Cadets and staff from 459 (Windsor) Squadron have welcomed the RAF100 baton relay to the RAF’s spiritual home at Runnymede.
Having run the baton 18 miles from Aldershot, RAF Flight Sergeant Jay Ferguson led the runners into the memorial. He said: “The baton is visiting 100 key RAF locations and many more with significance to the RAF over 100 day. We brought the baton to Runnymede as part of the baton relay, for the significance of the site and to commemorate those who went before us and made the ultimate sacrifice for us to be here today. .”
The cadets joined with serving RAF personnel and veterans in a service of commemoration lead by Squadron Chaplain, Kate Harrison. Prior to the commemoration, a number of cadets were enrolled in the Air Training Corps by Squadron Leader Chris Tocher, Wing Staff Officer from Thames Valley Wing.
Cadet Flight Sergeant Annalise Wicks said:
“This place is pretty amazing and it is a great experience for everyone to be here. I was surprised to hear there were four air cadets’ names on the memorial. It makes me feel quite proud to be in such an amazing organisation.”
The Windsor Air Cadets meet on Monday and Thursday evenings in St Leonards Road, Windsor. For more information visit www.aircadets.tv/459 or search for @459AirCadets on Facebook or Twitter.
The Runnymede Memorial is managed by the Commonwealth Graves Commission who are based in Maidenhead, Berkshire and commemorates more than 20,000 airmen and women who were lost in the Second World War during operations from bases in the United Kingdom and North and Western Europe who have no known grave. Their work commemorates the war dead, from building and maintaining cemeteries and memorials at 23,000 locations in more than 150 countries and territories to preservation of an extensive archive of records. Find out more at www.cgwc.org.uk.