On
Sunday 7th
August, Warwickshire and Birmingham Wing hosted the Air Training
Corps' 75th
Anniversary Torch as part of the UK-wide relay involving every unit
in the organisation. 84 (Coventry Airport) Squadron were involved
throughout the entire 24 hour period supporting the route through the
Wing on foot and even in the air!
The
Torch was formally presented at midday to Warwickshire &
Birmingham at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire where
it was paraded with all the other Wing banners for the handover of
the torch from the Wales & West Region to our Central & East
Region. The torch then spent the afternoon in Birmingham City Centre
where the local squadrons had organised a Climbing Tower, Music
Displays and the chance to sit in a Scale Model of a Spitfire. Then
it was Coventry’s turn.
Cdt Sgt Jenner and Instructor Richard Pedley |
Safely
landed, the torch spent time at 84 (Coventry Airport) Squadron in the
sunshine where cadets had the opportunity to take photos with the
torch and with Lord Mayor Lindsley Harvard who chatted with cadets
and staff before heading off into the city centre for the next leg of
the journey.
Cadet
Corporal Jake Garrett had the privilege of traveling with the torch
accompanied by the Lord Mayor in COV 1, the official chauffeur driven
car for the Lord Mayor.
At
Coventry Cathedral, Cadet Corporal Dylan Chauhan met the torch with
the 84 Squadron banner to witness the handover to 8F (Wyken), 163
(Coventry Phoenix) and 2286 (Arden) Squadrons. Further along the
route at the War Memorial Park it was back to Sergeant Jenner to take
up the banner and parade along with the four Coventry Squadrons as
the torch made its way through the park whilst Corporals Garrett and
Chauhan did a quick change into walking gear so they could join a
small group of cadets walking the torch from Coventry to Kenilworth,
to portray the Air Training Corps' involvement in the Duke of
Edinburgh scheme. Finally, at 2200 hours, the torch was handed to the
Kenilworth squadron in the eerie darkness of Kenilworth Castle.
The
torch was up early on the Monday morning and visited Warwick Castle,
Shakespeare’s birthplace and Stratford city centre before making
its way to Wellesbourne airfield where the remaining county squadrons
paraded with it and the historic Vulcan bomber. 84 Squadron’s
involvement finished when Sergeant Jenner joined the other Wing
banners at Bruntingthorpe airfield where the torch was handed over to
the next Wing. A truly busy 24 hours!
For full photographs, check out the Squadron Facebook Page.
Written
by: Flying Officer Rosie Robinson RAFVR(T) and Mrs Jessica Jenner,
Civilian Committee Secretary and Parent.