Credit: Ali Sahib, Chronicle.lu

On Saturday 25 October 2025, the Royal Air Forces Veterans and Friends (RAF V&F) Luxembourg asbl hosted a two-part commemoration in honour of Commonwealth airmen and to raise funds for charitable causes.

The day began with a commemorative ceremony at the cemetery in Luxembourg-Hollerich, which contains nine RAF war graves (six UK and three Canadian servicemen). The solemn event aimed to fulfil the organisation’s aims of “commemoration, comradeship and to support charitable endeavours”. It opened with a dedication to the RAF, followed by wreath-laying and verses of remembrance.

Among the wreath-layers were Lt Col Rich Harris (Canadian wreath), Commandant Carole Renard (French wreath), Group Captain Ian Hough (RAF wreath), Malcolm Mason MBE (veterans’ wreath) and Squadron Leader Ellie Hoogewerf, who laid the final wreath on the remaining two French graves. The Parade Marshall was Tim Dutton. Alderman Paul Galles represented the City of Luxembourg (VdL).

The ceremony was supported by a Luxembourg Honour Guard led by 1er Sgt Gil Minicucci, with Adj. Ch. Raoul Christophe as Bugler and Sgt Flavio Pierotti as Drummer. The service concluded with the “Last Post”, a moment of silence and “Reveille”.

In the evening, the commemoration continued with a fundraising "Wings" ball, held at Novotel hotel in Luxembourg-Kirchberg. The black tie / uniform event featured a welcome apéritif, dinner, live music and a charity raffle (tombola). The raffle raised €1,740 and the sale of a limited-edition print raised a further €350, bringing the total to over €2,000. Half of the proceeds will be donated to the RAF Benevolent Fund, with the other half going to a Luxembourg-based charity (to be confirmed).

This year’s activities build on the legacy of those organised by the former Luxembourg branch of the Royal Air Forces Association (RAFA), including the popular annual “Wings Ball”. Following the disbandment of the RAFA Luxembourg branch due in part to administrative / legislative changes, former RAF members Brian Darke, Charlie Eliot and Phil Taylor, among others, established the new Royal Air Forces Veterans and Friends Luxembourg as an independent non-profit organisation (asbl). This new structure allows the group to operate with a bank account and, no longer under the RAFA banner, the freedom to support both UK and Luxembourg charities through its fundraising efforts.