Paratroop veterans attend rededication event for flag

L-R Rev Al Jenkins, with the memorial and veterans Colonel Charles Radford, Tony Willmore, Neil Murdoch, Chris Gryzelka, David Simpson and John Roessler.

The Saturday service saw many veterans at All Saints Church rededicate the flag of the Combined Old Comrades Associations of the Parachute Squadron Royal Armoured Corps (1965-76) and the 1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron (1941-1946) to mark the move to its final resting place – their adopted church in Ruskington.

There is a memorial in the church to troops from the the 1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron who were barracked in the Ruskington area in the build up to the drop into Arnhem as part of the Allied advance into Europe in the Second World War.

The event was also to commemorate the inclusion into the memorial of those members of the Parachute Squadron Royal Armoured Corps who fell on operations in Northern Ireland in the 1970s, namely Sergeant Graham George Cox and Sergeant Frederick Drake.

Re-enactment group co-ordinator Matthew Moore presenting an old photo of the squadron when it was being kitted out in Sleaford market place to Market Place Cafe manager, Sarah Cook.

The service was led by Reverend Al Jenkins, Priest in Charge of All Saints Church.

There were hymns, readings and prayers including the rededication of the refurbished memorial and the Act of Remembrance and Last Post.

Music played included ‘Cavalry of the Clouds’ by Kenneth Alford, which is the quick march of the Parachute Squadron Royal Armoured Corps.

There was a parade through the village by a group who re-enact the Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron and camped on the village playing field.

Parading through Ruskington after the service.

There was a presentation of a history book on the reconnaissance in Arnhem by Frank Sharp, a veteran of the Arnhem squadron, to Mark Bamford of Sleaford Museum.

This was followed by a cavalcade of six wartime ‘Recce Squadron’ Jeeps and an anti-aircraft gun to and around Sleaford, parking up in the Market Place on public display.

Mr Bamford said: “We have photographic evidence of the ARS jeeps being fitted with Lewis guns in the Market Place in 1944 prior to their deployment to Arnhem in September of that year.

“The museum is the home of the Airbourne Recce Squadron archive and the book is a rare addition to that.”