Edinburgh University Air Squadron, 1946-1969
Summa Petunt Juvenes
The First Reunion
On the Sunday of Edinburgh Univeristy's Alumni Weekend in June 2013 former members of the Edinburgh University Air Squadron (EUAS) gathered in the Raeburn and Carstares rooms of Old College to remember a time in the 1950s and 60s when EUAS offered flying training to undergraduates and a chance to experience life in the RAF whilst studying at Edinburgh.
The reunion was organised principally by Ron Gardiner, a combined Arts and Science graduate who initially signed up for the University Officers’ Training Corps (part of the Territorial Army) but was persuaded to switch to the Air Squadron by fellow student Rex Holroyd, and a less than enjoyable OTC winter camp experience in the snow-covered wastelands around Aviemore.
Group Photo IDs
Back Row L to R: Rob Seed, Neil Henriksen, Ron Gardiner, Tom Wilson, Hamish Macleod, Bill Goodburn, George Robertson
Third Row L to R: John Dudley, Peter Bennett, Danny Doyle, Tom Kibble, Sandy Laing, Rex Holroyd
Second Row L to R: John Grant-Wood, Murray Carmichael, Bobby Burt, Barrie Taylor, Geoff Rosenbloom, Bill Fraser, David Walker
Front Row L to R: Stewart Russell, Erik Geissler, Gordon McMurray, Jim Morris, Andrew Marjoribanks, George Allan
A lunch at Bruntsfield Golf Club -March 2014
Another EUAS lunch was held at Brunstfield Golf Club at the end of March 2014. Fourteen former members turned up and the happy team were left to right:
Sandy Laing, Neil Henriksen, Bobby Burt, Hamish MacLeod, Rex Holroyd, Barrie Taylor, Allan Forsyth, Tom Wilson, Keith Dunbar, Bill Fraser (obscured)
Alastair 'Monty' Montgomery, Andrew Phillips, and Bill Goodburn. Danny Doyle was posted 'missing', but happily turned up later. There was much talk about
great adventures in squadron days and plentiful food and drink of course. A memorable time was had by all.
Chipmunk Flying - Enstone airfield - June 2014
Low cloud and rain nearly spoiled what turned out to be an amazing day when a few former members turned up to participate in some Chipmunk flying. Roger Milburn and Ken Fraser brought their own aircraft and a four aircraft formation sortie took place ending with a run-in and break. Barrie Taylor and Ian Harrison had visited earlier in the week but missed the formation flying unfortunately.
A Lunch with Eric Winkle Brown - March 2015.
On the 23rd March 2015 a group of ten EUAS members had lunch with record holding, former test pilot Captain Eric 'Winkle' Brown and his partner Jean at The Dukes Head Inn, Copthorne. Eric was presented with an EUAS squadron crest.
A visit to East of Scotland UAS - RAF Leuchars, March 2015.
Former EUAS members Jim Morris, Neil Henriksen and Keith Dunbar along with Rob Cristie who runs the Former Members Association of Aberdeen & St. Andrews UASs, visted ESUAS operations at RAF Leuchars to see what EUAS records, photographs, memorabilia might be available. We were made very welcome, given a good briefing on current UAS operations and shown the Grob Tutor aircraft by the C.O. Sqn.Ldr. 'Skids' Richardson and unearthed some of the silverware that we used to compete for in aerobatic events, but paper records and photographs were now down at RAF Northolt apparently.
Edinburgh University Air Squadron – Reunion Dinner Friday 10th July 2015 held at 603 Squadron H.Q., Learmonth Terrace, Edinburgh
Back rows:- Sandy Laing, Bill Goodburn, Dave Dummer, Robert Campbell, Hamish Macleod,
Paul Lambie, Gordon McMurray, Tom Kibble, Rex Holroyd
Middle row:- Andrew Phillips, Keith Dunbar, Jim Morris, Murray Carmichael, Sqn Ldr Jerry Riley,
Front row:- Bill Fraser, Ron Gardiner, Dave Blackburn, George Robertson, Iain Tulloch.
More pictures of the dinner gathering are available by clicking on the following link:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/3kxtbxqa25dhkla/AABIQ3YM3TMqH3GtU6VcI8BBa?dl=0