News (2013)

Remembrance Sunday 2013 flypast

November 12th, 2013

As is now traditional, the Museum and Tearoom were reopened for volunteers and visitors to mark Remembrance Sunday and after recent appalling wet weather, the day was blessed with bright sunshine.

A 2-minute silence was observed at precisely 11am preceded by The Last Post and within a short moment after the dying notes of Reveille sounded across the Teagarden, a familiar sound was heard approaching.

Remembrance Sunday 2013 flypast

To the delight of everyone, the sound of a Merlin chorus turned into the glorious sight of 3 Spitfires accompanied by a Hurricane that flew in terrific formation over the Museum, before sweeping around the village for another pass-by the Museum and returning to nearby Biggin Hill.

Massive thanks goes to the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar team for so generously taking to the skies to thrill so many people on the ground in an unbeatable and fitting Remembrance tribute. The Team themselves visited the Museum later in the afternoon and kindly brought along 222 Squadron veteran Bob Duckett.

http://bigginhillheritagehangar.co.uk/

Bob Duckett

Squadron Leader Tony Iveson DFC AE

November 11th, 2013

Tony Iveson

It has been extremely saddening to learn of the passing of the very great and wonderful Tony Iveson, ‘One of The Few’ and a ‘Bomber Boy’. Tony was a regular and popular veteran visitor to the Shoreham Aircraft Museum, supporting many fund-raising events in aid of the Battle of Britain London Monument, the Bomber Command Memorial and various Museum projects.

In his distinguished RAF career, Tony served with 616 & 92 Squadrons during the Battle of Britain flying Supermarine Spitfires and later in the war flew Avro Lancasters with 617 Squadron, participating in the famous attacks on the German battleship Tirpitz, including the raid that sank the mighty warship on 12th November 1944. In January 1945 Tony earned a well deserved Distinguished Flying Cross after bringing his crew safely home in their shot-up Lancaster after a raid on Bergen in Norway.

Tony will be much missed, but never forgotten.

Schnellbomber delight

October 6th, 2013

On Sunday 29th September 2013, the Museum had the very great privilege to welcome Werner Mörath to Shoreham. The veteran Luftwaffe Junkers Ju88 pilot had been very keen to see the Schnellbomber cockpit project, and Werner had many amazing stories to tell relating to his flying experiences after joining the Luftwaffe in 1941, to qualifying as one of the youngest German torpedo-bomber pilots with II Gruppe, KG 26 Löwengeschwader – all spoken in very good English. He learnt the language as a prisoner-of-war when he realised the many advantages it provided by being an interpreter between his fellow PoW’s and the Allied guards.

Werner Mörath

Werner very kindly gifted a fantastic item to the Museum for the Schnellbomber project, an item that he used to navigate by and also one which when possible was always retrieved after a crash-landing! To round off an excellent day, Werner signed the pilot’s seat in the Schnellbomber cockpit.

Werner Mörath

Hawley Garden Centre Signing Event

October 6th, 2013

A veterans signing event was organised at the Hawley Garden Centre near Dartford on Sunday 1st September 2013 and the veterans who very kindly turned out included Rodney Scrase DFC (Fighter Boy), Ron Liversage MBE (Bomber Boy), Denise Edwards née Franck (of the “Listen very carefully, I shall say this only once” Belgian Resistance), Harry Verlander (Special Operations Executive), Sid Beaver DFM (Bomber Boy) and Don Robson (Bomber Boy).

Hawley Garden Centre

An enjoyable day was had by all and more than one visitor to the garden centre departed not only with a potted plant, but a treasured signed memento as well.

RAF ‘Bomber Boys’ keep on flying at Shoreham!

August 20th, 2013

On Sunday 18th August 2013, it was yet another privilege to welcome several RAF Bomber Command veterans who as always were most happy to meet and chat with Museum visitors. Attending was Bob Cox (51 & 78 Sqn’s Air Signaller), Don Robson (467 & 214 Sqn’s Air gunner), Ken Fowler (115 Sqn Wireless operator) and Sam Brookes (101 Sqn ABC Wireless operator). Many personal items of prized prints and books were signed to help raise monies for both the RAF Benevolent Fund and Museum projects, so a big thank you as always to our wonderful veterans and to everyone who supported the event.

Bob Cox
Don Robson
Ken Fowler
Sam Brookes

Spring/Summer 2013 Gazette

August 4th, 2013

The latest edition of ‘Friends of The Few’ has gone out to Museum Club members. Contents include:

  • Memorial news – memorial unveiled to honour Flt/Lt Dick Reynell
  • Museum and Membership News
  • Details of new Museum displays and exhibits for 2013
  • ‘When Medals Speak’ – poignant story of a young Bomber Boy
  • Lots of “Goodbyes” – remembering veterans and Museum ‘Friends’
  • ‘More than a showman of the air’ - story of Flt/Lt Dick Reynell
  • Schnellbomber news – new and restored acquisitions
  • Veteran visitors and signing events
  • 25th anniversary presentation to ‘One of The Few’
Spring/Summer 2013 Gazette

Two of our ‘Finest Few’ visit Shoreham

August 4th, 2013

On Sunday 28th July 2013, it was another great pleasure for the Shoreham Aircraft Museum to welcome Wing Commander Bob Foster DFC, AE and Squadron Leader Nigel Rose AE for a signing event to help raise funds for Museum projects. We cannot thank our heroes enough for spending time to meet with visitors and for kindly signing ‘countless’ items.

Bob Foster
Nigel Rose

The weather cannot dampen remembering

July 1st, 2013

On a damp and rain filled 28th June 2013, the Museum was delighted and proud to unveil the 7th memorial as part of its celebrated Battle of Britain Pilot Memorials Project.

Flight Lieutenant ‘Dick’ Reynell memorial

The Australian test and fighter pilot Flight Lieutenant ‘Dick’ Reynell, of 43 Squadron who lost his life over Blackheath, London, on 7th September 1940 has now been remembered by the unveiling of a magnificent stone memorial in Point Hill Park.

Flight Lieutenant ‘Dick’ Reynell memorial

The service was attended by many members of the Reynell family and friends along with Museum volunteers, the Mayor of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, 56 (Woolwich) Air Training Corps and varied local organisations and members of the public.

As with all the previous memorials unveiled by the Museum, it is hoped this stone will be a ‘beacon’ to those who wish to remember a very brave and skilled pilot and be a focal point to local people not to forgot the sacrifices made where they live.

Flight Lieutenant ‘Dick’ Reynell memorial
Flight Lieutenant ‘Dick’ Reynell memorial

Sunny signing

June 4th, 2013

Blessed at last with a warm and sunny day, on Sunday 2nd June 2013, Shoreham was very proud and pleased to welcome some veterans of the Battle of Britain who served in the air and on the ground.

Signing

Squadron Leader Nigel Rose, Wing Commander Tom Neil DFC & Bar and Chief Technician Joe Roddis, delighted Museum visitors of all ages by signing personal items and recounting tales of their varying RAF experiences.

If you couldn’t make it on the day, we still have a small number of commemorative prints available for £37.50, including P&P. Each print is individually signed by our three veterans. If you would like to purchase a print, please call us on 01959 524416.

Commemorative print

Another popular purchase was Joe’s splendid book written with author Mark Hillier, titled “In Support of the Few”, a diary of his long RAF career from early 1939 to 1965. It is recommended reading about one of the RAF’s forgotten heroes and proceeds from the sale of the book go towards helping to keep ‘The Grace Spitfire’ flying and to the Apuldram Centre, one of Joe’s favourite charities http://www.apuldram.org/

In Support of the Few

Shoreham Easter Sunday

April 2nd, 2013

Easter Sunday 2013 saw a welcome return to Shoreham by a group of RAF Bomber Command veterans. Attending were Sam Brookes (101 Sqn Lancaster ABC wireless-operator), Sid Beaver (207 Sqn Lancaster pilot), Ken Fowler (115 Sqn Lancaster wireless operator) and Harry Irons DFC (158 Sqn Halifax & 9 Sqn Lancaster air-gunner). Their wonderful efforts in meeting and chatting with Museum visitors and signing personal items, made for a most enjoyable and enlightening day; the splendid efforts of our ‘Bomber Boys’ helped raise £300 towards the Bomber Command Memorial Maintenance Fund, so thank you to everyone who came along and helped make the opening day of the Museum’s 25th anniversary year very successful.

Shoreham Easter Sunday