Dear to almost all our hearts, I think, may be the preservation of the memory

of those who fought and died for the freedom we all enjoy today.

The good folks of North Weald village have taken to their hearts many

thousands of Air Force men and women from many different countries, and

supported them with their kindness and generosity of spirit, since the RAF

Station North Weald was first established in 1918, until it closed in 1958

as an RAF station and was then handed over to the British Army. They too

enjoyed the practical good will of the people of North Weald Bassett and

district, and their exemplary service was recognised by the award to The

Yorkshire and Lancashire Regiment of the Freedom of the Borough of Epping, nearby.

The history of RAF Station North Weald has now been immortalised by the

production of a DVD covering each era through which the Airfield has passed.

It has been produced privately by a group of people who live in North Weald

and the towns and villages nearby and has been published by Streets Ahead

Productions ( www.streetsaheadtv.com ) Written, Produced and edited by Brian

Cattell, with Arthur Moreton of North Weald Aviation Heritage, it contains

comment by Lord Norman Tebitt and A. Commodore Roger Topp AFC**

It is an excellent documentary with flying scenes dating back to the 1920,

right up to the present day, and naturally includes some scenes of the Black

Arrows.

The war time activities of the airfield are well covered and there are

several scenes which include famous RAF characters such as Lords Trenchard

and Dowding, as well as Victor Beamish and Al Deere who were both one time

Station Commanders.

Comment is included from various of the local ordinary folk who well

remember the war years and also the creation of the Fighter Plotter station at Kelvedon

Hatch, which is now a museum.

Personal were bussed every day from North Weald to Kelvedon Hatch. Their

accommodation at North Weald was in Seco huts.......not the luxury of the barrack blocks that

we enjoyed. They were scandalously but jokingly referred to as The girls

from Kelvedon Hatch, though there was not one WAAF or WRAF lady amongst

them.

They took it all in good part as off they went with regular monotony to

their underground cabins, to plot the routes of incursion of aircraft from

the USSR for the duration of the Cold War.

North Weald is still operational as an airfield and present day operations

with 'war birds' are included.

The production of this DVD has taken a lot of time and effort, not to

mention the financial outlay.

Please support the North Weald Aviation Heritage by buying a copy of your

own, and in this way help to preserve the memory of all servicemen who worked there and the

villagers whose generous spirit and practical concern for them, lives on as a monument

to the sacrifices made by all those who lost their lives in war and peace, whether servicemen

and women or civilians.

RAF North Weald is perhaps the last remaining operational air base from which the

Battle of Britain was fought. It is deserving in every way of preservation in this way, as a

living monument and tribute to the British way of life, and all those virtues and values we hold dear,

whatever our political point of view or colour or race, for it was not just the white race that

fought and flew from here.

Of necessity today Britishness is not the sole preserve of white people.

Remember the British Commonwealth with its many different races and a multitude of

different colours and shades, rallied to the cause of fighting for the freedom of us all. My bet

is, that given similar circumstances, they would do the same today. Happily, I believe, that

situation is not likely to arise.

It remains therefore our prime duty to respect and get on with all our

neighbours.

As neighbours the people of North Weald were exemplary. I believe they still

are.

Remember North Weald and, if you can, buy a copy of the DVD. Watch it,

review it, remember those days and enjoy it.