IN the May of 1942, the Telecommunications Research Establishment moved from Worth Maltravers to Malvern College, At the same time the Telecommunications Flying Unit (TFU) transferred its aircraft from Hurn to Defford. Michael Barnard told Gerry Barnett what happened next at Defford.

AT this time, he said, some of the RAF personnel were accommodated in tents, so hurried was the move. The years passed and by 1945 there were 2,500 personnel and 1,300 aircraft on the base.

It was in 1943 that Andy Walls was posted to Defford. He was a Leading Aircraftsman (fitter airframe) and throughout his time at Defford until 1946 he met up with so many lads and the passing years meant so much to them all that the promise at the end of the war “we’ll all meet again” was kept in the September of 1990 when at the Rose and Crown, Severn Stoke, the lads were again reunited.

Among them, said Mr Barnard, was Albert Shorrock, also an airframe fitter.

He said: “It was at this wonderful get-together that the seed was sown for an annual reunion and so Andy together with Albert have over the past 20 years have produced a most marvellous newsletter, Contact, Andy being the founder of the RAF Defford Reunion Association and Albert the two digit typist.”

Among the veterans was Les Felton whose job it was to bolt on experimental radar equipment to aircraft. Mr Barnard said Les passed on a few years ago but his son Ken still runs a fruit and vegetable shop in Pershore.

In a lovely corner of the Vale of Evesham on the Croome Estate near the Church of the Lady on the Hill, said Mr Barnard, is a unique collection of Second World War RAF buildings which have been restored by the National Trust.

“These keepers of memories which are now the National Trust’s reception area and canteen will be where on Wednesday, December 8, veterans will gather to celebrate Albert Shorrock’s birthday,” Mr Barnard said.

Mr Barnard’s picture shows Andy Walls, on the left, with Albert Shorrock, looking down on scenes they would have been familiar with at RAF Defford.

“We must never forget what these lads did for us in the second World War,” he said.

“From all our friends at Croome in the National Trust and all your pals in A Flight, may your 90th birthday be a very happy one. We’ll see you on parade.”