102 (Ceylon) Squadron
Tentate et perficite (Attempt and Achieve)
The 102 (Ceylon) Sqn. Association 2012 Reunion
Saturday Evening - Wolds Gliding Club - Evening Meal - Sat 21st July
Don't forget to left click the photo's with your mouse!
The evening meal this year was a carvary, which meant we were all still sat at tables, in the traditional way of years gone by, but that we all went and got our own food from the nice people who had cooked the meal.
Before the meal, the 102 Squadron Veterans were asked to pose for a photo outside by the Pocklington Post photographer... sadly one of our brave men had not yet arrived as so is missing from the photo's.
From Colin Steven's I received the following, and we endorse everything he has written.
"George Morris, club member, deserves a mention. George has been diligently applying weedkiller to the grass around the memorial and mowing the same.
He brings his own mower from home, as it cuts closer than the club mower. The result, as we saw, is that the grass has never looked better.
The Gus Walker seat was rubbed down and revarnished last autumn. This time the seat was removed from its plinth, when serious rot was discovered in two of the legs. I procrastinated for several months over the winter whilst deciding how best to proceed. In the end, with the Reunion imminent, I decided on straight amputation. Eddie Room, our tug master, kindly made up some brackets for the shortened legs, with bolts and Peter Young, another club member, was a life saver in helping me to adapt the brackets to match the legs and the metal pegs in the concrete plinth.
We finally repositioned the seat on the Friday afternoon before the Reunion on the Saturday. Phew!
I assume the surgery was successful, as no one made any comment concerning the different leg lengths!!"
Just a note here - If you want copies of ANY of these photo's to print out, please email me. These are smaller than the ones you will need to get a good print, I can email you the large ones no problem. Also, this is only a SMALL selection of what I have.
As everyone started to arrive, so the conversations began. Elaine Kularatne sat talking to John Williams, with Jose Wynn walking behind them.
Josie has kindly written out how she felt the weekend went.
Our Veterans are never too busy to pose for photo's and although a little nervous at first, Joanne and Steve Hardacre jumped at the chance to have their photo taken with the one and only Harry Hughes DFC, DFM, AE.
Five or six days after the ITV Bomber Command program was aired, I was on the phone with Harry when my daughter Kerenza walked past me coming in from school. (Harry was on the loud speaker). Having gone into the living room she stood at the door waving to me... I asked what she wanted, and in a soft voice she asked..
'Is that the man from the tele??'
Mike Cummings was one of the first people to speak as he read out a message from the now Life President of the 102 Ceylon Squadron Association, Tom Wingham.
In the foreground we have Bill and Trish Leyland.
Bill has written out his thoughts on the weekend and for the record, I need to say that he is NOT the only person to have voiced some of the concerns.... thankfully they did not spoil his weekend.
We were then given a detailed report on the afternoons' committee meeting by Tom Sayer DFM.
Tom also spoke about his time with 102 Sqd which I have since learnt touched many people who had not heard this kind of thing before.
Grace was then said by the Rev Gail Dalley, and we all started to queue for the meal.
The following photos are the best of what I have, if you have others please do let me have them.
From Glynn Parson: "We all enjoyed the evening meal and the talks by the vets were eye opening to me as I did not realise the extent the Government of the day had gone to distance themselves from the bombing of the German cities. Neither myself or my wife Gina share that sentiment and if it was politically wrong then it certainly wasn't the fault of the 100000 men of Bomber command of which only half survived the conflict.
To that end there should have been recognition of the sacrifice of these great men much sooner than the recently unveiled memorial to them. It was fascinating to meet the Vets and hear their comments as we watched the film.
Dad was riveted to it. The meal was quite nice and the hospitality of the Wolds Gliding Club second to none, we all truly enjoyed it. "
Chris Beith has kindly written up his thoughts on the 2012 Reunion weekend, please do have a read, and thanks Chris.
After the meal we then watched the ITV program mentioned about Bomber Command.
I noticed several people had a difficulty watching at times, which might in part have been due to the very emotional, and wonderful report given by Larry Taylor about the unveiling of the Bomber Command memorial in London.
I sadly did not get a photo of the Loyal toast or of Harry giving the toast to absent friends.
Sat. Afternoon Elvington - Sat. Afternoon Arts Centre - Sat. Evening Meal Wolds Gliding Club
Sun Morn Church - Sun Morn. Street Dedication - Sun. Diner Wreath Laying and refreshments