504 (County of Nottingham) Squadron of RAF Wittering has picked up two honours from the Royal Auxiliary Air Force Annual Awards.
504 Squadron is RAF Wittering’s reserve logistics unit. The Squadron recruits and trains military chefs, drivers and logisticians who go on to work with their Regular counterparts on exercises and operations at home and abroad.
Image By: SAC Matty Smith
The Royal Auxiliary Air Force Annual Awards have six categories which recognise squadrons and individuals for their outstanding work during the year. For a single squadron to be recognised twice in the same year is a rare and significant achievement.
Group Captain Gavin Hellard is the Inspector of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force and is sponsor of The Inspector’s Cup, which was awarded to 504 Squadron in recognition of their catering support to the RAF Scampton Air Show.
Image By: SAC Matty Smith
RAF Reserve Chefs are very well trained and can find themselves cooking at official functions in the Officers’ Mess one day, to feeding hundreds of troops from a tented kitchen the next. https://www.raf.mod.uk/recruitment/roles/roles-finder/logistics/chef
Squadron Leader Andy Ham said: “We had full time and part time reserve chefs supporting the Scampton Air Show. It was extremely busy and a challenge because it was the first time that air show had been organised. It went very well and our chefs produced some top notch food.”
Officer Commanding Catering Section at 504 Squadron won the Inspector’s Shield. The shield is awarded to the senior non-commissioned officer, serving as a part-time volunteer reservist, who has done the most to ensure the success of their unit.
Warrant Officer Sweeney Jarvis is the senior chef at 504 Squadron and his contribution to the Squadron and the Catering Trade has been exceptional. In addition to developing the chef trade across the RAF Reserves, Warrant Officer Jarvis led the RAF Reserves team to a gold medal in the inter-Services catering competition and also ran the team at the RAF Scampton Air Show.
Image By: SAC Matty Smith
Squadron Leader Ham said: “Mr Jarvis is one of the most respected members of 504 Squadron and rightly so. All our chefs go through the formal training at Worthy Down, but Warrant Officer Jarvis and his team of instructors take them to the next level of skill. He absolutely deserves this award.”
The awards were presented in the Pegasus Room in the Force Headquarters at RAF Wittering on Sunday afternoon. The weather was poor but it did nothing to dampen spirits as 504 Squadron gathered to collect their awards.
Group Captain Tony Keeling is the Station Commander at RAF Wittering. He said: “504 Squadron’s awards tell us that our Reservists and their instructors are trained to the highest standard and can integrate seamlessly with their Regular colleagues. Warrant Officer Jarvis and 504 Squadron are a credit to the Royal Auxiliary Air Force and I am very proud that they are part of this Station.”
