Squadron celebrates with reunion

CELEBRATIONS: Pilot Officer Jo Moulder, Squadron Leader Beau Frericks (No.9 Squadron Unit Commander), Squadron Leader Charles Quirk (previous Unit Commander and now part of NZCF National Support Team) and Mr Neil Beissel, Chairperson of the Squadron's Support Committee, discussing where they are up to.

No. 9 Squadron, Air Training Corps is to celebrate its 75 years with a reunion.
Squadron Leader Beau Frericks said a small group had been planning the reunion for some time. Part of this planning has been trying to contact as many past cadets as they could to advise them of the celebration. Many had registered their interest on the Squadron's Facebook page, with others contacted personally by phone and email.
People are coming from across New Zealand and a number who are now living overseas have sent their best wishes for a successful reunion. They will follow activities via social media, and friends are sending photos.
Mr Frericks said on Saturday, September 17 the weekend will start with former cadets being able to view the Squadron's old premises in Ridgway St where the parades were held up until 1966, and then the current location, part of the Defence premises in Maria Place Extension. At 2pm there will be a parade at the Memorial Hall forecourt. Members of the public are welcome to view the parade. After the parade the Squadron and guests will have afternoon tea and view a film celebrating 75 years of No. 9 Squadron.
At night a dinner will be held and to finish the weekend the Squadron will hold the Battle of Britain Service at St Peter's Church in Gonville. Members of other organisations and the public are welcome to participate in this service.
Mr Frericks said No. 9 Squadron started in September 1941 with the first official parade on December 2 of that year. In those early days the main focus of the Squadron was to train young men to join the Royal New Zealand Air Force, with a number of the young men from the Squadron being deployed overseas.
After the war the number of cadets decreased and during the 1950s and 60s the Squadron, while still having a number of young men who joining the armed forces, became more youth focused. In 1971 the Air Training Corps moved from being part of the RNZAF and along with the Sea Cadets and the Cadet Corps (Army equivalent for cadets) formed the New Zealand Cadet Forces.
The Squadron parades every Wednesday night and currently has six staff and 73 cadets.
Beau Frericks said anyone locally who has not registered could still do this by going the No. 9's Facebook page or emailing 9sqn@cadetforces.org.nz