NATIONAL ARMED FORCES DAY LLANDUDNO 2018

           This Year the Heritage Team travelled to Llandudno to take part in the annual Armed Forces Day on the sea front. The weather was wonderful, with a slight breeze, this helped the long Parade along the Promenade which included Jenny Morris, John Shere, Edward Baker with Dane Murdoch carrying the ROCA National Standard. It was interesting that the American practise of using tickertape was used, the Parade being showered with pieces of red/white/blue paper along the route.
          In the Heritage marquee ‘Fred’, our Seaborne observer, caused interest in his original uniform, complete with whistle in his pocket, he stood beside the Post Instrument. On the tables were Cold War instruments with notes on their use.
        As is usual many people visited and mentioned relatives who had served in the Corps in the past, one pointing out the site of a wartime Post on top of a hill in the distance, as usual we had some thinking the ROC finished after the War. We were delighted that Ken Terry came along, invited by Elaine and Mike Norris from Preston Group. Ken had been Area Commandant of Western Area and Elaine and Mike had kept in touch over the years, photograph shows Ken in his retirement home with a display which he and another resident had set up to commemorate 100 years of the RAF. Photograph of the RAF para-troops shows how they commemorated the centenary on the day which was most impressive.
          We were able to tell members of the existence of the North Wales Branch and some have since joined. We were also visited by a member of the Wrexham County Borough Council who wished to invite members to an event at Wrexham, the Air Commodore had especially requested this in recognition of all that the Corps had done in trying to shield Liverpool from the bombers in the WWII. The account of this event appears elsewhere on the website.
         Another of particular note was Linda Hughes who had been in touch via the Heritage website earlier in the year, she brought along papers giving details of her father’s escape from occupied France when his ‘plane was shot down, he being the only survivor. He had walked, being helped by French citizens along the way, until he was picked up by the Resistance and brought back to England by boat.
        He was Flight Lieutenant Bernard Bullivant. On leaving the RAF he later joined the ROC and served at South Cemetery Post, Manchester. I found it very touching that his son brought along a piece of the old Post which he had found when visiting the site of the Post knowing he was to visit us. To read the story of this brave man’s walk across France until he could be brought home, please follow this link.  Escape from France.
      
         The Team at this event consisted of Simon Craine, John Shere, Jenny Morris, Andrew Ramek, Keith Arnold and myself. We were delighted to welcome again Elaine and Mike Norris from Preston Group who had travelled to help man the display, as they did at Liverpool last year. Next year we will all be going to Salisbury for the National event to be held on 29th June. We always welcome help with manning from members of the local Groups so please do get in touch if you would like to join us.

Edwina Holden MBE – National Heritage Officer