Aircrew Association Archive Trust

Archivist's Report Ocober 2011

Having received the final publication of our superb quarterly magazine Intercom, it is now my intention to make sure that the membership is kept informed of progress with the ACA Archives and the web site provides the ideal opportunity.  So, each quarter, subject to there being sufficient interesting news, I will post a progress report.

The Trustees met for our AGM three weeks ago when we accepted the retirement of Tony Edwards and thanked him for his long-standing support.   We have welcomed Wing Commander David Jackson and Flight Lieutenant Ray Flack as Trustees.  Their presence adds valuable continuity from the parent ACA and their expertise as webmaster and Intercom editor respectively will be great value.

Discussions were held with the Director of YAM and we are close to signing an agreement to fund the new Museum archives building which will be dedicated to the Aircrew Association.  Detailed funding is being negotiated and we hope to be in a position to give the ‘go ahead’ very shortly.  We have recently received donations from three branches, Stratford upon Avon, Oxford and Breckland, and these are all most welcome and helping us towards the target.

We have also received a handsome donation from the No.3 BFTS Association on their disbandment.  I am very grateful to Group Captain Deryk Maddox who also arranged for the Association’s memorabilia, much of it associated with their Miami, Oklahoma base, to be transferred to the archive and this is now at YAM. 

The daughter of a former Beaufighter pilot who flew in Burma with 177 Squadron has sent the complete squadron Operational Record Book, which is on microfilm.  The next task is to find a way making it more readily available to researchers.  There was also the log book of one of the squadron navigators, which makes fascinating reading and reminds us of the scale of activity in the forgotten theatre of war.

A number of memoirs and log books have also been received and these will be entered into the data base.  I took the opportunity of the AGM being held at Elvington to take another consignment of donations to the museum and they are now being entered into the register.

Finally, I would like to remind members that, in addition to Elvington, the ACA has a presence at the superb Military and Aviation Museum at the former RAF Tangmere near Chichester.  Members may recall that some ten years ago, Ray Hansed and his late wife Meryl, ‘dedicated’ to the ACA an immaculately restored Hunter F5 and Suez veteran.  The aircraft, together with a Lightning, were transferred to Tangmere where they are on permanent display in the Meryl Hansed Memorial Hall.  An appropriate plaque commemorating the ACA dedication is in place.  They form a magnificent feature at the excellent museum making a visit very worthwhile.

                                                                                                                        GRP