Centenary Celebrations 08
Standard Parade
With th
e wind now gusting in excess o
f 40 knots, all further flying was cancelled and the sad but entirely sensible decision was made to cancel the planned parade of the Squadron Standard. Those who recalled its presentation in 2011 were in total agreement, as it would have been impossible to ‘fly’ the Standard in the prevailing wind. Instead, in the driving rain, some Squadron members took the opportunity to test their own driving skills in some Aston Martin sports cars that had mysteriously appeared outside of the Squadron Building.
Dining-In Night
In the meanwhile, preparations were
being made for the 100th Anniversary Dining-In Night in the Officers’ Mess. The Mess Manager, Mr Alan Meadows, and his staff had expertly prepared some 138 places for what was to be the largest, as well as the last, 208 Squadron Dining-In Night of the Hawk Era. The Squadron had arranged mementos of the evening to accompany the place settings: engraved glasses for both ladies and gentlemen, as well as special edition bottles of ‘The Dark Side’ and ‘Penetrator Pale’ ales from the Purple Moose Brewery in Porthmadog, North Wales.
Guests gathered in the Officers’ Mess Reception for pre-drinks in eager anticipation of the memorable evening to follow. Amongst their number were a record 10 current and former Squadron Commanders spanning the Buccaneer and Hawk Chapters, who can be seen in the photograph to the left (from left to right): Ben Laite (Buccaneer 1981-
84); Phil Pinney (Buccaneer 1976-79); Group Captain Eugene Moriarty (Hawk 2010-12); Graham Pitchfork (Buccaneer 1979-81); Wing Commander Chris Kidd (Hawk 2015-16 and current ‘OC 208’); Brian ‘Boots’ Mahaffey (Buccaneer 1987-89); Neil Meadows (Hawk 2001-03); John Ford (Buccaneer 1984-87); Gary Brough (Hawk 1994-96); Squadron Leader ‘Skids’ Harrison (Hawk 2012).
