of the Royal Observer Corps in Wrexham from aircraft recognition to nuclear reporting. The Mayor and Air Commodore both talked about the history of the RAF Airfield in Borras, just outside Wrexham, in WW1 and WW2 who flew the Hurricane among other planes fighting the bombers and fighter planes over Liverpool and Manchester Docks etc, and the duties of the ROC in plane spotting during this period of WWII and later in the nuclear duties also based at the Borras Bunker. Andy Williams, Mayor of Wrexham, gave Adrian Williams, RAF Air Commodore, the freedom of the Borough of Wrexham at the Full Council Meeting at Wrexham Guildhall on Wednesday 22 nd August 2018, also present were Michael Shinton, Chairman of ROCA 17 and John B Jones, Secretary of 17 Group North Wales, also ROCA members from 21 Group and 13 Group. On Thursday 24 th the Mayor and RAF Air Commodore laid a wreath on the RAF Memorial in the Centre of Wrexham with Standard Bearers present and other dignitaries. On Saturday 25 th, the Green at the rear of the Wrexham Guildhall was used for the RAF, ROC and Air cadets, plus veterans from other Navy and Army Regimental Bands plus music by the Air Training Corps.

2 Market stalls selling appropriate items were present, with a flypast of a Dakota from WW2 one of the planes that flew from RAF Wrexham, the sun came out on the three occasions making wonderful days for us all. Pictures below. Michael Shinton Report from Stanley Robinson, lately No 7 Group, now No 13 Group, South Wales. Yesterday the Freedom of the Borough of Wrexham was bestowed on the Royal Air Force (RAF) in Wales. The nearby Airfield was primarily built to house No 96 Squadron (a night fighter) squadron for the air defence of Port Sunlight, Liverpool and Manchester in This unit along with others relied on the Royal Observer Corps who plotted the type, height, position and number of enemy aircraft who would be intercepted by the RAF and the death and destruction inflicted upon us lessened. The Air Commodore said the two events which could have turned the fortunes of the war were the Battle of Britain and the Battle of the Atlantic. The latter and the crucial role the RAF played being the least well known. Pembroke Dock having over 90 flying boats at one stage provided long range air cover for convoys crossing the Atlantic and once again the Corps played a vital role in giving the RAF time to disperse those aircraft and thus allow the RAF to protect the vital supplies to this Country. The Corps has a shared history with the RAF and we must never forget the successes of the RAF where the Royal Observer Corps also had a hand. Stanley Robinson.

3 The RAF Air Officer for Wales Air Commodore Adrian Williams addresses the parade.

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