Everyone is invited to attend the 63rd Annual Royal Air Force (RAF) Memorial Service at the Mesa Cemetery on Sunday,November 8, 2009. The cemetery is located at 1212 North Center Street, Mesa, AZ 85201. The service honors the 23 RAF cadets who died while training at Mesa Falcon field as well as the 1500 cadets who trained there and went on to serve in the battle theatre. It is expected that several dozen surviving RAF cadets who trained at Falcon Field (who now average 89 years old) will be returning to Mesa long with many family members to join up with many of their RAF cadet fellow pilots who settled in Arizona after the war. The service includes wonderful examples of traditional Scottish Pipe bands and culminates with a tree-top fly over by WWII vintage fighter aircraft loaned to the event by a collector in Palm Springs.
The service this year makes the final year that it is organized by the Daughters of the British Empire and the Falcon Field Association. Most of their members are getting up in age and no longer consider themselves capable of providing the attention and support the service requires. After an arduous search a replacement organizer was secured who has agreed to carry on the service in identical fashion in perpetuity. We are fortunate and pleased to announce that the Commemorative Air Force (located at Mesa Falcon Field) will take over the role as steward and organizer of the Annual RAF Memorial Service at Falcon Field.
