It’s not unusual for cadets to visit HQ Air Cadets and not unknown to have time with the Commandant. However, a recent visit by 19 year old Cadet Warrant Officer James Munday and his sister, Cadet Sergeant Anna Munday, was rather different.
Research by the cadets’ mother, Mrs Kathy Munday (Treasurer at 1094 (Ely) Sqn, ATC), had found that one of the RAF Air Cadet’s more significant trophies had been won by her great grandfather over one hundred years ago, in 1923. She said, “My grandfather, James Austin Shield and his father, Horace Scott Shield, were in the RAF. I have been searching online for family history and knowing that Horace Scott Shield won the 1923 Air League Challenge Trophy race, has led me to find out that the trophy is stored at RAF Cranwell. I have a photo passed down in the family of Horace holding the trophy with Air Vice Marshal Sir William Sefton Brancker.
On 6 August 1923, the third annual Air League Challenge Cup race was held as part of the Aerial Derby programme at Croydon Airport in London. The team relay race format of previous races was dropped; instead, the 16 competitors – all Royal Air Force pilots – competed individually, each flying a Bristol F.2B Fighter fitted with a 275-horsepower Rolls-Royce Falcon engine over a 100-mile (161-kilometer) triangular course. Captain Horace Scott Shield, representing RAF Eastchurch, won the race. One of his competitors in the race was Air-Cmdre Hugh Dowding, later to lead RAF Fighter Command in the build-up to and during the Battle of Britain.”
In 1991 The Air League presented the cup to the RAF Air Cadets on the 50th anniversary of the formation of the Air Training Corps; it was awarded to the Corps in recognition of the ATC’s “outstanding contribution to British aviation over the past 50 years”. The trophy is now presented annually to the best Volunteer Gliding Squadron.
After their conversation with Air Cdre Lewis, Kathy, her husband Steve, plus James and Anna visited College Hall Officers Mess and had lunch on the Station.
CWO James Munday said, “It was an amazing experience to go from originally having the photo of my Great-Great-Grandfather, Horace Scott Shield, winning the trophy in 1923, to now 102 years later and being able to hold the same exact trophy. Learning about the trophy's history, how it was awarded to RAFAC on the organisation’s 50th anniversary, and how it is currently awarded annually to the best performing Voluntary Gliding Squadron was very insightful. Being in the ATC and the fact I am also on the Staff at 611 VGS makes this another remarkable link among many to find. The whole visit was a huge privilege and honour, and one I am very grateful to the Commandant and those who made the visit possible.”
Sgt Anna Munday added, “The whole experience was a once in a lifetime moment. The entire journey from hearing stories about Horace when I was younger, to now being able to physically hold the trophy that he won and held over 100 years ago is simply remarkable. Being an Air Cadet, we often talk about seizing every opportunity and this will certainly be one I will never forget. It’s such a coincidence that James and I have joined the Air Training Corps and that we traced the Air League Challenge Cup to HQ RAFAC. Leading on from this, being treated as VIPs for the day and meeting the Commandant was an honour, thank you.”
Commandant Air Cadets, Air Commodore Al Lewis added,
“Hearing that the Munday family’s relative, Horace, was the first ever solo winner of the Air League trophy that we have here in our cabinet really was a lovely coincidence, so were delighted that they could accept our invite to visit RAFAC HQ at RAF Cranwell. It was really great to meet the whole family, all so supportive of RAFAC, and to chat with CWO Munday and Cadet Sergeant Munday and hear about the amazing opportunities that they have had because of our wonderful organisation. I hope they enjoyed visiting us, their time at College Hall Officers’ Mess and seeing the trophy in person. Seeing the photographs of Horace with the trophy was truly remarkable and therefore brilliant that the family also got to hold the same trophy so many years later. A super inspiring day.”