Sunday Breakfast 23rd September - Wings Cafe North Weald

[ChrisJ]

Have PM'd those that haven't replied yet.

 

 

[Stubox]

Happy to postpone

[LotusFella]

23rd better for me now. As car at GST this weekend

[top-plumber]

23rd is cool.✌️

[PAR]

16th was good for me as wife was away so it was just me and my 3 year old. I may be available on 23rd by not sure yet as traveling end of the week for work.

[ChrisJ]

OK, lets switch to the 23rd then. I'll send the monthly PM out so that everyone on it is aware of the change of date.

[westhamtim]

Long time lurker here. Had hoped to make this as quite local but neither date ideal. 23rd is my daughter's birthday party in the afternoon so if preparations are ahead I'll try and persuade the wife to let me come down.

[ChrisJ]

[X4 XGE]

New member hoping to come along, +1.

[pete]

Welcome ,which part of Harlow?

 

[ChrisJ]

As Peter says welcome.

I've added you to the monthly PM list so you'll notification of our meetings.

See you next week.

[X4 XGE]

Thanks. Chris!

[PAR]

Sounds like I have approval and will come with wife and daughter (hence with the Evora).

see you there!

 

[pete]

Excellent. There is a child's play area there.

[ChrisJ]

Seen you all tomorrow morning .

[Mrs_L]

Not us unfortunately, going to be at the Warren Classic tomorrow, have a good time x

[X4 XGE]

I can no longer make it on Sunday morning but I look forward to seeing everyone at Lotus next weekend. Please say hello!

[Painterdave]

I can't do this Sunday I hope to see you all at the 70th on Saturday thanks Dave 

[westhamtim]

Apologies, ended up making an impulse purchase of a Corvette on the Thursday (yes really!) so didn't attempt to get clearance from the wife for more car related activity. Hope to be along to a meet at some point, although I do tend to lay the esprit up over the winter so may be next year.

[pete]

You don't have to come in a lotus

[pete]

 Just a small bit of history about the last venue we visited from the museum there                                     On the 24th of August 1940 German bombers launched a surprise attack on North Weald airfield, dropping over 200 bombs they caused absolute devastation. The married quarters took a direct hit, killing nine members of the Essex Regiment and injuring another ten airfield personnel. Exactly seven days later they returned and this time they were even bigger and badder. The airfield had barely got over the last attack and now a fleet of bombers were heading over with a heavily armoured guard of Messerschmitt Bf 109s and Bf 110s. North Weald was certainly not ready or prepared for this kind of return attack! Twelve Hurricanes from No. 56 Squadron were launched, this would normally deter your standard attack but this time they were heavily outnumbered, within a very short time four were brought down leaving only eight in the sky. They did their best but by the time the raid had flown over there was only one left.
Following this serious defeat No. 56 Squadron were sent South to Boscombe Down to rest and No. 151 Squadron who had also taken a battering were moved out to Stapleford Tawney. 
Now The Battle of Britain was still in full swing and these squadrons had to be replaced and fast. So in steps No. 249 Squadron.
On the 1st of September 1940 they arrived at North Weald, this was very untimely as just two days later the airfield suffered heavy damage from another German raid. This squadron was primed and ready. Being led by Squadron Leader J. Granby, they left their Spitfires behind and took over the Hurricanes. Previously on the 16th of August Flight Lieutenant J. B. Nicolson of No. 249 Squadron had won Fighter Command's first Victoria Cross and the only V.C. of The Battle of Britain. During a dogfight his plane was hit bad and caught on fire. Rather than just bail out he continued to fight. Risking his life he took a chance and shot down a Bf. 110. Only then did he bail out!
No. 249 Squadron would now take part in the fourth phase of the battle which was to take out daylight raids on London. 
Sergeant Edward Allen Bayley was born in Sussex and learned to fly privately in 1933, and by 1939 he had become an experienced Volunteer Reserve Pilot with No. 32 Squadron at Biggin Hill.
In September 1940 he was posted to No. 249 Squadron at North Weald. On the 10th of October, not even a month after getting there he was on a routine patrol over the Thames Estuary. Suddenly out of nowhere his plane dropped out of formation and gradually went into a steep dive, heading towards land very fast he made no attempt to bale out and crashed at Shades House Cooling Marsh, killing him instantly. 
Now for many years it was believed he had suffered from an oxygen failure but in the 1980s they decided to excavate his plane and low and behold among the shrapnel and wreckage of the plane they found holes where bullets had struck the plane. 
So after years of thinking it was oxygen failure he had actually been shot down! Sergeant Bayley was buried at St. Luke's Cemetery in Bromley, Kent, leaving behind his wife and young child ... 
Seven months later No. 249 Squadron where moved on to fight at Malta leaving eleven of their comrades behind ...
THE FEW ...
And most of them are gone, the gay, the bright ones,
Whose laughter was too spiral for the Earth,
Who sought above the clouds a swifter mirth,
And found a strange peace there, the winged, the fleet ones.
Dawn with it's gradual bugles found them souring,
And sunset made of Earth a kindly joy,
A place of sleep and warmth to eke their joy,
And bring them love's release from their exploring.
And all of them were young, their lustihood
Full-set for zenith, vibrant as a flute;
They knew hope's blossom, not it's bitter fruit,
Nor aught of life except that life was good.
We knew them not; they lived with us; we loved them;
We knew their tricks of gesture; how they smiled;
What foods and books they liked; but not the wild
meridians of the heart that fired and proved them.
But now, behind the stars, beyond all sweetness,
Hid in the heart of music, voiced in song,
They are ours. The fall of evening finds us strong, 
And kind words bring to us their rich completeness.
Lest we forget ....
With thanks to North Weald Airfield Museum .....