Welcome To

Dear Lord and Father of mankind
Forgive  our foolish ways.
Re clothe us in our rightful mind;
In purer lives thy service find
In deeper reverence, praise.

It was gratifying to know that  we were there, not for purposes of death, destruction or
oppression, but for life saving and support.  The happy  irony of the operation was that
those who, a year or two earlier had been bombing Berlin, were now delivering vital
life-saving food, fuel and other essential supplies.


 

briefly at Wunstorf  but mainly at

Lubeck during the Airlift (although I prefer the German   

word, Luftbrucke - Air Bridge)

On being posted to Germany  the words of a Grammar School teacher came back to me with some force,
she had said that we boys should be most earnest about learning German because one day we might well be
part of an occupying force.  Prophetic indeed.

Prior to service in the R.A.F. I had , as it were, grown up in a village Presbyterian chapel, nurtured by the magnificent
influence or the minister and elders which stood me in good stead during my service in the R.A.F..  On leaving the
service the only  way ahead for me was to be trained and subsequently ordained into the ministry of the church,
serving mainly in the North East.


Soon after retiring in 1993 I became aware of the British Berlin Airlift Association and consequently joined the
association, happily meeting  up with one whom I had served in Lubeck, after 50 years, and also enjoying the
Fellowship of the others at our annual reunions  and on tours in Germany.


It is a satisfying experience being in the association, especially  since succeeding to the office of Chaplain.  Before
and since becoming Chaplin it has been a privilege and honour to officiate at wreath-laying ceremonies in England
and in Germany, especially at Fassberg In 2004 when I was invited to join two German pastors  - one Lutheran
and one Roman Catholic - in a united act of worship.