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CFS CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS AND ASSOCIATION REUNION, 28TH JUNE 2012
As I am sure you all know, this is the year that The Central Flying School celebrates its Centenary. It is the oldest military flying school in the world and older than any other RAF unit, so this is a hugely significant event, not just for our Service but for aviation as a whole.
The Commandant CFS has yet to publish detailed plans, but he assures me work is well under way to produce a memorable Centenary Celebration, notwithstanding financial and other constraints. The actual Centenary date, 12th May 2012, will be marked with a church service and lunch for a small number of invited guests at the School’s first home, Upavon. The main celebrations will take place at RAF Cranwell on 28th June 2012, to coincide with our Association Reunion. I gather there will also be a visit by GAPAN.
In broad outline, there will be a buffet lunch followed by a flying display and a celebratory dinner in College Hall. There will be a static aircraft display, and at some point we will unveil the Association’s gift to CFS. The day will be combined with a CFS graduation, not only to allow the traditional mixing of old blood with new, but also to help keep costs to us as low as possible. Accommodation arrangements have yet to be finalised, but these may involve hotels.
The staff of HQ CFS are pulling out the stops, and I know a great day is in prospect, so please put the date in your diary and plan to come if you can. Judith, PA to the Commandant, will be accepting bookings in due course.
I know that some members have been phoning Judith to get information, and indeed this message is intended to obviate the need for further calls, so please don’t call her if you can avoid it – she is a busy girl!
ASSOCIATION GIFT
At last year’s AGM I was authorised to arrange for a commemorative plaque to be produced, and this I have done. It will be of cast bronze with raised lettering beneath a full colour enamel CFS Crest. It will be produced by Ingrams of Bromsgrove, and the style of the lettering follows that on a plaque produced in memory of my late father, which looks superb. The wording reads:
THE CENTRAL FLYING SCHOOL
100 YEARS OF SERVICE
1912 - 2012
Presented in Recognition of the Centenary
by
The Central Flying School Association
12th May 2012
The plaque is of a size that will allow it to be mounted adjacent to the front door into CFS, so it will serve as a signpost as well as a commemoration, to be seen by all entering the building. We will now have to raise the money to pay for it (a little over £2000), and I will be issuing a formal appeal shortly, with instructions as to how you can contribute. At the last AGM people felt that £25 per person would not be unreasonable, but as an additional incentive, Ingrams have agreed to produce small commemorative brass medallions to be given to anyone contributing £30 or more. Finally, I intend producing a framed list of contributors for hanging in the museum.
CONCLUSION
More information will follow in due course. In the meantime, get the date into your diary and if you can find the money, please put it by to contribute to the plaque. I very much look forward to seeing you on what promises to be a memorable occasion.
Simon Bostock
Air Commodore
President
CFS Association
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