Welcome to all of our readers, both established and new.  On behalf of the Trustees, I would like to wish you all the best for the coming year of 2026.  First and foremost, please bear in mind that our ANZAC ceremony this year will be held on... 

26th APRIL at 1.pm 

STONEFALL COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES CEMETERY, HARROGATE

 

Richard and I have been in New Zealand since the end of November and, at the point of posting this NEWS PAGE, are still here, visiting family.  Whilst in Wellington, we have carried out official duties on behalf of the charity with the Royal New Zealand Air Force and Wellington City Council. Presenting a jam-packed NEWS PAGE, and in order to offer an easier read, I have given a brief introduction to each event and then attached a PDF for the full story. I hope you enjoy the read and, as always, we would love to hear from you via our official email address. 

  

 

 

FUNDRAISING

We are continuing with our 2025/26 A.R.C.I.O. FUNDRAISING APPEAL in order that the ceremony and reception for attending dignitaries and invitees may continue to be funded each year and maintain this ceremony.  A huge thank you goes to individuals who have already contributed this year.  

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​​Donations can be accepted from any country and most credit and banks cards are accepted.

Thank you in advance for helping to maintain the memory of 23 New Zealand and 97 Australian aviators. Please clock on the DONATE link here... 

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​​80TH ANNIVERSARY

Although it feels like a while ago now, we were invited to attend the 80th Anniversary military celebrations of the return of the remainder of French 346 Guyenne and 347 Tunisie squadrons from their WWII base at RAF Elvington to Merignac airport in Bordeaux. Whilst at the ceremony, we were delighted to meet Air Vice Marshall Jason Appleton and renew the acquaintance of Commodore Emmanuel Emond of the French Air Force who attended the ANZAC ceremony in 2025.  See the full story below on the PDF...

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​​ANZAC CROSSES​

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​​​​​As we work towards expanding THE PURPOSE of the charity, we have, as you will have read on our previous NEWS PAGE, that we are aiming to lay crosses on graves around the UK where there are a small number of Kiwi or Australian aviators from WWII. Richard has undertaken this task and has already been in touch with several individuals who are kindly helping with this venture.

​​​​ ​Ipswich Old Cemetery - Suffolk                               Carew Cheriton Cemetery -Pembrokeshire

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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​                               YORKSHIRE AIR MUSEUM 

 

​​We continue to promote the YORKSHIRE AIR MUSEUM at Elvington on the outskirts of York.  Below are planned events for the beginning of the year. Please refer to their website for full details regarding events and purchase of tickets.  You will have a wonderful day... it's amazing. Whilst at the Omaka Museum in Blenheim in New Zealand's South Island, we saw a picture of the Halifax - Friday 13th.  The actual aircraft is at the Yorkshire Air Museum.  

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https://yorkshireairmuseum.org/plan-your-visit/events​

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Jan 31st - 1st February - YORK RESIDENTS FESTIVAL 

April 12th - OPEN COCKPIT DAY

May 9th - 10th - WE'LL MEET AGAIN

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OMAKA AVIATION HERITAGE CENTRE

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Staying in Nelson with family, Richard and I took the opportunity of driving for a couple of hours to Blenheim on the east coast to visit the Omaka Centre.  Featuring both World War I and World War II exhibitions, the centre was founded by New Zealand Film Director, Sir Peter Jackson.  This is a great place to visit if you find yourself in New Zealand's South Island.  Full story in the PDF...

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MEETING WITH THE R.N.Z.A.F.​

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It’s been almost two years since I last met with the RNZAF at Defence HQ in central Wellington.  Despite that gap in time, our contact is constantly maintained.  I cannot thank them enough for the support we receive for our efforts in ensuring that the ANZAC ceremony at Stonefall continues.

During our last visit in late January 2024, we met with Air Commodore Daniel Hunt who at the time was Deputy Chief of Air Force.  Since that time, we have established A.R.C.I.O. charity and a change of personnel has taken place in Wellington.  Although we were unable to meet the incoming D.C.A.F. Pete Gibson who, until recently, was Base Commander of Ohakea Air Base, we were delighted to be welcomed by Chief Engineer and Acting D.C.A.F. Mike Going.

Also at our meeting and someone who has been the main support and liaison

for our connection to the RNZAF in Wellington, was Geoff Davies who is the

Senior Media Advisor for the Royal New Zealand Defence Force. 

During our meeting, we discussed the success of last year’s ceremony

and the increased attendance of the general public. New dignitaries to

attend in 2024 were the Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, the Chief

Constable of North Yorkshire and the Mayor of Withernsea. Richard

explained that the charity were now undertaking a mission to lay small

ANZAC crosses on the graves of NZ aviators spread across the UK. 

This, he explained, is being done with the help of members of RAFA, and the RBL.

Of course both Mike and Geoff were delighted to hear that we are now in contact with relatives of four of THE TWENTY THREE in Stonefall . We talked about our past and upcoming meetings whilst in New Zealand with family members and that there were also a few graves to visit, including parents of ALFRED LOCKYER who are buried in Karori Cemetery, Wellington. Ironically, the parents of GEORGE BELL are in Marsden Cemetery, Nelson. My daughter’s house actually looks over the cemetery!!

Enquiring how publication of the book was coming along… I asked them to cross all fingers at the moment, which they promised to do. 

Before leaving, I was absolutely over-the-moon to be presented with a ‘real’ flag for our ANZAC ceremony.  I say that because since the ceremony began in 2022, we have ‘survived’ on a £5 flag purchased through Amazon.  I have been after one for quite a while and persistence paid off.  We now have an official New Zealand Defence Force flag for the cadets to parade with pride on the 26th April this year. 

 THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE ROYAL NEW ZEALAND AIR FORCE

FOR YOUR SUPPORT

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MEETING WITH WELLINGTON CITY COUNCIL​

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​Each year when I visit New Zealand, I visit Wellington City Council,

both as the Representative for the Sister-City relationship between

Harrogate and Wellington and as Chair of ANZAC REMEMBRANCE. 

This year I present a gift from Mayor Chris Aldred of Harrogate.

Please refer to the PDF for the full story... ​

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   THANK YOU WELLINGTON CITY COUNCIL

   FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF A.R.C.I.O.​​​​

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AUCKLAND GRAMMAR SCHOOL VISIT

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​One of the TWENTY THREE Kiwi aviators buried in

Stonefall was Wireless Operator and Air Gunner

Frederick Watson Ritchie who attended Auckland

Grammar School.  Knowing that I was visiting New

Zealand and would be in Auckland, we were invited

by School Historian and Archivist Peter Stanes to visit

the school that 'Fred' attended and to see how the school

remembers their 'old boys' on ANZAC DAY.  Peter has

written two books that feature hundreds of their 'old boys'

lost in both World Wars.  Full story on the PDF.

 

 

 

 

 MEETING WITH FAMILY DESCENDANTS OF

THE TWENTY THREE

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