2013 Memorial Service
Sunday 10th November 2013 10:00 hrs. Rev. Phillip Read.
Guest speaker,
to be advised
All Saints’ Air Force Memorial Church
A Brief History
Bradfield Park operated as an R.A.A.F. camp from
July 1940 and on 1st November (All Saints Day) 1941 was commissioned as R.A.A.F. Station Bradfield Park. Throughout World War II it served as an Initial Training School for new recruits. It was also the depot from which most of the members
of the R.A.A.F. who was sent overseas under the Empire Air Training Scheme left for embarkation. The station was de-commissioned in 1946.
All Saints’
church began in April, 1955, in what is now the “Old Hall”. When a new church building became necessary, it was decided that the new church should be dedicated to members of the R.A.A.F. and W.A.A.A.F. who had served and died and it would be called
“All Saints’ Air Force Memorial Church”.
The foundation stone was set by Air Vice Marshal K. S. Hennock, C.B.E., D.F.C., on Saturday, 11th
May 1968 – a very wet day which caused problems for the Air Force Band which had been flown up from Melbourne to provide the music. Only those bandsmen who could fit into the Rectory garage were able to take part. The new church was dedicated on
13th October, 1968, by Archbishop Marcus Loane MA., DD. On that beautiful sunny day over 650 people were present.
Inside the church there is a Book of
Remembrance listing the names of 3,762 Air Force personnel who had enlisted in NSW and had died on active service 1939-45. The Squadron Badges affixed to the pews were presented by the various Squadron Associations, the W.A.A.A.F and Polish Air Force.
Since 1969 the Air Force Association has attended an annual commemoration service in the church. Originally the service was held on the Sunday closest to All Saints’ Day
but in recent years this has been changed to Remembrance Sunday. The ex-W.A.A.A.F. Association used to hold their special service on the Sunday after Anzac Day, but now attend the November Service, as do members of the Australian Air Force Cadets.
[ by Michael MacCabe ]