Memorial Dedication Service for Cpl. D. Jones, Aerial Erector, 4th August 2011.

The Memorial Dedication was carried out at the National Memorial Arboretum when a "brick" was dedicated in memory of Corporal David Jones who died of cancer on the 28th August 2010 whilst serving at the Aerial Erector School, RAF Digby.

Davey's dedication "Brick" can be seen at the bottom left hand corner of the 90 Signals Unit Memorial.

The moving ceremony was conducted in sunshine and rain showers in the peaceful setting of the National Memorial Arboretum in the presence of Air Vice Marshal J.P.Young OBE, Chief of Staff, Support HQ Air Command and the Commanding Officer of 90 Signals Unit, Group Captain J.Wariner.

Above are some of the many serving comrades of Davey from the Aerial Erector School at RAF Digby, 90 Signals Unit at RAF Leeming and RAF Henlow on parade. Joined by a great many other friends, retired collegues and relatives to pay their respects at the ceremony.

My thanks to ex-rigger Geoff Gard who kindly sent me the above photographs.

Pete Holden has retired.
14th August 2011.

Warrant Officer Peter Holden seen above in his best blue uniform and wearing his medals, the Queens Golden Jubilee Medal, Meritorious Service Medal and Long Service and Good Conduct Medal with Clasp.

Pete Holden is retiring and hanging up his climbing belt having completed 38 years service as an Aerial Erector. He originally signed on for 9 years in August 1973.
A retirement event was organised in the Warrant Officers and Sergeants Mess at the Headquarters of the Defence College of Aeronautical Engineering, Cosford on the 22nd June 2011. The Do was attended by a host of colleagues, serving riggers, ex-riggers and friends.
Pete summed it up thus:- "An absolutely brilliant day was had by all, especially me!".

The cartoon above was sent to me by Chick Denson claiming that it might bring back memories of my mis-spent youth. AS IF!!! The original cartoon is by someone called Kane and appears to come from a book or collection of cartoons. I have adapted it by adding a different caption and the name of a Hostelry near RAF Akrotiri. My thanks to Chris "Tommo" Thompson who kindly supplied the name of the bar in Akrotiri village in Cyprus frequented by the riggers.

Help for Heroes.

I have thought long and hard as to a good way to explain what Help for Heroes is all about and I have been unable to find a better way than that which they have written on their website so I quote:-

"What is H4H all about? It's about the blokes, our men and women. It's about Derri, a rugby player who lost both his legs, it's about Carl whose jaw is wired up so he has been drinking through a straw. It's about Richard who was handed a mobile phone as he lay on a stretcher so he could say goodbye to his wife. It is about Ben, it's about Steven and Andy and Mark, it's about all of them.They are just blokes but they are our blokes; they are our heroes. We want to help our heroes."

The charity Help for Heroes was launched in October 2007 in response to the desire of ordinary people to do something practical to help our wounded servicemen and women.

Help for Heroes is very simple; they are a strictly non political, they recognise that wars happen under any government and they are non critical, prefering to get on with the job rather than talking about rights and wrongs.

Their first task was to raise £6 million to help provide a swimming pool and gym complex at the tri-service rehabilitation centre at Headley Court. With the support of Royalty,The Armed Forces, Celebrities, the Press and thousands of ordinary, decent people they achieved their target in eight months.

Their first task is complete but their job is not and while our young men and women continue to be wounded, they intend to be there to help.
Our Servicemen and women give more, risk more and sacrifice more, so they believe that they should be given more; they believe they deserve the very best. THEY say they are not Heroes, that they are just blokes doing their job; we say that anyone who joins the Armed Forces in time of war is a hero.

Help for Heroes needs to raise a lot of money and as the money comes in they spend it, on improving facilities like the pool complex or the relative's house at Selly Oak and by giving grants to the right organisations to ensure that our wounded get the very best.

Your Help and Support is Urgently needed right now by Help for Heroes.

Want to help them raise more money?

Then please go to the links page and click on the "Help for Heroes website" link and visit their excellent website to see all the other ways you can help them to raise funds to help our wounded Heroes.

New Year Honours 2010.

Riggers from the Aerial Engineering Flight, 90 Signals Unit have been awarded a Team Commendation by the Air Officers Commanding for their part in Operation Brockdale, the withdrawal from Iraq.

Our congratulations to the team members, Sgt Mark Fletcher, Sgt Jonothan Wray, Cpl Tony Cooper, Cpl Stephan Mottershaw, SAC Cole, SAC Corbett, SAC McManus, SAC Roberts, SAC Wallace and SAC Wood.

Pingat Jasa Malaysia Award.

Ex-rigger Brian "Sailor" Luttman being presented with his Pingat Jasa Malaysia (Malaysian Service Medal) by Colonel Tajri Alwai on the 4th March 2008.

The above presentation ceremony was carried out at the Norwich City Carrow Road Stadium and was photographed and reported in the Eastern Daily Press.

Keith "Chick" Denson's Special Appeal.

Your HELP is still needed at

PATUWATHA and DODANDUWA, SRI LANKA

Patuwatha and Dodanduwa are small communities on the west coast of Sri Lanka, located just south of Hikaduwa and about eight miles north of Galle. Most of the houses and the local school were destroyed by the tsunami and the local church and the curate's quarters were very badly damaged.

Chick and Daphne's Report February 2008

What started as a Tsunami appeal to all you generous Riggers and friends is now a fully fledged charity.
The name of the charity is Sri-Lanka- Child-Care and the Charities Commission Registration Number is 1116046.
This is the next stage in our mission to help relieve poverty, sickness and distress, the advancement of education and the preservation and protection of the good health of the children of Sri-Lanka.
The first goal was to help Tsunami affected children by providing them with basic human needs. Thanks to the donations that you made we were able to make life a little better for the children in the refugee camps.
The next goal was to provide a scholarship for 20 of the worst affected children so that they could get back to school and receive an education. We have been doing just that for over two years now thanks to the generous regular sponsorship of members of the Ex- RAF Aerial Erectors Association and other methods of fund raising.
This was just the tip of the iceberg, so our next goal was to increase the number of scholarships to 50 and we have succeeded beyond our wildest dreams.
Following a meeting with Mrs. Hazel Corteling who administered our support scheme, we visited Sumaga Farm at Baddegama.
Sumaga Farm turned out to be a fantastic social community project. It all started as a small college to teach life skills to young women from deprived, mostly Tsunami related, village backgrounds.
The College runs six month residential courses to teach useful skills such as sewing, health and hygiene, cooking, animal husbandry and organic gardening. Students are taught to look after chickens, pigs and goats and the manure from these animals is used to fertilize all the College fruit and vegetable gardens. The food produced is used to feed the students and the children attending the Day Care Centre. Any surplus meat, eggs, fruit and vegetables are sold in the farm shop to the local people.

The Sumaga Farm Day Care Centre,

The Day Care Centre was originally set-up and funded by a German charity which has now scaled back its support of the project and has transfered much of its funding to an African project. Sri-Lanka Child Care and the local Anglican Church are now providing the majority of the support for the centre. Thus our 20 children has now grown to 220.
The 200 deprived children are aged between 3½ years and 11 years old. They attend the Day Care Centre from 07-30 and are given breakfast, lunch and a snack before leaving at 16-00 hrs. They all receive an education which includes English while they are at the centre.

Some of the children enjoying their lunch under the shade of a tree.

The Original Twenty,

Of the original 20 children, 4 have now reached the age where they are studying for their A-levels and one is now reading Chemistry at Colombo University.
The remaining 19 children are currently attending school in Galle, a daily 9 mile journey by bus, and are being provided with scholarship funding by Sri-Lanka Child Care.
A laptop computer (refurbished) was purchased and was recently flown out to Sri-Lanka and is on loan to the student studying at Colombo University so that she can do Power Point presentations etc as part of her studies. The laptop will be returned to the Sumaga Farm College equipment stock once she has graduated.

Redundant Laptop Computers

Chick is hoping to build up a small stock of laptop computers which can then be loaned out to Sumaga Farm College students while they are studying there or are successful in getting into University. Any donated redundant laptops would be gratefully received even ones which are not in working order. If the company you work for is re-equipping with the latest model, he can find a home for your/their old ones. Give him a call if you can help, details below.

Redundant Mobile Telephones.

This Fund Raising Scheme will not cost you a penny but will have a life-changing effect on at least 30 children in Sri-Lanka.
All you need to do is collect redundant mobile phones, look in your cupboards and drawers etc and ask all your friends to do the same. When you have collected some contact me and I will send you a Freepost envelope or you can send them to our Freepost address given below. If you all do this I guarantee that we will reach our goal by the end of the year.

SPONSOR a CHILD

We are seeking people willing to sponsor a child by making a regular monthly donation of £6 by Standing Order. More information on sponsoring a child can be obtained from me at the address below.

Raise Funds

Lastly, but not least, we are now looking to raise funds on a regular basis, perhaps by friends running fund raising events and/or by the gifting by standing order of a set amount per month.
We are looking for ideas and suggestions!!!.
If you think you can help with our fund raising etc. contact me, Chick, using my E-mail address :- kaydee1938@hotmail.com or telephone me on 01457 873837 or write FREEPOST RRAU-EUTK-GBTG, West View, Lawton Fold, Grotton, Oldham, OL4 4RJ
You can also help with the project by donating money on a regular basis ( minimum £1 per month ), donations of cash or cheques can be sent to me at the address below.
Once again, THANK YOU VERY MUCH and please keep up the good work for the sake of the children of Patuwatha and Dodanduwa.
      BEST   WISHES      Daphne and Chick Denson

Cheques must be made out to "Sri-Lanka-child-Care Ltd"