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Authors Notes |
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| The memorial, a stone cairn, 2
metres high, was unveiled on Thursday the 29th of May 1997, by the Lord Lieutenant, Air
Vice Marshal George Chesworth. The fund raising was helped by a joint venture between Paul Warrener a Forres resident with an interest in local aviation history and Gavin Ellis of the Knockomie Hotel, Forres. The hotel lies very close to the former airfield. It was with Gavin's help that a fund raising dinner was organised and which took place on March 5th 1997. Guest speaker was David Shepherd, the well known Aviation and Wildlife artist. David was delighted to attend the dinner as he has connections with the OTU, his Father-in-Law flew as a student with the Unit in 1940. The Dinner was followed by an auction, with Gavin presiding, as well as coercing! That said, the combination of the dinner, auction and donations from those unable to attend raised two thirds of the final available funds of association. David Shepherd and many members of his wife's family attended the memorial unveiling. It was a glorious hot May day, punctuated with a Nimrod flypast, but stealing the whole show was the flying tribute done by a lone Tiger Moth Bi-plane. The Nimrod representing today's Royal Air Force, the Yellow Tiger the faithful trainer of many years ago. To find the memorial, follow the Inverness/Nairn route A96 west out of Forres, and about 200 yards before the bridge over the River Findhorn park in the car park of the former "Little Chef" restaurant now occupied by the "Blervie Chipper". The cairn is easily accessible from the car park. |
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