info@77squadron.org.uk
2024’s Reunion at Elvington
On Saturday 21st September, we held our reunion at Elvington’s Yorkshire Air Museum & Allied Air Forces Memorial after a gap of two years and with a new organising committee. As our much-loved Van Wilson passed away in the summer of 2023, there was a period of regrouping of the committee and then we were able to plan another reunion.
Forty members and their guests arrived during the morning with two, pre-booked, parties of four having a special tour of the Halifax before a group photo and a moving chapel service conducted by our chaplain, Taff Morgan. Paul Leforte (nephew of Raymond Leforte), ably carried and presented our Association standard as in previous years; Alec Brown turned the page of the Roll of Honour; Chris Garside (daughter of Ralph Tailford) read a lesson and so did David Matthews (son of Ted Matthews).
Taff read out the names that those who were present specially came to remember, reminded us of the high casualty rate of the squadron in the 1940s and that all were volunteers. A retiring collection raised £140 (with gift aid to come) for the museum.
A short ceremony followed at the squadron memorial with wreaths laid by Margaret Pritchard, (widow of William Kenneth Pritchard), with her son, Keith, and by Jonathan Brewer the museum director. Andrew Brown spoke the Exhortation and bugler Bruce Jackson from the York RI Golden Rail Band played the Last Post and Reveille. A few more photographs and then we all sat down to a splendid buffet lunch provided by the museum’s catering staff in the Halifax Suite. Before lunch chaplain Taff toasted Absent Friends and the traditional raffle for Association funds raised the magnificent sum of £164.
Paul Markham, our new historian researcher then talked about some of his findings in a fascinating presentation. How incredible it was to be able to see close up on the big screen the characterful and cheerful faces of the young aircrew, with mugs of tea in their hands before an op. and then to hear of their fates that night and in the ensuing nights of February 1944. He told us about how he has been tracing the family descendants of those in the photograph. With the resources of the museum’s Collections department, and following up leads and hunches with the aid of the Internet and postcards to last-known addresses, he has been rewarded with some spectacular successes. See the story of the Galletly crew which resulted in Malcolm Galletly (son of the pilot, and his wife Denise, coming from Australia specially in time for the event and to visit the crew’s navigator,101 year old John Dean in Kent.
We then held the Association’s AGM for members and heard reports from Membership Secretary Maxine, and Treasurer, Rachel. Alec, the Editor of the Nickel, urged everyone to submit articles for the magazine and it was agreed that the membership dues be increased to £12 a year for the UK £17 for overseas and due on the 1st January, with donations always welcome. Rachel outlined the expenses that are incurred over and above the magazine which include the maintenance and security for the website (though kindly sponsored by Castlegate IT) and some extra expenses of the reunion. Members and supporters have been very generous, so the Association is self-sufficient and the surplus we plan to put toward the maintenance of the Squadron History Room which is in a 1940s building at Elvington and needing repairs very soon. All the committee received thanks for keeping the Association going and organising another successful day.
It was a day of meeting old friends and making new ones. A day of remembering the past but also of bonding over the memories and exploring the museum on the site where history actually happened. We trod the paths and met in the buildings where your fathers, grandfathers and uncles served in those momentous years. The reunions used to attract a hundred or so veterans. Many veteran associations like ours have folded but 77’s memory is kept alive by the means of the community of the internet, social media, the lasting memorials at Elvington, the determination of your committee and the support of members. Everyone asked for another event next year and the date to remember is 4th October 2025.
On Sunday, a few of us were able to attend the parish church of Holy Trinity in Elvington where there is a beautiful stained glass window commemorating the squadron, funded by the Association back in the 1990s and another Roll of Honour. Chris Morgan was invited to turn the page during the service. The vicar, Jacqueline Doyle Brett, told us that the church PCC at Elvington is planning to rearrange the area around the window so that it can be a quiet place of reflection. Do go and visit next time you are in Elvington. It’s a typical little country church and special to 77.
