Squadron members were in for a special treat when Michael Bonham Cozens invited them to fly to France for a fun weekend at La Roche Bernard, Brittany and a fun weekend it certainly turned out to be !
Aircraft and crews assembled at Bembridge for a cross Channel briefing by Phil Moore on Thursday afternoon followed by the flight to Cherbourg. Mercifully the weather for once behaved itself. On Thursday night flying members stayed at the Hotel Fuchsia in St.Vaast La Hogue.
On Friday the Squadron took off again from Cherbourg to fly to Dinard for lunch and thence to La Baule/Escoublac the nearest airfield to La Roche Bernard where Michael and Eve Bonham Cozens have had their home for the past twelve years.
At 1800 a drinks reception followed by supper was hosted by the Aero Club de la Baule where the Squadron were joined by the car brigade, namely Dick and Mags Roberts and Ron and Jan Dobrée-Carey.
Those who flew to La Baule were :- Phil and Sue Moore, Auster G-ASZE. Roger and Carol Richardson-Bunbury, C172, G-BZZD. Michael and Charlie Ryan, Tobago, G-BOIT. Tony and Jill Ashmead, Pulsar, G-BYJL. Pat and Jackie Mountain, PA28, G-AXIR. Gregory Moor, Shadow, G-MEOW. Dennis Stanley/Bernard Maslin/Arthur Record/ David Lockspeiser, PA28, G-MALA. Philip and Ann Cardew, C182, G-BGPA (flew from Bodmin). Michael and Eve Bonham Cozens, Bonanza, G-MAPR were of course, already present.
Since La Baule is half an hour by road from La Roche Bernard those who had cars were pressed into service as heavily overloaded squadron 'tillys' but it all worked out very well. Every one slept well that night at the Hotel Le Colibri and the Auberge des Deux Magots and at the home of Michael Bonham Cozens.
Saturday. La Roche Bernard is a large attractive village on the River Vilaine with a strong nautical history. After breakfast members were able to wander round the village to see the Vieux Quartiers and the Musee de la Vilaine Marit-time before assembling at 1200 on a jetty to embark in a small fleet of bateaux electrique or outboard dinghies. With many 'fish-heading' cries of "bear off forrard" - "let go aft" - "hoist the mains'l "(dinghy) "trim the boat" or "can't you go any faster Arthur ?" the motley fleet set off for a voyage up the River Vilaine. The cloud cover allowed a few drops of rain to fall so temporarily sheltering under the main road bridge over the river, the bar was opened and the lunchtime session commenced with cans of beer flying from boat to boat.
A picnique en pleine air avec beaucoup du vin was beautifully organised and presented on the upturned hull of a boat on the river bank by Eve Bonham Cozens which was very much enjoyed.
After lunch, Michael Ryan (Senior Pilot) introduced the makings of a Squadron song, and invited members to make up their own verses on the spot, to the tune of the Eton Boating Song. Fuelled by wine and tortured mental effort this was pursued with varying degrees of ribald and libellous doggerel.
That evening at a splendid party and dinner at Michael Bonham Cozens house a more advanced rehearsal of the Squadron song with Jan Dobree-Carey on the piano, was practised with much hilarity and mirth.
Sunday. After breakfast the Squadron embarked in a convoy of cars and a taxi for the 30 minute cross country trip to La Baule airfield. Aircraft were checked and re-fuelled ready for a stream take off for the short flight to Belle Isle. Here squadron members once again showed their versatility in mastering various modes of transport in forsaking their aircraft for bicycles. It was a fifteen minute ride into the port where lunch was waiting at the Hotel de Bretagne in the restaurant panoramique overlooking the little harbour where " vous pourrez suivre l'animation et le va - et - vient des bateaux" (one of which disgorged about fifty horses led by children).
Lunch was followed by a visit a la bicyclette to the mighty Citadelle Vauban. This huge and complicated fort was constructed to protect the vulnerable island and harbour but was nevertheless captured by the Royal Navy in 1761 (only to be handed back in 1763 in exchange for Minorca which turned out to be a valuable naval base for the Royal Navy.
Back in La Roche Bernard that evening, all aircraft having safely returned to La Baule, members enjoyed a bibulous and tasty supper at the Creperie Sarrasin followed by a night cap at La Maison de Bonham Cozens.
Monday. The Squadron returned par avions et les voitures a l'Angleterre without incident, having enjoyed a really super and adventurous weekend.

Report by Ron Dobrée-Carey. Photographs by Gregory Moor and Ron Dobrée-Carey.

A note by Gregory Moor about his return trip - Shadow - C.-MEOW

The trip back was as brilliant as the trip down, but with added twists for good measure. When I left La Baule, I couldn't resist the temptation to use La Roche Bernard as my first turning point. It is as pretty from the air as on foot ! Next point was Redon before a planned track due north through the western edge of the Rennes TMA. However, when they asked the 'transponder' question, I was politely invited to vacate their area. Actually this didn't require much of a change, just a new track about 5 miles to the west and parallel.

About 20 miles short of Dinard I set heading direct to Granville - as you know this was recommended to me as a no-hassle stop for fuel. Track took me across the Bale du Mont St Michel - very picturesque! When I arrived (lovely little strip close to the sea) it was very quiet, too quiet in fact because they close on Mondays !

The most practical option was to go back to Dinard (about 25 miles), though in still air I probably would have opted for the Channel Islands. From Dinard I re-traced our outbound track to get back to Cherbourg. This was extremely instructive because the only way to file the flight plan was to use the French Computer system (there is a little room under the control tower). Actually the system is very simple to use once you have tried it - we should have something like that over here.

From Cherbourg I flew back to Bembridge where fuel was no longer available (it was just after 1800 local !). I decided that I had enough to get back to the farm strip (near Melksham) so I returned somewhat uneventfully.