Military History Tours          On Tour - RAAF in the UK 30 June 2011

Our first day was an excellent one. The Assistant General Manager of the Redwings Bus Company, Colin Miller, decided to drive us into London and meet us in the afternoon to return to the hotel, himself. As an ex policeman, he was able to explain to us a lot of the sites that we saw on the way in.

Our first stop was the St Clement Danes Church that is the RAF/RAAF Church in London. Destroyed during the War it has been rebuilt and is a fitting site for the airforce memorial church.

Now that all the Squadron insignias are mounted in the floor of the church, we were able to locate those of particular interest to us and take a few moments to reflect.

It is pleasing to start this tour at the RAF/RAAF St Clement Danes Church, to some this tour is a pilgrimage returning to areas from where family operated during those hard days of the 1940Æs.

17,000 of AustraliaÆs Airmen made a unique contribution to the RAF. No other Country except NZ had sent their flyers so away far from home.

The casualties were very high indeed and by the group coming so far to remember them and their efforts and to visit many of the sites that saw them take off on their missions from which many did not return, we do ensure that they should never be forgotten.

Following our service at the church we moved to the RAF Club for Lunch and our guest at Lunch was Group Captain Peter Wood who is the current Air Attache in London.

An excellent lunch followed by our visit to the Australian Memorial where we conducted a small service for the Fallen.

We headed back to our hotel following a memorable and moving day.