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THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL ARBORETUM
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The plaque which dedicates the tree.
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Planted in tribute to
all who served at
RAF HABBANIYA
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The Association has sponsored an RAF HABBANIYA tree at the National Memorial Arboretum.
The tree is a birch tree and is situated in the RAF grove. The Arboretum is located between Lichfield and Burton on Trent in Staffordshire, England. It opened in May 2001 and will take many years to mature. The trees are now growing well and no longer just the saplings shown above. The Arboretum is well worth a visit. For further details please click on the link below to the Arboretum web site.
The Association has also dedicated a tree to all who served, suffered or died at
RAF Shaibah & RAF Basrah.
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Christopher Morris, Honorary Secretary
of the Association, with grandson Oliver. |
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A joint dedication ceremony for the trees of RAF Stations BASRAH, HABBANIYA,
MAURIPUR & SHAIBAH together with 244 SQUADRON & Kindred Spirits Association was held in May 2002. A video of the occasion will be available on sale soon.
In October 2003 trees were dedicated to No 1 & No 2 Companies RAF
Armoured Cars in a moving ceremony conducted in perfect weather and attended by
many of the surviving members of the Armoured Cars who served in Palestine, the Western Desert and Iraq. A tree has subsequently been dedicated to the memory of Sqn Ldr Casano MC, of the Armoured Cars. Association member Rev Frank Finch officiated. A plaque to his tree will be dedicated in May 2015, led by the RAF Regiment. |
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Some of those who died post WW2 are
remembered on the Armed Forces Memorial. Details can be found via the Arboretum website. |
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The RAF Habbaniya tree is growing well,
pictured in 2012, 10 years after dedication. It has beautiful paper bark. The other Association trees are also growing into fine trees. It is now supporting Christopher after his hip replacement! The trees have grown even more in the past 3 years. |