31 Aug 12. The courage and contribution of those who fought bravely in the Battle of El Alamein will be formally marked by the Ministry of Defence with a special Service of Thanksgiving, held in Westminster Abbey at 3pm on Saturday 27 October 2012. The Reverend Jonathan Woodhouse QHC Chaplain-General (Army) will give the address at the Evensong service. Winston Churchill famously described the battle, which began on 23 October 1942 and ended on 4 November 1942, as the end of the beginning of the war. Led by General Montgomery, the Battle of El Alamein was the climax of months of struggle in the Western Desert as the Allies fought to keep open vital supply lines from the Mediterranean to the East.
03 Sep 12. The AVRO Vulcan, one of the most evocative and instantly recognisable UK aircraft of the Cold War era celebrates its Diamond Jubilee this year. First flown on 30th August 1952, the famous Delta-Wing aircraft was designed by Roy Chadwick who also designed the Avro Lancaster. The jet-powered bomber saw distinguished service with the UK’s Royal Air Force for 28 years culminating in the Operation Black Buck over the Falklands in 1982. Of the 136 aircraft built at the Avro factories at Woodford and Chadderton in the UK, one flying example, XH558, continues to thrill crowds at air shows. In addition, volunteers are hoping to restore the XM603 as a static display aircraft as part of the formation of a permanent Avro Heritage Centre at Woodford. (Source: ASD Network)