El Aviador

RAFA Costa del Sol 1342

Newsletter 103 June/July 2014

Registro de Asociaciones de Andalucia No. 8363 NIF G-93009629 www.rafacostadelsol.co.uk

Summer is finally upon us but we have yet to experience the high temperatures generally prevalent at this time of year, just a very pleasant low to mid 20’s. It even rained on the Dia de San Juan, unusual that. July and August will likely be a different matter altogether. For those of you who choose to stay in Spain and brave the heat of the summer rather than rushing back to the cooler UK, its business as usual for the Branch, with the monthly social programme continuing throughout the summer. Since the last Newsletter the Branch has been involved in a full programme of events, commencing on 8th May when the Branch represented the UK in celebrating the end of WW2. The celebration took place in Paloma Park, Benalmádena, in the presence of the Mayor, Paloma Garcia and representatives from France, Germany, Belgium, the USA and Canada. We paraded the RAFA and Branch standards. An olive tree was planted to represent peace in Europe. On 10th May we held our first and successful auction in The Peacock. Lots of items were donated with no one asking for anything in return, even though we offered 50% of the sale price to the donor. This helped us raise 115€ to assist in our very valuable welfare work. We hope to be holding another one sometime in the Autumn, so watch out for details. Dig out your unwanted items and/or come along and pick up a bargain on the day. While on the subject of Welfare it may be worth mentioning that since records started in 2006, the Branch has disbursed the incredible sum of 327,170€ to our welfare clients, mostly in grants from The RAF Benevolent Fund and The Officers Association, but also some directly from the Branch. I don’t need to tell you how grateful our Welfare beneficiaries are. In many cases their lives have been changed. May 25th saw about 40 members and guests, some from the RBL Torremolinos Branch, depart on a coach trip to the Cactus garden at Casarabonela. A very interesting visit, which also included a tour of an old olive oil mill. The day was rounded off with a gut-busting lunch at a local venta, the food just kept coming and coming. Also since the last Newsletter our Branch delegate attended both the National and European Area conferences in Blackpool over the weekend 16th, 17th and 18th May. The minutes of the European Conference are available on the Branch Web site. Also attending the conference as a visitor was another of our members, Joan Burton. The photo below left shows Joan with one of the female RAFALO’s. Apart from Joan looking very smart and young, I can’t help but muse on how young RAF Officers are looking these days, and she’s a Flight Lieutenant! Or is it just that we are getting older? Surely not. The photo below middle is of the many Branch Standards being paraded along Blackpool Promenade. Quite a stirring sight. To attend the conference Joan took the opportunity to have a week’s respite break at Richard Peck House, one of the RAFA’s Respite Care Homes, in Lytham St. Annes. This is Joan’s second visit to the Home, she obviously enjoys the place. In fact, after her first visit, Joan kindly wrote an article for the Newsletter extolling all the Home’s virtues. What you may not know is that all three homes listed in the short article on Page 5 of this Newsletter are available for short respite breaks for anyone who qualifies for Welfare assistance from RAFA; that is, anyone who served in the RAF or is the spouse or widow(er) of ex-RAF veterans. It may not cost as much as you first think. While the normal price for a stay in one of the Homes is £400 per week, you may not have to pay the full amount. Dependent on your financial circumstances you may qualify for financial assistance for your stay, and may only have to pay a minimum of £80 per week, or something between that figure and the full price. Why not consider using a respite break as an opportunity to see family or friends in the UK, or just take a rest in the company of like-minded people, while being well fed and looked after. Should you want to apply for a break or just find out more information, then please contact one of your Welfare Officers. To complete the trio of photos below the one on the right is that of our oldest member, Len Potts, 93 this year. This was taken some time during WW2 while Len was serving as an Air Gunner on Liberators in the South East Asia Air Force. Note the pistol on his left hip and the machete in his belt. Len tells me it was taken in the jungle, which obviously accounts for the strange green hue of the photo.

Contents

Editorial Page 1 Committee Contacts Page 2 Forthcoming Events Page 2 50 Years of The Red Arrows Page 3 Strawberry Teas Are Off Page 4 Welfare Matters Page 5 Welfare Matters More Page 6 Lost and Found Page 7 Battle of Britain Dinner Dance Poster Page 8

Editorial

Monday 7th July 2014 Branch Social Hotel Tamisa Golf

13:00

Monday 21st July 2014 Branch Committee Meeting Branch Monthly Social

Peacock Bar, Avenida Bonanza, Arroyo de la Miel

12:30 14:00

Monday 4th August 2014 Branch Social Hotel Tamisa Golf

13:00

Monday 18th August 2014 Branch Committee Meeting Branch Monthly Social

Peacock Bar, Avenida Bonanza, Arroyo de la Miel

12:30 14:00

Wings Week September 2014

Wings collection at the Iceland store Volunteers needed

Contact Branch Secretary

tba

Wings Week September 2014

Joint Wings collection and Battle of Britain Service

In Gibraltar

tba

Saturday 20th September 2014 Battle of Britain Ball Tamisa Golf Hotel

NOTE CHANGE OF DATE See Poster on Page 8

19:30 for 20:15

Sunday 9th November 2014 Remembrance Day Service and Festival of Remembrance St George’s Church and The English

Cemetery Málaga

10:15 11:00

PLEASE CONTACT HON. SECRETARY FIRST UNLESS OTHERWISE ADVISED

Committee Position Name Tel. No. Email Contacts

President Derek Brown 952486502

Life Vice President Jack Griggs 952484117

Chairman Fred Briggs 952119708 For general enquiries contact the Hon Secretary

secretaryrafacostadelsol@yahoo.co.uk

Vice Chairman Jack Griggs 952424117

Hon. Secretary Ron Sibbett 607586894

Hon. Treasurer Reg Haywood 952567412

Welfare Officers Derek Brown 952486502 For matters regarding Welfare

welfare@rafacostadelsol.co.uk Reg Haywood 952567412

Social Events Roland Norfolk 952661337

Membership Secretary Ron Sibbett 607586894

Wings Appeal Contact Hon. Secretary

Conference Delegate Ron Sibbett 607586894 Public Relations Jack Griggs 952484117

Newsletter Editor Reg Haywood 952567412 newsletter@rafacostadelsol.co.uk

Your Committee Contact Details

RAFA Costa del Sol Newsletter Issue 103 Page 2

Future Events

RAFA Costa del Sol Newsletter Issue 103 Page 3

The Red Arrows, officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, is the aerobatics display team of the Royal Air Force based at RAF Scampton. The team was formed in late 1964 as an all-RAF team, replacing a number of unofficial teams that had been sponsored by RAF commands.

The Red Arrows were not the first RAF aerobatics team. An RAF pageant was held at Hendon in 1920 with teams from front-line biplane squadrons. In 1938, three Gloster Gladiators flew with their wing-tips tied together. Formation aerobatics largely stopped during the Second World War. In 1947, the first jet team of three de Havilland Vampires came from RAF Odiham Fighter Wing. Various teams flew the Vampire, and in 1950, No. 72 Squadron was flying a team of seven. No. 54 Squadron became the first RAF jet formation team to use smoke trails. Vampires were replaced by Gloster Meteors, No. 66 Squadron developing a formation team of six aircraft. Hawker Hunter aircraft were first used for aerobatics teams in 1955, when No. 54 Squadron flew a formation of four. The official RAF team was provided by No. 111 Squadron in 1956, and for the first time the aircraft had a special colour scheme, which was an all-black finish. After a demonstration in France, they were hailed as "Les Fleches Noires" and from then on known as the Black Arrows. This team became the first team to fly a five-Hunter formation. In 1958 the Black Arrows performed a loop and barrel roll of 22 Hunters; a world record for the greatest number of aircraft looped in formation. The Black Arrows were the premier team until 1961, when the Blue Diamonds (No. 92 Squadron) continued their role, flying sixteen blue Hunters. In 1960, the Tigers (No. 74 Squadron) were re-equipped with the supersonic English Electric Lightning and performed wing-overs and rolls with nine aircraft in tight formation. They sometimes gave co-ordinated displays with the Blue Diamonds. Yet another aerobatics team was formed by No. 56 Squadron, the Firebirds, with nine red and silver Lightnings. In 1964, the Red Pelicans, flying six BAC Jet Provost T Mk 4s, assumed the role of the RAF's leading display team. In that same year, a team of five yellow Gnat trainers from No 4 Flying Training School displayed at the Farnborough Airshow. This team became known as the Yellowjacks after Flight Lieutenant Lee Jones's call sign, "Yellowjack". In 1964, all the RAF display teams were amalgamated, as it was feared pilots were spending too much time practising formation aerobatics rather than operational training. The new team name took the word red from the fact that the Yellowjacks' planes had been painted red (for safety reasons, as it was a far clearer and more visible colour in the sky) and arrows after the Black Arrows; the official version, however, is that the red was a tribute to the Red Pelicans. Another reason for the change to red was that responsibility for the team moved from Fighter Command to the Central Flying School, whose main colour was red.

50 Years of The Red Arrows

The Red Arrows badge shows the aircraft in their trademark diamond nine formation, with the motto Éclat, a French word meaning "brilliance" or "excellence". Initially, they were equipped with seven Folland Gnat trainers inherited from the RAF Yellowjacks display team. This aircraft was chosen because it was less expensive to operate than front-line fighters. In their first season, they flew at 65 shows across Europe. In 1966, the team was increased to nine members, enabling them to develop their Diamond Nine formation. In late 1979, they switched to the BAE Hawk trainer. The Red Arrows have performed over 4,000 displays worldwide in 52 countries.

RAFA Costa del Sol Newsletter Issue 103 Page 4

Welfare Matters

Another fascinating anecdote from Flt. Lt. John Roberts DFM It was 1943; I was twenty years old, a Flight Engineer on a Halifax Bomber. Not a bad old aircraft but nothing like as good as a Lancaster. Our squadron didn’t drop bombs, we dropped spies, agents and resistance fighters, with their required supplies, for all of enemy occupied Europe. We were 161 Squadron, Special Duties and based at Tempsford in Gloucester. There we had Lysanders, Army cooperation aircraft, small, single engine, could land and take off from a smallish field. We also had Hudsons, a twin engine smallish passenger aircraft and our Halifax’s, a four engine heavy aircraft. Luckily with four beautiful Rolls Royce Merlin engines, which I loved and respected. The Halifax bombers we flew were different, they had no mid-upper gun turret, only a tail-gun turret and sometimes a pip squeak useless Lewis gun in the nose. Where the mid-upper gun turret should have been was a large trap-door in two sections, taking up the whole width of the fuselage, The trap-door covered a large dropping well where spies and Resistance agents were dropped by parachute, aided by a despatcher. We flew singly to our target, anywhere in enemy occupied Europe. In the bomb bays we carried very large steel containers holding firearms of all types; ammunition, explosives and anything particularly required by the Resistance. Radios, bicycle tyres (specially produced in the UK, but with French or Belgian factory marks). Anyone caught riding a bike with English factory-made tyres was for the high jump and the soft caresses of the enemy torturers. Torches and batteries were often asked for and, although it may sound silly today, even false horse dung with an explosive inside to wreck Nazi motor vehicles and motor bikes. The general population was not driving in vehicles, only the enemy. Anyway, on this particular night our Halifax was sent to Belgium. The weather was fine when we set off and the pilot would have set his altimeter to ZERO before take-off. In those days weather reports were difficult to be had and if the barometric pressure on the altimeter altered very much in foreign climes, then the height shown was false. In those days we didn’t have the fancy instruments they have now. Now we normally flew our Halifax at three hundred feet or less, to try and dodge the enemy radar. Over the target we had to climb to fifteen hundred feet so that the parachute used by the agents and the parachute attached to the heavy steel container had time to open. Our ideal weather conditions would have been a moonlit cloudless night as we had to find a small field in a big country, with almost everyone wanting to kill you. Only the pilot and navigator knew our target. We others in the crew had no idea where the target was in case we crashed, and if there were any survivors it was better if they knew as little as possible. This night turned out to be different. We would sometimes have one agent to drop or sometimes two plus all the metal containers. However this night we had four young Belgians. Very young they seemed. They looked about nineteen years old and it must have been their first drop. They were all wearing bulky parachute gear and the despatcher was with them. It turned out that the weather was vile over most of Europe, cloud as low as you could get it, rain and strong winds, and we just couldn’t see the ground or estimate how high we were above it. The fuel tanks in the wings of the Halifax (can’t remember if we had three or four in each wing) had to be turned on or off by a very crude system of “push and pull” rods operated by levers on the port side, in the pitch dark underneath the rest bed. I was just going to change the tanks and I was cross because there were ten legs plus boxes and packages blocking the way to the levers and I had to lie on my back with a torch to reach the correct levers. It would have been not funny to stop the flow of fuel to the engines at 200ft. Suddenly the whole inside of the fuselage was lit up by the brightest light I have ever seen, the dropping well hatch being open to the strongest searchlight one could imagine. I staggered to the Astrodome as best I could, there to see a situation beyond belief. Staggered is the right word as I was wearing, like the rest of the crew, a parachute harness, a Mae West and a rubber dinghy strapped to my bum. My parachute had to be hung on a hook somewhere for convenience. Only the pilot had a seat parachute. Once under the Astrodome I was the only crew member who could see what was going on. The Wireless Operator was in his little cubby hole, the Navigator was lying flat in the Perspex nose trying to find our target. The Pilot had a front view only, the Rear Gunner a limited view aft. But I could see the whole “circus”. I saw that we were very low over an enemy airfield and every gun they had was hosing shells at us while the searchlight gave them a close-up of the very best target they were ever going to get. We were a big black bomber, lit up like a Hollywood studio, our dropping well door open and li up inside. We were at a low cruising speed at a next to nothing height. The Pilot yelled to me, “Robbie, dive or climb?” I had to make a decision in a split second. I yelled, “dive Skipper dive”. I knew that if we climbed at that low speed we would be torn to pieces by gunfire and we were so low we could hit the ground if we dived. Luckily we escaped unharmed. The airfield hangars didn’t though. We were so low that the shells meant for us clobbered their hangars and I could see them burning cheerily. We flew home unscathed with DNCO in our log books – this meant DUTY NOT CARRIED OUT. How the four young Belgians felt I will never know. Their very first flight in a Halifax bomber was an experience they wouldn’t forget in a hurry. I must explain that we were not considered as ordinary aircrew by the Germans. We were terrorists and as such were disliked by Hitler, to the point that if we were captured alive we were not expecting to be greeted with strawberry cream teas. But one day, while we were resting, our ground crew, who were a lovely bunch of men, thought up unwittingly a brilliant scheme. They, unknown to us, had painted on both sides of the front of our Halifax a big white serpent with Hitler’s head, a swastika and a sword piercing its body. How charming if we had crashed with that painting still visible.

Strawberry Teas Are Off

RAFA Costa del Sol Newsletter Issue 103 Page 5

Welfare Matters

Registering a Birth or Death

You must register the death according to the regulations in the country where the person died. You will be given a local death certificate. This local death certificate will be accepted in the UK. It may need to be a certified translation of the document if it’s not in English. You can also apply to register the death with the UK authorities. You don’t have to do this, but it means: The death will be recorded with the General Register Offices (for England, Wales and Northern Ireland) and the National Records Office of Scotland You can order a consular death registration certificate From 9 June 2014, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office is changing the way that it registers the births & deaths of British Citizens overseas. The process of registering the births and deaths of British Citizens overseas will gradually be withdrawn from British Consulates during 2014. Thereafter registrations will be carried out in a central registration unit in the UK. The transfer of services will begin on 9 June 2014. There are no changes to the entitlement to register a birth or death. The processing time will remain the same but you will need to allow extra time for documents to be sent to and from the UK. The transfer of this work will start on 9 June and will affect all applications from Spain. Consular birth registration is an optional service and is only available to those born overseas who have an automatic entitlement to British Nationality at birth. There is no legal requirement for a consular birth registration and a local birth certificate with a certified translation if necessary should be sufficient for all purposes in the UK including applying for a passport. Similarly there is no requirement for a consular death certificate – the local certificate should be sufficient for winding up the affairs and obtaining probate in the UK. Territories:

British Passport Cancellation

In order to avoid identity fraud a deceased person's passport should be sent to the nearest British Consulate in Spain or passport office in the UK for cancellation. Next of kin can request the passport to be returned. Likewise if the passport has been lost or mislaid, relatives should get in contact with either the nearest Consulate or passport office for instructions on reporting the loss of the passport. As always, if you have any doubt on how to manage any of the above procedures, you can seek advice and help from your Branch Welfare Officers.

Homes from Home for the RAF family

Situated across the country in some of England's most picturesque locations, the RAF Association and RAF Benevolent Fund's respite care homes offer a true home from home and a warm welcome for those who are looking for a relaxing break away. Whether it's an idyllic break by the sea or the chance to stay in the stunning Northumbrian countryside, each of our homes has something special to offer. Our Homes from Home offer respite short stays and breaks. The fully trained and friendly staff are able to provide specialised care and support for those who need that little extra assistance, with facilities available to cater for a wide variety of needs. Our homes provide a warm and friendly environment with plenty of opportunities to meet like-minded people. Many of our guests return time and again to enjoy a break within the comfort of the RAF family. We have three homes that offer short welfare breaks; Flowerdown House in Weston-super-Mare, Richard Peck House in Lytham St Annes and Rothbury House in Northumberland.

Richard Peck House Rothbury House Flowerdown House

RAFA Costa del Sol Newsletter Issue 103 Page 6

Welfare Matters More

10 Reasons to Register on the ‘Padrón’ in Spain

The Padrón is the register kept by each Town Hall in Spain, of the people who live in the town- either as property owners or tenants. The closest UK equivalent is the electoral roll. It is compulsory for residents of more than 6 months in an area to ‘empadronarse’- to be registered on the Padrón (as a separate administrative process from residency applications) but many fail to do so. Some of the advantages of ‘empadronamiento’ (being registered on the Padrón) are: 1. It can provide taxation advantages (eg. Spanish Succession Tax). 2. It enables children to be enrolled for local education. 3. In the case of limited school places, it is used as one of the criteria for awarding places (determining catchment area). 4. It is required in order to be registered for local healthcare services. 5. It provides an entitlement to vote in local and European elections. 6. In some areas, it is required to be able to use municipal facilities at discounted rates. 7. Town Hall funding is affected by the number of people on the Padrón. So, registering helps boost your local Town Hall’s resources for local services and facilities. 8. It is necessary in order to purchase and register a car in Spain. 9. It is necessary in order to marry within the local municipality. 10. It is necessary for benefits/ social services access; and to use the local employment agency (Job Centre equivalent) facilities. Registration on the Padrón is a simple exercise- and is either free or just a nominal charge is made, depending on the area. Specific requirements in terms of documentation vary from town to town. So, before applying, it’s always best to make a preliminary visit to the Town Hall, to get a full up to date list of requirements.

New Spanish Traffic Laws Come in to Effect on 9 May 2014 On the grounds that ‘ignorance of the law is no excuse’, all drivers in Spain are advised immediately to familiarise themselves with the detail of the new traffic laws which are coming into effect on 9 May 2014 (Ley 6/2014 modificando la Ley sobre Tráfico, Circulación de Vehículos a Motor y Seguridad Vial 339/1990); a mere 21 pages! Among the new provisions are the following: 1. Speeding fines apply for exceeding the limit by just 1kph! On some motorways, the speed limit is being increased from 120kph to 130kph, but in many towns, the speed limit is being reduced from 30kph to 20kph. 2. If the Guardia Civil observe a motoring offence and note the vehicle registration number, this provides sufficient evidence to prosecute- no need for them to stop vehicles. 3. A minimum fine of 1,000 Euros will be payable by drivers caught driving whilst double the drink drive limit or above; or in all cases for reoffending drink drivers; and drivers under the influence of drugs. 4. The Guardia Civil can seize any vehicle carrying children without legally compliant child seats. 5. The very specific rules as to where children must sit in the vehicle (according to age/ height) must be observed, otherwise drivers face heavy fines. 6. Cyclists under 16 years of age must wear helmets. 7. Drivers have much higher duties to ensure the safety of cyclists of all ages. 8. Speed camera/ radar detectors are prohibited. 9. An EU Directive is to be implemented so that driving offences committed in one EU country are reported to the EU country of registration of the vehicle in question. 10. Much stricter rules are being implemented for the Spanish registration of foreign registered vehicles kept in Spain. The above is by no means exhaustive. As can be seen, the new rules are far reaching. Knowledge of the details and observation of the requirements in practice is of fundamental importance. It is clear from the increased powers to prosecute and fine drivers, that the Spanish Authorities ‘mean business’ with these important legal changes.

RAFA Costa del Sol Newsletter Issue 103 Page 7

The loss of a family member or friend in war is painfully sad for relatives or friends, but for the lost one not to have a known grave is even more distressing. This is the story of a young serviceman called Philip Cormack, a second Lieutenant of 204 Squadron, Royal Air Force, who was shot down near Ghent in Belgium in October 1918.

Philip was still a boy when the 1914-18 War broke out but in the Sea Scouts he served as a lookout for German U-Boats in the English Channel. By the time he was old enough to enlist in the Royal Flying Corps in 1917, the war had raged for over three years and his elder brother Reginald had already been killed at the front.

Lost and Found

His remaining brother had enlisted to serve in the Cavalry. Philip did his training as a pilot and joined his squadron in September 1918. By October, although still only a teenager, he was flying over Belgium, at war and in combat. Three weeks later Philip’s family were told he had died in battle but that his body had not been recovered, which meant he was unlikely to have a known grave. However, his name was to be inscribed on the Flying Service Memorial at Arras. The family always hoped for better news, but a letter from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in 1921 stated there was still no trace of Philip except that he was listed as missing but with no known grave. After WW2 his aunt wrote again but the reply was the same – no known grave, listed as missing. In the 1970’s Philip’s nephew wrote to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission again and received the same reply. And so it remained, an uncomfortable loose end for the family, like so many other families who had lost someone in WW1. Sadly, Philip’s parents died not knowing what had happened to their youngest son.

However, this year an amazing coincidence occurred to change everything. A small Hampshire museum appealed for local, personal artefacts from WW1 for a commemorative display. His nephew happened to have in his possession Philip’s forage cap, medals, a joy stick (a memento from a training aircraft that Philip had crashed during his flying training) and his log book. He loaned them to the museum who were delighted to have them for display. Two of the museum staff undertook meticulous research into Philip’s history and, to their surprise, found Philip Cormack’s name was not inscribed on the Arras Flying Service Memorial in Belgium, as their family had been told and believed. It had been there for many years but had now been removed. Why had this happened? The answer is, in 2009, in the course of his work, a British Researcher visited the French Military Cemetery at Machelen, East Flanders, in Belgium. Among the mass of French graves he noticed one which stuck out like a sore thumb. It was marked like all the others with a small wooden cross. On it was written “Cormack P F”. It was certainly not a French name and so very obviously English. He followed up his discovery and it transpired Philip had actually had a marked grave for 95 years, where he had been buried in 1918. This was confirmed by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission who replaced the small wooden cross with a traditional British (RAF) stone-carved headstone. The museum staff informed his nephew and family the amazing news – Philip’s grave had been located after nearly a century. They explained what had happened. After his combat in the air he was killed when his plane crashed. He was found in a field by Belgian farmworkers who took him for burial to the French cemetery, believing he was a French pilot. It was an emotional, touching and poignant revelation, greeted by the family with a variety of feelings. There could never have been a truly happy outcome but at last there was a kind of closure and relief, respect and the feeling that the family bond still ties Philip to the generations that have come after him. They still have pride in the bravery and courage of their young pilot. Later this year, at last, his nephew and members of his family will journey to the French cemetery to visit Philip’s final resting place and lay a wreath of traditional red poppies.

Memorial Although the teenage pilot’s name was removed from the war memorial in Arras, his name is on a memorial in England. Together with his elder brother Reginald, who was killed on the first day of battle at the Somme, Philip Cormack’s name is listed on the war memorial at Shottermill in Hampshire, where his parents lived. His remaining brother Cecil, who served in the cavalry, did return home after the war to resume a successful career

BATTLE of BRITAIN

BALL

SEPTEMBER 20th 2014

HOTEL TAMISA GOLF MIJAS COSTA

1930 for 2015 Hrs

Tickets 35€

Includes Arrival Drinks and Aperitifs,

3 Course Dinner (wine and water included), Coffee.

Music and Entertainment

From: 952567412, 607586894 or The Hotel

Dress Lounge Suit - Dinner Jacket optional

See also www.rafacostadelsol.co.uk

Branch Spanish Registration G93009629

COSTA del SOL BRANCH 1342