120206-70th Anniversary Events

On Saturday evening 11 February 2012 there will be a Fund Raising Dinner in the Officer’s Mess at RAF Manston, the RAF airfield from where the 6 Fairey Swordfish took off on that fateful day, 12 February 1942. The dinner commemorates a party thrown for Lt Cdr Esmonde on his return from Buckingham Palace on 11 February 1942, where he had attended to receive the DSO from HM King George for his Squadrons part in the successful attack on Bismarck the previous year. All proceeds from the evening will go towards the new 'Operation Fuller' Memorial Monument which will be erected and unveiled in May 2012. During dinner the guests will be entertained by a Quintet from the Kohima Band of the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment.

On Sunday 12th February we are holding a 70th Anniversary Memorial Service at St Mary-in-Castro Church, Dover Castle, commencing at 14.00hrs and dedicated to everyone who took part in ‘Operation Fuller’ from all three services. Again, just prior to commencement of the service, the Swordfish will fly past Dover Castle along the line of the White Cliffs in Salute as  it makes its way back to Yeovilton. On conclusion of the service our guests will have a tour of Admiral Ramsey’s secret War Rooms in the tunnels below Dover Castle from where ‘Operation Fuller’ was commanded.

Our remaining and, most significant event to commemorate the 70th Anniversary will take place on Saturday 19 May 2012 when we will unveil and dedicate our ‘Operation Fuller’ Memorial Monument at Marine Parade, Dover, on the seafront and in the shadow of the castle and Admiral Ramsey’s War Room. This event will be attended by all three Armed Services and veterans. It is expected that as well as the Fairey Swordfish the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight will also fly past in salute. We also expect that the Royal Navy will attend with a significant vessel to commemorate the dedication. This event is still in the early stages of development and will possibly grow as we get closer to the event when the respective services realise what assets will be available. This will be a very moving ceremony with a good deal of pomp and ceremony, including Military Bands, Guards of Honour and Standards. Our Patron, Admiral the Lord Boyce will preside at each event with his Deputy Brigadier Simon Wolsey OBE.

One further major event scheduled for July next year is as special guests at the War and Peace Show at the Hop Farm, Paddock Wood, Kent. This event is in the early stages of planning with the organiser Rex Cadman but looks very promising for the CDA. It is the organisers plan that this year the War and Peace Show will honour the 70th Anniversary of the Channel Dash. Rex Cadman has also made available his own personal full size Replica Spitfire and ME109 to stand at the entrance to the Officer’s Mess at RAF Manston for the weekend of 11/12 February where we are having the celebratory dinner and many of our guests for the weekend events will be accommodated.

In March 2012, the CDA have been invited to participate in an expedition to retrace the ‘Operation Cerberus’ course from Brest, France to Kiel, Germany. The expedition will last 10 days using a 50ft Yacht and will ‘heave to’ at the approximate location where 825 NAS made their attack on the German ships where the CDA representative will lay a wreath.

The CDA have recently made contact with the DGSM (translated – German Society for Maritime and Naval History Association) and it has been agreed that the two Associations affiliate one with the other in order to further our aims of research and education in matters relating to the Channel Dash.