Back in 1998 I joined the RAF Boy Entrants Association and found that Ivan Hogarth was also a member. One thing led to another and we decided that it would be great to get together the original 24 Safety Equippers from the 48th Entry. After a lot of searching, and with a great deal of help from Julie Mortimer at PMA Innsworth, we managed to find 17 of the lads together with other members of the 48th ... Geoff Horton, Dudley Baker, Mick Green and one of the Safety Equipment Instructors, Doug Hall. It soon became apparent that people wanted to meet again after 36 years and we arranged a mini-Reunion in Birmingham, January 2001, which included wives / partners. (See photograph on Page 3) Needless to say, everyone had a great weekend and even the wives were saying "When are we going to do this again?" Having now been bitten by the bug, we set out to try and trace the rest of the 48th Entry .... no easy task! To date, we have 47 of the lads in regular contact, from all of the Trade Groups and a Reunion is being planned for 17th - 20th January 2003. This will take place at the West Camp Sgts Mess, St Athan and will include a formal Dinner / Dance; needless to say, the ladies are included and accommodation in the local area is being investigated. (If you've forgotten where 'Saints' is, there's a map here.) It is hoped that the formal dinner will take place on either Saturday or Sunday evening, with the other evening being free for a get-together and the odd pint (or three)! Geoff, Ivan and myself seem to have been appointed as the nucleus of the 'committee' and I maintain the database and contact details. If you are an ex-member of the 48th Entry .. or you know somehow who is ... then please click here to contact me for further details and to be kept informed of developments. Likewise, if you know the whereabouts of any of the Trade Instructors or D.I's from those days, please let me know.
We are currently looking at accommodation in the Holiday Inn, Cardiff Bay, with transport being laid on to / from St Athan for the get together and the Dinner / Dance. Other accommodation details can be found on the 48th Entry Homepage.
We look forward to hearing from you and assure you of a great weekend at St Athan next January.
Jeff Goodwin is looking for 'then and now' pics of you all to add to the Entry Web-site, so please 'come out of the closet' and send them to him ….. this is meant to be, after all.
After the Reunion has taken place, I will put a full 'report' on here with (I hope) some embarrassing pictures from the weekend!