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WOD
Warrant Officer Scott Chenery shows Inspector Gavin Dorrian
the letter granting RAAF Base East Sale the right to enter
the city of Sale.
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RAAF
Base East Sale personnel march along the main street of
the city of Sale during the Freedom of Entry parade as the
Roulettes stage a flypast.
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Photo
by SGT Dave Grant
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Photo
by SGT Dave Grant
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FLYPASTS
by two HS748s during RAAF Base East Sale’s Freedom of Entry march
into Sale signalled the start of the final phase in the retirement
of the “quiet achievers” of the Air Force fleet.
RAAF Base East Sale exercised its right to enter the city of Sale
on June 18, with more than 220 personnel from all three services
who work on the base taking part.
The Freedom of Entry parade, the first in Sale since 1998, had
special significance for the 80 members of No. 32 Squadron’s
maintenance unit who will be posted out following the retirement
of the Draggies.
The Base Commander, Wing Commander Grant Murphy, led the 32SQN
Colour Party. The march included members of the School of Air
Navigation, Central Flying School, Air Traffic Control, Training
Aircraft Systems Program Office and the combined support unit
East Sale.
The HS748s were accompanied by the Roulettes display team and
a Beechcraft 350, one of the aircraft type that will replace the
Draggies.
Age
link really takes the cake
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Air
Vice-Marshal Roxley McLennan and Corporal Andrew Lienert
cut the cake at the farewell function for the HS748.
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Photo
by CPL Steve Duncan
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THEY’RE
the same age but only one of them is retiring. Corporal Andrew
Lienert, of No. 32 Squadron at RAAF Base East Sale, is 37, the
same number of years that the HS748 has been in service with the
Air Force.
While the Draggies flew their last flight on June 30, CPL Lienert
won’t be retiring just yet. He and DCAF Air Vice-Marshal Roxley
McLennan cut a cake with a ceremonial sword at a function to celebrate
the end of the service life of the HS748s.
Current and former personnel gathered to farewell the Draggies
at a formal dinner at the Officers’ Mess and a cocktail party
in 32SQN’s hangar on June 19.
About
520 people attended the cocktail party. Warrant Officer Matt
Durant said the event was a happy affair and people talked about
the good things that had happened over the years.
WOFF Durant is the only member of 32SQN to have stayed in the
same position for six years. He has seen three commanding officers and four senior engineering officers come and go.
Speakers at the cocktail party included Lieutenant Commander Rick
Sellars of the RAN, and Wing Commanders Brian Anderson, of the
School of Air Navigation, and Grant Kelly, of 32SQN.
