1344(Cardiff) Squadron Air Cadets

We enjoyed our 63rd annual "Dining In" evening at the Guildford Hall, Cardiff, in the presence of the Deputy Lord Mayor, Cllr Keith Hyde, and his wife Ann, the Deputy Lady Mayoress,  Wing Commander Gareth Chapman, OC no.1 Welsh Wing, Wing Commander John Boanas, former OC No.1 Welsh Wing, Sqn Ldr Ed Griffith (OC 634VGS) and his wife Lynn, and last but not least, Senior First Officer Isabella De Montet-Guerin.

Isabella, or "Izzy" as she is known,  started her cadet career at 1344 Squadron, moved to 2213 Llandaff Squadron and then on to 634 VGS (Volunteer Gliding Squadron) at RAF St Athan as a gliding instructor.  When the RAF turned down her application to be a pilot because her arm length was a quarter inch too short she joined British Airways as a pilot, and has flown the Boeing 737, 757, 767 and Jetstream aircraft before joining the London college as a Type Rating Instructor and Assessor.  She is one of the most successfulformer cadets I have known, and was surprised and delighted to be asked back to 1344 squadron as a guest of honour. 

The dinner was attended by 139 cadets and staff and was a great success, finishing with a rendition, led by Cpl Faisal Yousif and Cdt Saeed Kayhanian, of one of the many songs we sang whilst walking the Atlas Mountains in Morocco last August.  For more photos click here.