Congratulations Jez on your new Appointment.

Our Association’s Chairman, Air Commodore Jez Attridge OBE, MSc. in his new post as Air & Space Attaché, Washington D.C. Pictured by the SpaceX CrewDragon Rocket awaiting its recent launch to the ISS.

Frank Proctor paying his respects to the fallen

It’s that time of year again and in this set of photographs we see one of our Members, Frank Proctor, attending his local War Memorial in Southampton. He can be seen proudly laying a Wreath on behalf of the Burma Star Association.…………and remembering…………..Lest we Forget.

Frank, known affectionately in the Association as one of the “Burma Boys”, served on the Squadron during WW2 as Groundcrew on Hurricanes & Spitfires.

Frank will celebrate his 99th Birthday this coming New Years Day. It’s great to see him up and about.

Keep up the good work Frank!

As a more poignant message about VJ Day (15th August)

I would like to add that over the years we have had many Association members who served (in the air & on the ground) in Burma & Manipur from 1943 to 1945 and also as occupying forces in Japan from 1945 to 1948........Hurricanes (affectionately known as Hurri-bombers) and Spitfires.

There aren’t many of those chaps left now and with the current state of affairs with Coronavirus it’s probable that we may not meet the surviving ones again.

I Salute you all..........still surviving and resting in peace.

For the fallen,

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

Flyingraphics have some new t-shirts in their Classic RAF Jets section including this XI Squadron Javelin.

 Flyingraphics have kindly offered a 15% Discount code for Association members.

Flyingraphics have great selection of classic RAF Jets including a XI Squadron Gloster Javelin FAW.9 from graphic designer and illustrator, Chris Sandham-Bailey.

Visit Flyingraphics.com click here.

Email Chris Boden for your 15% discount code click here.

Rest in Peace,
Harold "Harry" Hewitt

We have received the very sad news that Harold "Harry" Hewitt passed away on Thursday 25th June, aged 100.

Harry was quietly very proud of his time with the Squadron and his son believes that he wrote down some of his recollections of his time in Singapore, India and Burmah during WWII, and hopes to find them and share them with us.

They shall not grow old

as we that are left grow old,

Age shall not weary them,

nor the years condemn.

At the going down of

the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

Congratulations to Wg. Cdr. Pete “Boomer” Ward on taking over control of XI (Fighter) Squadron from outgoing “BOSS” Wg. Cdr. Paul “Pablo” O’Grady.

Even with COVID-19 still hanging over us all, traditions must be honoured.

Pablo, many thanks for your Service in command of our fine Squadron from all of the Association Members.

Thanks this day, 75 Years ago, to all our WW2 members who valiantly fought in Europe (and further afield) to achieve the Freedom we all take for granted Today.

Chris Boden, XI(F) Squadron Association Secretary.‎

Rest in Peace,
Air Chief Marshal Sir David Evans, GCB, CBE

We have received the very sad news that Air Chief Marshal Sir David Evans, GCB, CBE has passed away on the 21st February, aged 95.

David George Evans was born in Windsor, Ontario, in 1924 and was educated in Toronto and attended Hodgson School and then North Toronto Institute.

After school he initially joined the Royal Canadian Air Force and underwent pilot training during 1943 and early 1944 at St Catherines District Airport and Dunnville in Ontario. After graduating in April 1944 he was commissioned into the RAF as a pilot officer and, after further training in England and then Egypt, started his operational tour with 137 Squadron in March 1945.

After the war he continued to serve in Germany until late 1946 and flew Spitfires, Typhoons and Hawker Tempests. On his return to the UK he was appointed tactics officer at the RAF Central Fighter Establishment at West Raynham. He then trained as a flying instructor and was flight commander at the flying training school at RAF Cottesmore in 1951. He was then appointed squadron commander at the Central Flying School.

Following a stint at RAF staff college at Bracknell in 1955, he was appointed to command XI Squadron flying de Havilland Venom fighter-bombers, based in Germany. After a staff appointment, he became wing commander at RAF Coltishall in Norfolk operating Hunters, Javelins and the RAF’s first Lightning squadron. A stint on the planning staff at the Ministry of Defence was followed by his appointment as commander of the RAF’s forward fighter base at Gütersloh in Germany from 1964 to 1966.

In 1960 he was one of the founder members of the RAF bobsleigh team, another alpine sport that the daredevil in him relished. The RAF team were subsequently selected to represent Britain at the Winter Olympics at Innsbruck in Austria in 1964 while Evans competed as a driver in the four-man bob at the Commonwealth Games and world championships.

David was subsequently promoted to air commodore and was officer in charge of the new RAF Central Tactics and Trials Organisation and, in December 1970, was promoted to air vice-marshal as assistant chief of the air staff in London. He went on to a series of senior appointments including commander-in-chief, RAF Strike Command, and commander-in-chief, United Kingdom Nato Air Forces, and vice-chief of the defence staff from 1981 to 1983. During his time at Strike Command his fighters regularly dealt with Soviet incursions in UK airspace.

Upon leaving the RAF in September 1983, Evans joined British Aerospace as military adviser, a position he held for nine years until retirement.

Full obituary can be obtained by clicking here.

They shall not grow old

as we that are left grow old,

Age shall not weary them,

nor the years condemn.

At the going down of

the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

A message from Andy's sister. (18th March. Helen Ward)

Yesterday was one of the worse days of my life, as I said goodbye to my baby brother Andrew Ward!
A good man taken far to early by Myeloma. Always in my heart and forever in my thoughts.

I would like to thank all friends and family who attended his funeral yesterday to pay their last respects and to celebrate his life. But also the family members who stayed away to protect other mourners from possible infection! As Andy said on many an occasion in his updates,

'keep smiling friends'

Rest in Peace,
Andy “Wardy/Wardster” Ward

We have received the very sad news that Andy “Wardy/Wardster” Ward has lost his long fight and passed away at 09:10 this morning (25th February).

The funeral took place on 17th March at 13:15 at Darlington Crematorium then Hopetown Club afterwards. All welcome.

They shall not grow old

as we that are left grow old,

Age shall not weary them,

nor the years condemn.

At the going down of

the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

Rest in Peace, Group Captain Harry Drew

We have received the sad news that one of our Association Vice-President’s, Group Captain Harry Drew has died, he had a varied career stationed in Singapore during the Borneo War, was Squadron Leader on XI Lightnings, 43 Phantoms and the Staish in the Falklands after the conflict. He also had a secondment to America in the late 1960’s as an exchange Pilot on the U2 spy plane and may have been able to fly the SR71 Blackbird.

The Funeral to take place on Thursday February 27th at All saints church Wragby at 1.45pm.

There will then be a private cremation for family and close friends in Lincoln.

Followed by a small reception at the Petwood Hotel Woodhall Spa.

The hotel has said should anyone wish to stay overnight they will do a discount package but ring the Hotel rather than email to book.

They shall not grow old

as we that are left grow old,

Age shall not weary them,

nor the years condemn.

At the going down of

the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

Rest in Peace, Geoff Lewis

We have just received the sad news that Geoffrey Walter Lewis died suddenly but peacefully last Friday (10th January) at his home in Warminster Wilts, aged 95.

The Funeral to take place on Wednesday 5th February at 2 pm.

It will be held at Christchurch, Weymouth St, Warminster, Wilts BA12 9NS.

He was born on 30th June 1924, and after being an Air cadet in Frome Somerset, he joined the RAF on 5th October 1942 aged 18.

In 1943 he was sent to South Africa and trained in the Harvard, and qualified to wear his flying badge on 8th April 1944.

He then continued his training but in the Hurricane and was posted to XI Squadron in Tamu (Burma) on 16th January 1945.

He was then trained in the Spitfire and told how they were trained to take off from "flat tops" (ships converted into floating take-off platforms) and they were all on their way to invade Japan. The plan was that the Americans were to capture a landing strip in the opening hours so that the Spitfires were able to land, Geoffrey said: "otherwise we would have to surrender or just fall from the sky!" They then did an about turn as the Americans flew overhead with the atomic bomb and the rest is history?

They shall not grow old

as we that are left grow old,

Age shall not weary them,

nor the years condemn.

At the going down of

the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

Rest in Peace, Alec MacLauchlin

We have just received the sad news that Alec MacLauchlin passed away on the 8th of January. Mac's funeral will take place on Tuesday 28th January 2020 at 10.00hrs at Coychurch Crematorium, Bridgend, Glamorgan. Family flowers only and donations to RAF Benevolent fund.

They shall not grow old

as we that are left grow old,

Age shall not weary them,

nor the years condemn.

At the going down of

the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

Help raise £35,000 to purchase a 'RUBB' hanger
to cover our Tornado F3 aircraft.

Tornado Heritage Centre are raising £35,000 to purchase a 'RUBB' hanger to cover our Tornado F3 aircraft. This protects the air-frame from the elements and ensures long-term preservation.

This iconic fighter jet, the Tornado F3, protected our skies for 25 years and although 172 were built for the Royal Air Force, this is 1 of only 7 that remain. ZE966 is a rare beast by not only being a 'Trainer' variant but is also 95% complete. Our aim is to preserve the aircraft for use as an 'Instructional' airframe for 'Air Training Corps' cadets & 'Aeronautical Engineering Degree' students. In order to use & preserve the aircraft, we need to provide cover to protect it from the elements and allow access to it all year round.

The F3 in question is also ex 11. It is hoped, at some stage, to be able to redo the markings to Double Eagles etc.

If your would like to help please click on this link.

This will take you to the JustGiving.com page, any donations would be very much appreciated. Thank you.