Wessex - End of an Epoch

[Fly 72]

At last, the information you all (well at least one of you)have been waiting on. 72 Sqn can at last reveal to the world the commemorations/celebrations/commiserations (delete as applicable)planned for the demise of 'The Mighty Wessex' in Mar 02. We have attempted to balance the formal with the informal - enablimg as many 'old and bold' to indulge in a bit of oleo hugging as well as allowing the 'great and good' to get togged up in their finery.
Things begin on Thur 21 Mar 02 with a Cocktail Party. This will be followed on Fri 22 Mar with an x-ship flypast (where x= anywhere between 1 and 10...no pressure SEngO), an Open Day and a Dining-In in the Aldergrove Officers' Mess. As you might expect, due to the limited space at the venues, these events will be for invited guests only. (Expect more stars than are in the Heavenly Firmament!).
On Sat 23 Mar we open things up to former Wessex mates who wish to make the long trek across the Irish Sea to visit their old stomping ground. The open day will be repeated, but probably more raucous than the previous day, and on the night of 23 Mar there will be a massive Hangar Party. CSE have promised to provide some high-profile ents, so I will leave that to your imagination.
On Sun, just to calm things down a bit there will be a Service of Thanksgiving in St Catherines, Killead (the Church on the Station) where the old 72 Sqn Standard was laid-up in Sep 96. After the service the 'Swift Retreat' will be open to allow for a period of quiet contemplation...and beer!
It is planned that the ac will depart NI on Mon 25 Mar (probably not too early!!) to enable the guys and gals and ac to attend the SH Symposium at RAF Odiham on 26 Mar.

We also plan to publish a Sqn History, Sqn Print and Wessex video, however, more of this in the coming months.

Anyone requiring futher info please write to:

OC HQ Flt
72 Sqn
RAF Aldergrove
BFPO 808

Tel no from the usual outlets.

Fly 72

[jayteeto]

Bye! :rolleyes:

[Pub User]

What's happening to 72 then? Will they be disbanded honourably, thus ensuring an even more tumultuous celebration, or will they suffer the ultimate humiliation of becoming an all-Puma sqn?

OC HQ Flt must know, he did nearly win Mastermind after all. :confused:

[Night NVG Goggles]

Cheers for the info, please keep us up to date over the coming months. The Queen of the sky will be dearly missed!

[LambJalfraezi]

End of an Epoch? Well nearly, you're only a year too premature! Lest we be forgotten, stuck out here on a limb as we are, there is another wessex squadron...I refer of course to 84 Sqn. We still run a full flying program every day, both SAR and SH, and will continue to do so until 31 Mar 03. So enjoy your end of the wessex IN IRELAND party, and come to sunny cyprus for the REAL end of the wessex bash :cool:

[Fly 72]

Pub User - I'm afraid the answer to that one is 'Pass', although I'm sure 'Their Airships' are mulling it over at the moment.

LambJalfrezi - sincere and profuse apologies. We were not wishing to be parochial, however, the title 'Wessex - The End of an Epoch (To be specific, only those based in NI and not the Cyprus based etc etc...)' just doesn't trip off the tongue the same! However, I'm sure that our 'bash' will give you a few ideas and something to aim for.

[Herod]

Now there is a very long-lived aeroplane. Just looking in a very old logbook. First Wessex flight 10 Jan 67, XT606, supernumary 72 Sqn. First "solo" 14 Mar 67, XT674, SRCU Odiham. 78 Sqn May 67 - May 68, 72 Jun 68 - Oct 70. Last flight 28 Oct 70 XT672. Happy days. Enjoy both "final farewells", the old girl will probably still come back somewhere.

[ 21 October 2001: Message edited by: Herod ]

[fobotcso]

I hope so too Herod, but not for me now.

BTW, better change "aeroplane" to "aircraft"; some young blood will flame you for getting it wrong.

[Herod]

Yes, you're right, aircraft it is. We older civvy pilots tend to get a bit sloppy with the terminology. Still a good beast though, and in the sixties, way ahead of its time.