Marking Armed Forces Day 2021

This Armed Forces Day, we thank all military personnel, especially those in the RAF, who have answered their country's call and put themselves in harm's way for our safety and security. As well as our Controller Air Vice-Marshal Chris Elliot, some of the Fund's high profile supporters have shared their memories of growing up as part of the RAF Family.

Air Vice-Marshal Chris Elliot said: "As we pause to celebrate all of our Armed Forces on this special day, I'll be remembering the immense contribution they have made to the Covid-19 pandemic response.

"Personnel have been at the heart of the fight against the disease, standing side by side with our key workers within the NHS, supporting with everything from planning our response to setting up Nightingale Hospitals, from running testing centres to manning vaccination hubs.

"It is this debt of service which inspires our work. Armed Forces personnel have an ingrained sense of duty – they always step up in our hour of need, so we aim to be there for them in theirs."

Clive Myrie  – BBC journalist and news presenter, new host of Mastermind

"My uncle Cecil worked as a driver for the RAF, transporting munitions for aircraft across the country during the war. He'd been recruited out in Jamaica with the British Government desperate for help from the colonies in the war effort. He shipped out to the UK at the start of the war. My dad cannot recall sadly where Cecil was stationed, but it was after the war that he decided to settle down in Bolton and that's why my mum and dad eventually settled there too. 

"My dad says Cecil recounted to him how during the Blitz (I'm assuming this was the time as my dad says it was when the German bombing was ‘red hot’ and there were hundreds of air raids,) he was having to jump out of the van at the sound of the sirens, abandoning the vehicle in case it was hit by a bomb detonating the cargo of weapons. I'm also assuming Cecil would have helped transport munitions during the Battle of Britain in 1942. Cecil passed away in the late 1990s. The family were all very proud of his RAF service."

John Hegley – performance poet, comedian, musician

"My dad had a French mother and an English father. He was a refugee from his native France to England in 1915. At the age of 34 in the Second World War, he was proud to join the ground forces in the RAF, serving as an aircrafthand and batman.

"We do not have the full details but do know that he was honourably discharged after an attack on the airfield  where he was serving. Throughout both situations my father was sustained in his Christian faith."

Mark Smith – The Antiques Roadshow's arms and militaria expert

"My dad, Les, joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve on 6 February 1941 at the age of 18 years three months. After basic training at Blackpool, he trained as an air gunner at Evanton and as a wireless operator at RAF Yatesbury.

"He joined 240 Squadron Coastal Command in 1943 flying from Loch Earne in Northern Ireland as Convoy Escort on anti-submarine patrols. He moved to the Far East in June 1944 joining 240 Squadron at Madras and then moved to Trincomalee, Ceylon (Sri Lanka) his crew, under Flight Lieutenant Johhny Ayshford DFC, volunteered for "B" flight in late 1944. "B" Flight was part of the delivery system for Special Operations Executive Force 136 taking SOE and American OSS agents into Japanese occupied territory.

"On several occasions his aircraft was hit by Japanese anti-aircraft fire and on one occasion his best friend, Flight Sergeant Henry Shirt, was killed over the target. When hostilities ceased dad had completed 65 operations against the enemy.

"The Second World War has always held a fascination for me. Dad's stories, my family's stories of those days were the beginnings of a life as a military historian.  I am immensely proud to be able to say: 'he was my dad'."

Monty Halls – marine biologist, explorer, former marine

"Dad served as a navigator on Canberras and Nimrods for 20 years, in what were some of the happiest times of his life. The friendships he made, the standards that were embedded, and the memories that were created, stayed with him until the end of his days. Whatever he subsequently did, his identity was always that of a former RAF man, an identity he wore as a badge of honour. I'm incredibly proud of dad and will never forget our childhood as part of the RAF Family."

Ricky Whittle –  actor: American Gods; The 100; Hollyoaks

"Growing up my father was my very own superhero and still is. It was his qualities as a father and officer in the RAF that have helped mould me into the man I am today. 

"I am so grateful for all the worldwide travel, friendships along the way, life experiences, education and exposure to all the beautiful cultures and countries this world and life had to offer. He taught me to strive to be the very best version of myself, to never let anyone define me but myself, to dream big and live, don’t just exist. He worked hard to make his dreams come true and inspired me to do the same. I think he did a pretty good job."

Sue Holderness – actress: Only Fools and Horses, Green Green Grass, Still Open All Hours  

"My father and two of his brothers all flew with the RAF. They were born and brought up in Rhodesia (now, of course, Zimbabwe), and were all flying before the war broke out. As soon war was declared they joined the RAF, my father, Anthony, in Bomber Command, his brother Hardwicke, in Coastal Command, and his brother John, in Fighter Command. 

My father flew first with 248 Blenheim Fighter Squadron, then, later, with Bomber Command, flying mosquitoes with 239 Squadron, an aeroplane I know he loved.

"Of course, I wish now that we had spoken more with all three of them about their wartime experiences. I realise (and so did they) how lucky we are that all three of them survived. They were, all three, enormous fun. But also, of course, like all those RAF pilots, they were such brave young men. We miss them and are very proud of them."

Robert Llewellyn – actor, TV presenter, writer

"When my father passed away in 1997, my brother, sister and I soon realised we knew very little actual detail about his wartime experiences. Reg was a very funny man and would joke about "flying over Bremerhaven with a bomb bay full of boffins", but we had no idea what that meant. It wasn't until I was asked to take part in a BBC series called 'War Hero in my Family' that I learned what my father actually did.

"He was in 192 Squadron based at RAF Foulsham in Norfolk, one of the most secretive squadrons in the RAF. I'm not sure if this is why he never really explained what he did, but it sounded fairly terrifying. They flew night time missions over occupied Europe in a Wellington or Halifax bomber, flying alone, the bomb bay packed with equipment and scientists trying to understand how German radar worked.

"Suddenly the oft repeated term "flying over Bremerhaven with a bomb bay full of boffins" made perfect sense. I know he flew over 30 missions with the same crew, 3 of them attended his funeral, the first time I met them Like him, they were quiet, retiring old men who had lived their lives peacefully after the horrendous stress and terror of their wartime experiences as very, very young men.

"My dad was 20 years old on his first mission, so yes, without question, he was from an incredible generation.

Colin McFarlane – actor, narrator, voice actor

"My dad Sidney McFarlane's service in the RAF is a remarkable one of which I am hugely proud. If any of his contemporaries are reading this they would remember him better as 'Mac'. Mac arrived in England as part of the Windrush generation in 1955 aged 20, with a glowing reference in hand to work for a British engineering company called Reginald Aitken Ltd, who he had been employed by back in Jamaica; only to be told there were no white collar jobs for people of colour in England, a huge blow he didn’t see coming from the country he had so much admiration for.

"As a result, as he was unable to secure work that matched his qualifications, he ended up having to settle for a job as a bus conductor where he ran the gauntlet of racist insults. Then in 1957, out of the blue he was shocked to learn, that although he could not be accepted in an office environment, he would nevertheless be accepted for National service for the 'mother country'.

"He'd never even heard of this before and the prospect filled him with trepidation but he had no choice, he was a British citizen from the colonies and it was the law (1948 National service Act). This new turn of events was about to change the entire direction of his life. Mac decided to marry my Mother Gwen immediately prior to joining, to underscore their commitment to be together for the uncertain journey ahead. Little did he know this journey would last 30 years and result in him being awarded an MBE for his service in the Forces.

"Mac's original weekly pay in the RAF was £2.50 a week rising to £7.50 when he became a regular. Racism was rife in the country at that time and I always remember him explaining to me as a child that at least in the RAF there were rules and you would be more protected than his fellow countrymen were on 'civvie' street. That was one of the reasons he decided to stay along with some other unique benefits such as excellent RAF hospitals and educational support for the children.

"Education was always vitally important to both my grandfather and my father and when my Dad learnt that the RAF would pay a contribution towards the private education of myself and my two brothers that sealed it and it allowed us all to be educated at the brilliant Perse school in Cambridge.

"Mac served in the Personnel and Administration branch throughout. He worked his way up from the bottom, got commended for meritorious service at every NCO (non commissioned officer) rank and was the first black officer I ever saw when growing up on RAF bases; eventually reaching the rank of Squadron Leader. Along the way, he served in Bahrain, Cyprus, Germany 3 times, Holland, all over the UK, from as far south as RAF Devizes, to as far north as RAF Fylingdales in Yorkshire. Stations included RAF Laarbruch and Rheindahlen in Germany, HQ AFCENT in Holland and Akrotiri and Episkopi in Cyprus.

"The stories he told me of having to turn the other cheek in the face of discrimination alongside the stories of kindness and generosity will always stay with me. I will never forget the wonderful experience of going to primary school in Cyprus from 9-11 years of age, starting at 7.00am and finishing at 1.00pm and spending the rest of the day at the beach…heaven!! And then having to evacuate when the island was invaded in the early 1970s. At the time that seemed like an exciting adventure to me and the other service children, but it wasn't quite like that for the adults who understood the seriousness of the situation.

"My father came to love the life in the Air Force, from the dances and the balls in the Sgts mess and later Officers mess, to the wonderful house parties I would spy from my bedroom ... to his days as a cricket umpire (his favourite sport) where he also excelled. I also remember while in Germany our family becoming close to a German Doctor's family and getting to ride their horses and bikes and having a German tea with a mountain of gorgeous cakes to devour!

"The cultural experiences were vast and inspiring, we all learnt so much. It was a full and rich life that has left he and my mother with so many wonderful memories and so much to be grateful for and ultimately provided the foundations for the life and acting career I have gone on to enjoy. Mac is rightly proud of all he achieved with the RAF ably supported by his wife Gwen and is delighted to be a part of Armed Forces Day.

Kris Marshall – actor

"As a services' child, I've always been aware of the role of the RAF Benevolent Fund in helping both current and former servicemen and women. My father, who was a Squadron Leader at 10 Squadron, is a keen supporter of their tireless work."

Ted Robbins – comic, actor, broadcaster

"My late father David Michael Robbins, always known as Mike, was called at the age of 18 and joined  the RAF taking his basic training at RAF West Kirby on the Wirral peninsula.

Mike always had a joke ready and would tell me things like 'The Japanese only surrendered because they heard I was coming!' Or 'I had a terrible time in the Armed Forces, sometimes I didn't get home from West Kirby for a fortnight'!

"But in all seriousness my dad was always proud of his time in the RAF, rising to the dizzy heights of Lance Corporal and signed for a further year, making three years' service. He was an instructor and almost incredibly at such a young age, would have 20 or 30 raw recruits under his mighty command! He carried himself well to the very end."