UKMAMS Association – “Big Weekend”

The UKMAMS Association “Big Weekend” was a great success and the support given by members exceeded the expectations of the organisers.  Most importantly, and particularly relevant in the light of the plans to disband the Association, those who attended enjoyed meeting old friends and much chat and quite a few beers and glasses of wine were the result.

Meet and Greet in the Winch Inn

It all started on Friday evening and the Winch Inn was humming as over 40 members joined a group of serving personnel of No 1 AMW to talk the evening away.  Surprise of the evening was the arrival of Peter Underwood from Canada with his wife Jane and her sister Valerie.  Pete was at Abingdon even before the official formation of UKMAMS in 1966 and he joined in the dinner on Saturday as well, earning applause for being the longest traveller to the weekend’s events.  The members cannot all be named but they included Dennis Smith, Mike Stepney, Gordon Black, George Lynes, Neil Jones, Brian Connellan, David Bell, Jim Buchanan, Martyn Skelton, Joe Cobert, Dermot Murphy, Charlie Marlow and Bob Turner as well as all members of the Council.  The 2 curries provided by the Wessex Restaurant were very popular, but we must remember to ask for serving spoons next time!  Together with the food and a generous sum put behind the bar to pay for drinks, the Association did its part in full to welcome the new OC No 1 AMW to his new job!

Families Day and Association AGM

Fog persisted at Lyneham on Saturday, only lifting after the start of the Association AGM held in the Cricket Pavilion, smiling on the Wing Families Open Day and allowing several Hercules sorties to get families airborne into the local area.  The AGM was attended by some 25 members and there were 105 postal proxy votes to vote in the same Chairman and Council members as last year.  Wing Commander Andy Killey gave a short and punchy description of the busy year faced by those currently serving on the Wing and outlined the challenges to come, including eventual move from Lyneham to Brize Norton.

Once the formalities were over and we had noted the current membership as 343 with about £7K in our funds, we got down to discussions about the disbandment plans and discussed what could be salvaged and maintained for the future.  There was some lively discussion but the consensus was to, reluctantly, accept that the Association would call an Extraordinary General Meeting at the end of January 2009 to finalise disbandment arrangements.  However, there was relief expressed when the Chairman indicated that some elements could be preserved as “UKMAMS Association Lite”!  ie try and maintain records, keep a website open and arrange a ‘get- together’ from time to time.  If an e-mail short version of Team Brief could be produced, it would be tried.  Although there would be no further formal subscriptions, it was hoped that some would volunteer small sums to pay for the basic administration expenses so that a skeleton organisation could be sustained for the future.  The formal Association would be disbanded before next June so that Standing Orders could be cancelled and members who have paid up several years in advance would be asked if they wanted a refund or were happy to leave the money with the Association.  Members were reminded that, after all bills had been paid, the Constitution required the surplus should go to charities with special consideration being given to RAFA and the RAF Ben Fund.   The AGM was wound up so all could go out to enjoy the Open Day but not before special votes of thanks were made to Colin Allen for his extra work for the ‘Big Weekend’, to Dave Betts (with the proviso that he was identified by his UKMAMS name of ‘Nip’!) for his anonymous financial support in recent times and his kind offer to continue such support, and to the Council as a whole for its efforts over the years to keep the Association running.

Dinner in the Sergeants’ Mess

And so to the Grand Dinner on Saturday evening ..... Coaches were laid on to get the majority of attendees to the Dinner from Wootton Bassett and Swindon Hotels.  Lots more people turned up, many with wives and partners, including former OC Brian Morgan, David Powell, Dave Eggleton, David Stevens, the Betambeaus’, Richards’, Roberts’, Cunninghams’, Irvings’, Tews’, Lasts’, Blythes’ ‘Biggs’, Geerahs’ and so many more ... also including the very welcome presence of several executives of the Wing supporting the new OC and Mrs Killey.  The diners filled the Sergeants Mess to capacity and the meal was conducted in an informal but fairly ordered fashion (following a Sam Heaphy “special grace”) under the auspices of the CMC, WO Mark Taylor (serving on No 1 AMW and a member of the Association anyway!)  He decided upon an impromptu speech himself and pointed his finger at individuals in the room who had had an effect on his career in Movements and why!  The Chairman, Bob Dixon, gave the main speech and offered toasts to the Ladies and to No 1 AMW, the modern successors of UKMAMS.  He spoke about some of the characters who have influenced the Squadron over the years and had a special word for the late Jim Stewart and for his wife Eileen who was a very welcome diner that evening.  He toasted “Absent Friends” as all present remembered those from Australia to Canada who would like to have been there but could not and those who had passed on and who have served the Squadron over the past 40 years.  He also mentioned that the Council had decided to commission a special limited edition Commemorative Coin to celebrate the 40 years of the Squadron’s illustrious and proud history which would be sent (free!) to every current member of the Association.   Everyone was in such good humour that even his corny jokes got a good laugh, but he was very surprised and touched by the standing ovation he received when he had finished speaking.  Wg Cdr Killey spoke in reply and he led everyone in the final  toast to ‘the UKMAMS Association.’

The chat and excitement went on until the early hours when the coaches took their contented customers ‘home’ from a splendid evening and others staggered into the night.

Photos from the Dinner - courtesy of George Lynes (opens in a new window)