It has occurred to the Web Warden that Members never get to see the Honorary Life Member Certificates that are awarded ‘for meritorious service’ to the Association’s elite unless they are actually awarded one. So that all members can see the wording on the documents, two images and their relevant texts are shown here for the awards made in September 2024 to Historian Ian Macmillan and Past Chairman Mike Westwood.

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Text For Ian Macmillan’s Certificate

‘ This certificate not only acknowledges Ian Macmillan’s RAF service on 10 Squadron as a navigator and Deputy OC10 in his Flight Commander Ops role in the 1970s, but also recognises in its 40^th anniversary year, his later position serving as an Association Committee Member as its official Historian.

In 2015 Ian achieved much acclaim after writing the acknowledged definitive Centennial  History of 10 Squadron in his book ‘From Brooklands to Brize’ and later, in his continuing Historian’s role, long after the book’s publication, Ian has repeatedly resolved many varied historical queries posed by relatives of former Squadron members.  In so doing, his contribution to the Association’s success cannot be over-estimated. ‘

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Text For Mike Westwood’s Certificate

‘  This certificate not only acknowledges Mike Westwood’s RAF service on No 10 Squadron as a pilot and flight commander in the 1970s and 80s during the VC10 aircraft era, but also his later position as Chairman of  the 10 Squadron Association.  Holding that position for ten years from 2014 onwards, Mike established a closer relationship between the active Squadron and the Association than ever before.  His attendance at many other RAF Service functions, long after his retirement, enabled a wider knowledge of No 10 Squadron to be gained by all he met.  He ceaselessly promoted the memories of  those who had preceded him on the Squadron and Mike’s contribution to the orderly running of the Association Committee was admired by all. He will be sorely missed as Chairman of the Association in its 40^th year. ‘

On Mike Westwood's recent resignation as Association Chairman ………

 We have had numerous complimentary emails referring to Mike Westwood’s recent resignation as our Association Chairman, all  thanking him for what he has done to promote the Association over the ten years he has spent in the role. Regrettably we cannot publish them all here but the one below from Robert McClements, son of WW2 10 Squadron Halifax air gunner Robert McClements, sums up the spirit of gratitude and our appreciation for what Mike has done over the years for us…….

To Mike,

On behalf of the McClements family, my late father Mac, mother Iris, and extended members, sister Gill and nephew Oliver, I want to express our deepest gratitude for your exceptional service to the 10 Squadron Association over the years. 

You’ve gone above and beyond in your role, and your passion for it has inspired everyone around you. Your commitment has truly set a high standard for us all, and we are incredibly fortunate to have had you at the helm. 

Thank you for your selflessness, hard work, and the countless hours you’ve invested in ensuring our success. Your contributions have not only helped us achieve our goals but have also created a lasting legacy that will benefit many in the years to come.    I hope you will continue to attend the Association functions and that we will see you on Remembrance Sunday.

With heartfelt appreciation, -  Robert McClements

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Good on yer Mike and thank you from us all.

Mike WestWood OBE

– On retirement from his Chairmanship of the 10 Squadron Association at the end of August 2024, Mike wrote to the Officer Commanding 10 Squadron 

A copy of his letter to Wg Cdr Jim Rycroft is shown below in the pdf file.

Mike Westwood’s Letter

Mike Westwood in VC10 XR 808

As everyone knows, we hold Mike in great esteem and thank him with all our hearts for running the Committee as Association Chairman, so devotedly for the past ten years. He has now been made an Honorary Life Member in recognition of his exceptional leadership. We wish him well in his retirement.

(We now need a proposal/volunteer to offer their services as Mike’s permanent replacement.)

Also required are two more volunteers; one of whom should have served in the RAF, to come forward for the duty of the Association Standard Bearer and another volunteer with computer knowledge to administer the Association website as Web Warden, pending Dick King’s retirement from both these duties early in 2025.

Following a meeting with our Chairman Mike Westwood at a social event in 2023, and more recently at the Bomber Command Memorial, London, in June this year, the Australian High Commission’s Air Attaché, Group Captain Scott Woodland, RAAF, was invited to West Wales on 13th August and given a tour of the Pembroke Heritage Centre by John Evans, the Patron of the Pembroke Dock (Sunderland) Heritage Trust.

During WW2 Nos 10 and 461 Squadrons RAAF, had been stationed at Pembroke Dock with their Sunderland flying boats before moving to Mountbatten, Plymouth.

Scott with his wife Megan and daughter Ava, were met at the Heritage Centre by John Rattenbury, a 10 Sqn Association member who was a former RAF 10 Sqn V-Force pilot and who now lives nearby.  It was he who arranged the visit, thereby encouraging and attracting more contact between the UK and Aussie squadrons..

The Woodland Family from Australia/London with members of the Pembroke Heritage Centre

Gp Cpt Woodland is a former RAAF F/A-18 Hornet pilot and weapons instructor. His grandfather was Sgt Lance Woodland, an RAAF flight engineer on 461 Squadron in Coastal Command, based like 10 Sqn RAAF at Pembroke during WW2.  Sgt Woodland flew a number of missions with a Flt Lt Dudley Marrows, DSO, DFC, including the one in July 1943 when their Sunderland attacked three German U-boats in the Bay of Biscay. The Sunderland sank one of them; coincidentally numbered U - 461 (the same as their squadron number). Having dropped a lifeboat to the U-boat crew who all survived, its captain and Marrows met up after the war and became good friends.

See the following link for more interesting information about this premier Aussie WW2 aviator.

Flt Lt Dudley Marrows DSO,DFC: 

https://vwma.org.au/collections/home-page-stories/an-outstanding-pilot---dudley-marrows-dso-dfc

and also

https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/stories/oral-histories/dudley-marrowss-story#:~:text=Dudley%20Marrows%20was%20a%20Flight,before%20his%20deployment%20in%20England.

Gp Cpt Woodland also met Dudley Marrows about 18 months before Marrows passed away in March 2019 and he still maintains contact with his daughter.

We are delighted that there is a link between the two 10 Squadrons and the RAAF in general and hopefully look forward to more associations in the future.  We are also grateful to Martin Cavaney, of the Heritage Centre for allowing us to see his photos of the Aussie visitors and Welsh local helpers at the Centre. 

Pembroke Heritage Centre Patron John Evans (left) with

Gp Cpt Scott Woodland, his wife Megan and daughter Eva.

with 10 Sqn Association's John Rattenbury (right)