Today our Last Post ceremony was RAF themed, it being 100 years ago since the formation of the RAF. For this reason, we chose to extend our individual remembrance to four individuals, two from WWI and two from WWII.

Cadet Axel Bendix, 43rd Wing, Royal Flying Corps, aged 22 was undergoing training at Fort Worth, Texas, USA when he was killed on 21 January 1918.

Pte Francis Redwood, aged 30, of Wantage, Berkshire died on 19 November 1918 in unknown circumstances.

Both are commemorated on the WWI – The Brookwood 1914-1918 Memorial for those with no known grave.

Warrant Officer Terence Riordan, aged 22, RAFVR of 98 Sqn RAF and Flying Officer Ernest Fooks, aged 32, RAFVR of 180 Sqn RAF were both pilots of North American B-25 Mitchell Mark II bombers based at RCAF Dunsfold, Surrey.

Returning from a bombing mission attacking construction sites for V-1 ‘buzz bombs’ on 7th January 1944, their two aircraft collided and crashed close to the village of Rudgwick, West Sussex. All crew were killed. Six were buried in their home towns, while Riordan and Fooks were buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery.

Warrant Officer Riordan

Flying Officer Fooks

We will remember them.

For the first time, in many years, the Brookwood Last Post’s Union Flag was paraded by Mrs Sue Stallard. This flag was commissioned in 1968 and is now 50 years old.

The Brookwood Last Post Standard was paraded by Alan Lopez and there were several other Standards on parade.

Afterwards we went round to The Trench Experience for refreshments.

Today we held a short ceremony, with around a dozen people attending.

We read the poem ‘What I Miss Most’ by James Love.

I miss the lads.
I miss those crisp clear nights,
when the frost glistens in the moonlight.
I miss those lonely exposed hills,
lashed by the rain.
I miss the young and innocent faces,
some of whom we’ll never see again.
I miss the laughter and the crack.
I miss their morbid humour,
the childish pranks and unspoken laws.
I miss the sense of belonging,
that unique bond.
I miss youth at its best,
though I’ll grow old, unlike the rest.

What I miss most?
I miss the lads.

(C) James Love

We remembered Lieutenant Commander David I Balfour. Lt Cdr Balfour was aboard HMS Sheffield when it was hit by an Argentine Exocet missile on 4th May 1982 during the Falklands conflict. He was 37 years old and lived in Hindhead, Surrey.

We will remember them.

Afterwards we went round to The Trench Experience for mulled wine.

Today we held a predominantly American themed ceremony. Individual American servicemen often joined Commonwealth forces in WWI before America formally entered the war. Many names on the Menin Gate are American servicemen.

We deviated slightly from our normal service and remembered two individuals. Two days ago, Major-General Otto Schwarz’s ashes were interred in the civilian section of the cemetery reserved for Czechoslovakian servicemen that did not die during the wars. Immediately next to the RAF Memorial, his wish was to be as close to his wartime comrades as possible.

We also remembered American Pilot Officer Ieuan ‘ Rex’ Haddock, killed on 30 June 1944 during a failed take off from Dunsfold Aerodrome. Rex is buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery in plot 54.J.9.

We will remember them.

Our Standard Bearer was Tony Brannigan and our bugler was Mrs Ruth Moore.

The individual remembrances were read out by Mr Paul McCue, a military historian.

Afterwards we went round to the Trench Experience to warm up.