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126ROYAL AUXILIARY AIR FORCE NATIONAL MEMORIALIn October 2004 the Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF) willcommemorate the 80th anniversary of its formation. As part of thecelebrations, a memorial, to be dedicated to all past and present auxiliarypersonnel, is to be commissioned at the National Memorial Arboretum atAlrewas, Staffs.The Auxiliary Air Force (AAF), as it was originally known,contributed twenty squadrons to the air force of the inter-war years.Fourteen of them subsequently fought in the Battle of Britain and alltwenty went on to play a full part in WW II, operating in a wide varietyof roles at home and abroad until 1945. The AAF was re-formed in 1946and given its %u2018Royal%u2019 prefix a year later. During the early post-war erathe RAuxAF comprised more than twenty flying squadrons andnumerous other units until its virtual disbandment in 1957. It has beenrevived in recent years and its personnel have seen a great deal ofcampaign service, most notably in the Gulf in 1991, subsequently inKosovo and currently in Iraq.Apart from its flying squadrons, including air observation post units, atone time or another the RAuxAF has fielded balloon squadrons, fightercontrol, radar reporting and maritime headquarters units and Regimentsquadrons, as well as the units which make up the present dayorganisation, 133 contingents in all. It is hoped that many of the currentunits and their associations, and those of elements which have beendisbanded, will wish to contribute towards the memorial, or indeed, berepresented at its dedication in September 2004.The secretary of the Memorial Fund Committee would like to hearfrom all such association secretaries or from interested individuals whoshould contact:Sqn Ldr F A Freeman RAuxAF (Retd), Cheyne Cottage, Tynron,Thornhill, DG3 4LA. Tel 01848 200150; email tnyfreem@aol.com