Wing celebrates 75th anniversary at Gloucester cathedral

The sun shone on the Bristol & Gloucestershire Wing parade on Sunday 3^rd July as Cadets and staff marched to the Gloucester Cathedral for a service to celebrate the forming of the Air Training Corps 75 years ago on 5^th February 1941 and to acknowledge the 100 years since the start of The Battle of the Somme. About 300 cadets and staff took part in a march past, the salute was taken by the Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire Dame Janet Trotter DBE and Air Marshall Julian Young CB OBE RAF. The cadets played a large part in the service by recounting the major Air Cadet points through the decades; musical items were played by 2442 (Westbury on Trym Squadron) and “We’ll meet again” was sung by cadets of 1860 (Speedwell) Squadron, the address was given by Officer Commanding Bristol & Gloucestershire Wing, Wing Commander David Cox FCA MCGI RAFVR(T). The event was attended by many dignitaries and alumni including Mr Jim Bartlett, 89, an ex-member of 614 (Lydney) Squadron who left as a Flight Seargent in 1945. The day concluded with the cutting of a cake by Air Marshall Julian Young.