Association Summer 2024 Newsletter
30 Squadron Association Newsletter Summer 2024.
Good day everyone
Phil Jones (Sec/Treasurer)
It has been an interesting few weeks to be on the Association committee. I had the great pleasure of representing us all at the Brize Norton Annual Formal Reception, where I was able to meet the new OC30, Wg Cdr “Chaps” Phillips, as well as the new OC LXX and Commander Air Wing, both of whom recognised me from my Auxiliary days at Lyneham.
48 hours later I was back there, this time with President Tony, Web manager Laurie and our former Treasurer Peter Gregory, to discuss how the Association might assist the Squadron as it develops again and to hold an informal committee meeting. Ah well, that’ll teach me to say, “Hello”…
Memorabilia.
One issue for us was to inspect the Squadron memorabilia, as the Association is technically the custodian of some of it. Regrettably, everything is still being held in “semi-secure” storage near the Sqn rather than being on display. It has been decided that, in due course, we shall establish a small working party (… that’ll be me, then?!…) to marry the items with the Register’s beautiful copperplate handwriting, courtesy of one John Smith of MGTD and equally fabulous moustache fame, before holding wider discussions concerning some of the items held: do we display, redirect to other places for display (and where might those be?) or do we dispose/ recycle some of the less obviously important items? There is far more in storage than can ever be displayed at Brize. Association members might care to e-mail me at 30sqnassnsec@gmail.com
Maleme.
In late May, 30 Sqn sent an Atlas to the well loved destination of Souda Bay, along with a bigger than basic crew (twelve, I believe it was), to operate the flypasts for Crete’s Liberation Celebration. The commemoration ceremonies and, notably, their increasing importance in the eyes of both the Greek government and the British Embassy, have been written up by Peter Gregory. It would appear that everyone from the British Ambassador down to your Association Secretary is very keen to expand this next year and Cdr Air Wing plus OC30 concur!
Before I advertise a cunning plan worthy of Baldrick, the Sqn is already tasked with flypasts in Crete on Remembrance Day and they are presently developing the idea of combining that with some Adventure Training - presently involving walking the challenging route taken by those who escaped the German invasion at Maleme and headed through the mountains to Sphakia (other spellings are available!) for evacuation. Your committee immediately made the executive decision that they can do that without us!
To our benefit, they are also keen to replace the fence around the memorial site, work which is desperately needed. We discussed erecting a low stone wall with a gateway to secure the entrance to the site more fittingly but that will require local contractor involvement, ahead of which we now have a pressing requirement to register the land as “ours”, courtesy of a recent Greek government edict on land registration. As I write, Peter is back in Maleme and he is on the case, when not sending me photographs of stunning Cretan sunsets, complete with exotic drinks prominent in the foreground and I have been in contact with the CWGC to locate the land title deeds. They are presently checking.
I am trying to put together “a few days away” for members who might be interested in visiting Maleme across the weekend of May 24 and 25 next year, to take in the commemorations. It will probably involve four days in all (out Friday 23rd, home Monday 26th) but, obviously, I cannot negotiate deals until I know the level of member’s interest. Equally frustrating, I cannot give a costing to anyone who might be keen to attend at this point BUT, if this takes your fancy - and Tony Main, Laurie Ramage and I are inviting our wives along (just saying!) - could you please get in touch with me and I’ll take things from there. I tried chatting up the Sqn for seats in the Atlas … but, moving on. The initial costings from a local travel agent are just shy of £900 per head.
Dining In the new OC30.
As if Chaps hadn’t had quite enough of my ugly mug by now, I yet again headed in a Brize Nortonly direction the following week, chauffeuring our President to a lunchtime Dining In of the new OC30, which is something of a tradition by now. Unfortunately, the RAF applied their traditions to our plan, hence neither the 2IC nor our Squadron Liaison Officer (Spike Flynn) were able to join us. Our web-guru and our “Cretan Liaison Officer” (and I hope spellchecker doesn’t mis-spell that!) attended and, for a social event, we actually achieved a huge amount of business, most of which needs no reporting. Just trust me: we worked hard.
One great success of our time with the Wg Cdr, is that the Association have been invited to visit the Squadron on Saturday October 5th for a day of “Sim and sandwiches”. Unless the infamous “exigencies of the service” arise to preclude it, we should have lengthy access to the Atlas sim, to enjoy some pretty realistic flying. I can’t wait: I’ve never flown an Airbus and I’ve rarely been in a simulator without being under pressure.
We aim to keep the cost of this informal reunion to an absolute minimum, to which end we intend letting people arrange their own travel and accommodation arrangements (just for this year). After a day of acting in a sheepdog capacity, I suspect a couple of us might well stay nearby but the informality of the day lends itself to people arriving and departing as they wish/ might/ can etc. I suspect the Squadron will host us - and very generously, judging by last year - but (having just conferred with the Treasurer), I am certain the Association is solvent enough to cover any potential organisational costs which might arise.
Hercules Fleet Dinner.
The “minimum cost” imperative stems from a Hercules Fleet Dinner being arranged for October 18th. Regrettably, I have no new information to pass on, just that it will be at The Village Hotel, Swindon at an approximate cost of £60.00 per head. However, as soon as news reaches me I shall promulgate the details.
30 Squadron and 30 Squadron Association Dinner 2025.
Our formal reunion dinner will take place on 26 April 2025. Our Life President has retained this as his project (Phew!) and the meal will cost £65.00 per head. Accommodation has been offered at the discounted rates of £95.00 for a single room or £100 for a double for B and B. Application forms and fuller details should appear within the next month or so.
It will be a pleasure to be joined by an even greater number of active Squadron members next year (and, yes, I shall learn from our 2024 event and ensure that the band plays pianissimo enough to permit conversation during the meal!). We are, of course, acutely aware that the Hercules Fleet meal will be broadly similar in format but five or six months will separate the two. More anon.
Subscriptions and membership.
Changing to the role of Treasurer, I would like to thank everyone for their subscription payments in April. We have about 120 members funding the Association (I can’t be more exact as some people have different payment arrangements but that number is close enough).
The big picture is that we have sufficient wherewithal to meet the maintenance demands of our memorials plus the informal visit to the Squadron, as well as any upfront reunion costs, whilst retaining a very healthy sum to meet any unexpected contingencies or opportunities. That is unless I can convince everyone that the rest should be used as a kitty for Crete … that’s a joke, folks … I intend things to remain in their present healthy state!
Collating the subscriptions enabled us to update the Membership List. We have found (again!) that several members have moved or changed e-mail addresses and telephone numbers etc. Folks, we try our best but can only keep in touch if we have updated details from everyone, so can I request anyone who feels this might apply to them to let me know, please, and I’ll advise the rest of the committee. Copying this newsletter to the website should capture those who have changed e-mail addresses recently. The clue is: if you haven’t yet heard from the Association this year, we probably don’t have that change which you’ve completely forgotten to tell us about!
Final appeal.
Two, in fact: as ever, contributions are sought for the Association website - or our Facebook Page, if you prefer that social medium. In particular, we are keen to extend Laurie’s collection of tales, as they add flesh to the bones of the Squadron 540. The address to use is
The other request is for those of you who flew on the Hercules J model to encourage your “generation” of Albert crew to join the Association, in order to keep us relevant. It would be super to hear from such crew.
Dates for your diaries:
Saturday 5 October 2024: Sim and Sandwiches at 30 Sqn, RAF Brize Norton.
Friday 18 October 2024: Hercules Fleet Dinner, The Village Hotel, Swindon.
Saturday 26 April 2025: Squadron and Association Annual Dinner. Hilton Hotel Swindon.
Roughly 23-26 May 2025: Commemoration visit to Maleme, Crete.
Action required:
In all the above instances, the “Action” column, if there was one, would read “Advise Secretary of interest asap”. Likewise, advise me of any views on the minor memorabilia.
Best regards,
Phil Jones
30 Sqn Ass’n Sec/ Treas.