IN LAST week’s Standard you published an account of the opening of the village fete in Ampney Crucis with a picture of me on my 100th birthday blowing out three candles.

Later in the day there were tea and cakes at my house ending with fly-pasts by, first a Hercules C130J flown by a crew from 206 squadron which I commanded a long time ago. It is now in reserve. Secondly a Hurricane and a Spitfire of a type that I flew in 54 Squadron in WW2.

I had no hand in the arrangements nor did I know of them until late, but there was time to peg out a Union Jack, a Royal Air Force Standard and a wing commander’s pennant on the lawn. The sound of Merlin engines at low height was a joy to a great many villagers and visitors from afar.

Many people must have done much work to make the celebrations the success they were and purpose in writing to you is to offer my grateful tanks to them.

Thank you one and all.

WING COMMANDER JOHN BERESFORD

Ampney Crucis