207 SQUADRON ROYAL AIR FORCE HISTORY
Photos from the 2013 Reunion of
207 Squadron (RAF) Association
at the Tillington Hall Hotel, Stafford
6-9 September 2013
Some arrived on the Friday, in good time for the 2013 AGM of 207 Squadron (RAF) Association in the Royal Suite at 10.30 on the Saturday morning.
At that AGM the decision was taken to close the Association wef 31 October 2013.
Shortly after mid-day a coach load, including a party of non-207 friends from the RAF's B29-Washington era, departed for a tour of the RAF Museum Cosford for the afternoon. Over 70 aircraft of international importance are housed in three wartime hangars and within the National Cold War Exhibition. Of particular interest to 207’s Cold War Warriors was the Valiant plus the other two V-Bombers, the Victor and the mighty Vulcan. Cosford also has the world’s oldest Spitfire and anther 207 type, the Avro Lincoln bomber.
Back in the hotel folk gathered in the Princes Bar for a pre-dinner Wine Reception followed at 19:00 by the Gala Dinner in the Royal Suite (including a tot of port to toast the Association).
On Sunday a coach departed after breakfast for the visit to the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas, in time to assemble in their chapel for the daily Act of Remembrance and short presentation. Tickets were provided for the guided road train that did a one hour tour of the main memorials.
Bill Dwyer (AW's Guest) - Gemma Dwyer (AW's Guest) - Sandra
Howlett (back of) - Margaret Watkins
- Alan Watkins - Chris Howlett (Washington Group) - Bob Kirby
Kevin Grant - Kevin Mapley - Nikki Mapley - Alan Watkins -
John Laing
Kevin Mapley - Nikki Mapley - Alan Watkins
Alec White - Alan Watkins - Tom Rogers - John Parkinson,
wearing his RAFES blazer
Alec White - Alan Watkins - Tom Rogers - Kevin Mapley - John
Parkinson
1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - Ken Williams - Peter Coady - Nikki Mapley -
Tom Rogers
Peter Bennett - Howard Jones - Colin Bell - John Scullard
Bill Dwyer - Gemma Dwyer - Sandra Howlett - Margaret Watkins
- Alan Watkins - Bob Kirby - Janette Kirby
Richard Sloane - Kevin Grant - Vanessa Trow (IOWT Rep) -
Sheelah Sloane
Sheelah Sloane who is part of the Washington Group.
Sheelah's father was S/Ldr Bill Sloane, CO of 90 Sqdn at
Marham in 1952/3. Bill (aka Tod) was killed with all his crew
on 8th January 1953 when WF502 went in from 19,000 ft in
North Wales. Sheelah, then a toddler, and her slightly older
brother Richard never knew much about her father’s time
in the RAF and life at Marham until joining the Washington
Group - see also an Alrewas photo below.
Jock Wingate - Alan Watkins - Doug Wilson - Howard Jones -
John Scullard - Peter Bennett - Colin Bell
Alec White - Tom Rogers - John Parkinson
Visit to the National Memorial Arboretum
Alrewas, Staffordshire
Kevin Grant - Sheelah Sloane with poppies to lay in memory of
her father S/Ldr Bill Sloane, killed with
all his crew on 8th January 1953 when his 90 Sqn Washington
WF502 crashed in N Wales.
all photos: with thanks to Ken Adlard
Please contact
the editor to provide further material or add names.
Some other Reunion Albums
2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 - 2006 - 2007 - 2008 - 2009 - 2010 - 2011 - 2012
last updated 7 Jan 14: 10 Jan 14