Back on parade for war memories at Davidstow

ARMED FORCES Day was marked by a parade and the opening of a new exhibition area at the Davidstow Cornwall At War Museum.

The Camelford branch of the Royal British Legion, with RAF Davidstow Moor Museum and the Cornwall At War Museum hosted a day which drew veterans, serving personnel and young people, together with historic vehicles, to the edge of the former airfield.

Saluting at the Memorial Stone are Stan Liddington, a volunteer at the museum and former marine, who laid a wreath on behalf of the museum, and David Keast, who laid a wreath on behalf of the Davidstow Moor RAF Museum. Standard bearers are Phil Williams (Camelford RBL), Tony Vidler (Cornwall and South West Region RBL) and Jared Ely (Wadebridge RBL).
The Home Front – Mrs Mopp (Gwen Jenkins) doing the washing, with Captain Mainwaring (Brian Jenkins) looking on, while Laraine Healey, looks at a pair of nylons offered by the spiv (David Golding).
Pete Ascott from Tintagel, who worked in the mines during the war as a Bevin Boy, and Ellen Hayes, dressed as a German nurse.
In front of a Fairey Gannet aircraft, now under restoration, are, from left, Ian Ferguson, (Soviet NKVD political officer), Rog Jones, (German Seenotdienst air-sea rescue Captain), Ellen Hayes, (German nurse) and Alan Dryden (British Redcap).
Steve Perry waits to be served at the bar of the officers' relaxation room.

There were two parades this year, for the cadets of all three Services and the veterans; both were led on the march by the ATC Corps of Drums from St Austell and were inspected by Commander Gavin Richardson, commanding 824 Naval Air Squadron at RNAS Culdrose.

Joining the main parade, under the command of former WO J Beale, MBE, BEM, was a serving member of the Royal Air Force Police from RAF St Mawgan, plus veterans from all three Services who could be identified by the berets and hats they wore.

A new exhibition depicting a party in the wartime officers' mess, together with men and women enjoying some free time, has been reconstructed in an old Nissen hut by curators Steve and Sheila Perry and this was officially opened by Commander Richardson.

The RAF station was a base for American, Polish, Canadian and British squadrons between 1942 and 1945.

Parade

This was the third Armed Forces Day at this location and it is growing each year. There were approximately 350 visitors there to watch the parade or to see the static displays of military vehicles, uniforms and equipment. There were also living history groups depicting Soviet, US and British forces, as well as Germans.

The day ended with a concert by the Camelford Junior Town Band under the baton of Miss Katherine Tiplady. Many of the band, with an average age of just eight years, had only been playing for a few weeks.

For more on the Armed Forces Day celebrations in Cornwall, see page 20.