A Freeman with the Company and a Cadet Forces Adult Volunteer with the Royal Air Force Air Cadets, Dan Holden shares his reflections ahead of Remembrance Day 2024.
For me, Remembrance Sunday is not just about looking back at the past; it’s about acknowledging the importance of our present and our future. The lessons we can learn from history are crucial in helping future generations in society shape their future. As a volunteer with the Air Cadets for over 14 years, Remembrance Day is an important moment each year, helping young people understand the value of freedom and the sacrifices made to preserve it.
I want to share a local perspective of remembrance with you and invite you to join me in the Cotswolds, England.
RAF Little Rissington is the former home to the RAF Red Arrows and the Central Flying School, which opened in 1938. Occupied by the United States Air Force in the 80s and 90s, it returned to the RAF before becoming the home of 621 and 637 Volunteer Gliding Squadrons, providing gliding opportunities to Air Cadets across the UK.
About five minutes down the road is St. Peter’s Church in the small village of Little Rissington. The church built close connections with the airfield, with a dedication to those personnel who lost their lives serving from RAF Little Rissington between 1937 and 1976 through a memorial window. It features crests of the Central Flying School, the Red Arrows, and the Royal Air Force Association, along with the keys of St Peter’s and a dove of peace.