Shack37, it seems we also have something in common, ie one Abe Lincoln! Abe was a fellow skipper with me on 30 Squadron, flying Hercules in the late 60's/ early 70's. A bit of a father figure to the rest of us, he would often reminisce about his Sunderland days. You needed to be as good at Seamanship as Airmanship on it he would tell us. I guess the kipper fleet was always his first love as witness when you knew him on Shacks, though he came to us from the frozen wastes of the Antarctic, I seem to remember, where he flew a garishly bedaubed Twotter! BTW Abe if you are around and reading this PM me please, we'd love to see you again at the annual 30 bash!
I caught the full service on the repeat yesterday evening. As mentioned very moving, with some of the older of the old boys obviously very determined to be there to make their own tribute to those who didn't survive and to give thanks for our deliverance. I think that the Central Band should be given a mention, both for the music in the Cathedral, including a flawless last post and reveille, and for that played on the march past including, I was delighted to hear, Eagle Squadron. A genuine RAF March written by "Kenneth Alford" to celebrate the US pilots in the BoB and after. A nice change from all the film music that is so much of their repertoire.
Oh, one more thing. It wouldn't be right in a post about TV coverage not to have a pop at the Beeb, especially as they've rightly been getting all those accolades for their Wellum prog. Why do they always cut away from these parades before the cadets march past? It's the same every year on Remembrance Sunday as well. These lads and lasses put enormous effort into practising beforehand and are certainly always some of the smartest formations on parade, despite the ghastly woolly pullies that they presently are outfitted with. If we didn't all know how objective and unbiased our dear old aunt is one might suspect a bit of disapproval of cadet forces such as the ATC and CCF. That couldn't possibly be so though, could it? Well, could it?
Last edited by Chugalug2; 20th Sep 2010 at 11:33.