
RAF veteran, 99, will remember friends ‘who didn't make it' on VE Day
A 99-year-old RAF veteran said he will be remembering friends 'who didn't make it like I did' through the Second World War on VE Day.
Dennis Bishop, a former leading aircraftsman who saw active service in France, Belgium, Germany and Africa, visited RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on Wednesday as it prepares for the VE Day flypast on Monday.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


BBC News
9 hours ago
- BBC News
RAF Lightning fighter jet fired up after 18 years in Lincolnshire
A Cold War fighter jet, which spent the majority of its service at RAF Binbrook, has been fired up for the first time in 18 XR724, was designed to intercept Soviet bombers and first flew on 10 February 1965. The aircraft, which was retired in 1991, has been undergoing a five-year restoration project at the site near Market engineer Chris Johnson, who was in the cockpit when the 60-year-old plane was started, said: "Getting this old lady running again after so long being idle is going to feel great." Mr Johnson said his team is hoping to fix the aircraft's top engine by the end of next public run of the engine is due to be carried out an open day on 6 September. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.


BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Former RAF officer from Cardiff becomes Tower of London Beefeater
A former RAF Warrant Officer from Cardiff has been selected as a Yeoman Warder (YW) at the Tower of Harris served in the RAF for more than 36 years, during which time he was deployed for tours to Northern Ireland, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Ukraine and Cyprus. Nicknamed Beefeaters, it is a position introduced by Henry VII in 1485 to help guard the fortress and YW Harris is thought to be the first Welsh Beefeater in more than a decade. YW Harris described his appointment as an immense honour, and said he was "extremely proud to represent Wales". As one of 35 who live and work at the tower, YW Harris said he has enjoyed settling into his "quirky new home within the tower's vibrant community". He said he left Cardiff in 1988 and has worked at stations all over the UK with the RAF, but it means an "awful lot" to him to be able to represent the national heritage."At the end of my career it's great to be allowed to continue the historical elements of service life," he said. Describing what it was like to put on the uniform, YW Harris said you just "cannot imagine" the feeling. "It was immense" he said, adding it was "such an immensely proud moment". "I have a lot to learn and will be focused on learning the tower's history and legends before I am ready to share these with our visitors, so the next few months are going to be incredibly exciting."Part of the criteria for becoming a YW is a minimum of 22 years' service with the military, to hold the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, and to have reached the rank of warrant officer or equivalent, before being selected for the coming months, YW Harris will learn "the story" – the script of the famous Yeoman Warder tour, in verbatim, before he can lead his own tours of the Tower of London. He will also be required to learn the 21 separate duties conducted by the Yeoman Body each day, including the Ceremony of the Keys, a closing ceremony that has taken place every single night for at least 700 years.A devoted sportsman, YW Harris is known to be a supporter of Welsh rugby, Cardiff City FC, and the Cardiff Devils Ice Hockey club, having coached the RAF Ice Hockey team to four successive inter-service championships during his previous career.


Cambrian News
2 days ago
- Cambrian News
Eisteddfod Chair from WWI refugee stars in Aberystwyth exhibition
Andrea Hammel, Professor of German and Director of the Centre for the Movement of People, said: 'This exhibition aims to highlight the long history of displacement caused by war. While last month's commemorations of the end of the Second World War in Europe focused mainly on combatants and local communities, we want to show the experience of those who had to leave their homes. By 1945 there were 60 million displaced people in Europe alone, and Wales provided sanctuary to many.'