On 24th June 2026, Reserve Forces Day, the Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF) held its annual Service of Remembrance at the National Memorial Arboretum (NMA). The Rev’d (Sqn Ldr) Anthony Curran was the officiating Chaplain. There were over 65 attendees including serving members of the RAuxAF along with Force veterans, families and friends. Because of the extremely hot weather, the Service was held in the NMA Chapel.
During the Service, Force, organisation and Squadron (Sqn) wreaths were laid at the Altar along with nine crosses similarly laid in memory of those for whom Memorial Stones had been installed at the RAuxAF Memorial. The Chapel Service concluded with the reading of the nine biographies relating to the those individuals remembered on the Memorial Stones. They are Jacqui Ashby, Mike Morgan, Alan Parkes, Russ Turner, Dianne Smith, Bill Irving, Michael Hyett, George Fidler and William Rhodes-Moorhouse; their biographies can be accessed here.
After the Service, the wreaths and crosses were taken to the RAuxAF Memorial. Two of the wreaths were then laid at the foot of the Memorial respectively by Hon Air Cdre Lynda Atkins on behalf of the RAuxAF and Hon Air Cdre Jane Middleton on behalf of the RAuxAF Foundation. The remaining wreaths were laid by Hon Air Cdre The Duke of Hamilton representing 603 Sqn RAuxAF and by other RAuxAF Sqn representatives. The crosses were then planted at the base of the Memorial by the families, friends and organisations sponsoring the Memorial Stones.
The Chaplain concluded the Service at the Memorial by dedicating the 9 Memorial Stones for those whose biographies had been read at the Chapel and for whom the Crosses had been laid at the Chapel Altar and later planted at the Memorial.
The Order of Service can be seen here.