The Royal Air Force Club was honoured to welcome His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester on 6 October 2024 to unveil a stained glass window commemorating the centenary of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF).

The Royal Air Force Club's stained glass window commemorating the centenary of the formation of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force was unveiled by His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester on Sunday 6 October 2024 - three days before the official centenary. As Air Commodore-in-Chief of the RAuxAF and President of the British Society of Master Glass Painters, His Royal Highness’ presence at the unveiling added profound significance to the occasion.

His Royal Highness arrived at the RAF Club to be warmly received by Air Marshal Sir David Walker KCVO OBE, President of the RAF Club, who introduced several distinguished guests, including Air Vice-Marshal The Hon. David Murray CVO OBE, Chair of the RAF Club, and Group Captain Jim Beldon MBE, Chair of the RAF Club Arts and Heritage Committee. Proceeding through the Club, His Royal Highness was given a description of the RAF 90th Anniversary stained glass window by Sir David Walker, and as they moved to the Noor Inayat Khan GC Room, Group Captain Jim Beldon described the RAF Centenary Women in the Service of the Royal Air Force stained glass window and the portraits of Noor Inayat Khan GC and Daphne Pearson GC.

Attendees gathered in the 601 Squadron Room for speeches and the unveiling of the magnificent RAuxAF centenary stained glass window by HRH The Duke of Gloucester. Following the unveiling, His Royal Highness met with various groups, including RAuxAF Foundation Trustees, supporters, and relatives of RAuxAF personnel who lost their lives on duty. The event concluded with a luncheon attended by His Royal Highness and other distinguished guests.

The window, sponsored by the Beaverbrook Foundation, was designed by Air Specialist Class 1 (AS1) Chad Kenney, a serving Royal Air Force aviator. Originally intended to represent simply the RAuxAF's crest, it occurred to the Chair of the Club's Arts and Heritage Committee that there was an opportunity to expand the artistic scope of the project whilst providing a vehicle to promote up-and-coming stained glass artists.

Consequently, a partnership was formed between the Royal Air Force Club and the British Society of Master Glass Painters (BSMGP) to launch a competition in which emerging artists were encouraged to compete. Five artists, supported by more experienced BSMGP mentors, were shortlisted, and their anonymised designs considered in April by a judging panel comprising members of the BSMGP, the Royal Air Force Club Arts and Heritage Committee, and the Commandant General of the RAuxAF. Each submitted design would have been a worthy winner, presenting the judging panel with a very difficult final choice. In the end, a AS 1 Kenney’s design was declared the winner.  Supported by his mentor, Deborah Lowe, who was also present at the unveiling, AS1 Kenney's design has been transformed into a masterpiece in glass, which not only encapsulates perfectly the history, esprit de corps, and - as originally intended - the heraldic badge of the RAuxAF, but also adds yet another outstanding piece of stained glass artwork to the Royal Air Force Club's collection, which is becoming one of increasing national importance.

The Royal Air Force Club is proud to honour the RAuxAF as we look forward to sharing this artwork with our Members, many of which past and present are Reservists themselves. The stained glass window unveiling was a fitting tribute to the RAuxAF's centenary, celebrating its rich history and contributions to the Royal Air Force.

The Chair of the Club’s Arts and Heritage Committee, Group Captain Jim Beldon, remarked: ‘This project, which started more than a year ago, flourished from a simple brief to commission a stained glass image of the RAuxAF crest into a competition that fostered the very best young stained glass talent in the country. That the competition was won by AS1 Chad Kenney demonstrates the incredible skills that lie behind the surface of our talented Royal Air Force aviators. We are indebted to the British Society of Master Glass Painters for their dedicated collaboration in the project, and in particular to Deb Lowe who mentored Chad. Given that His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester is both the Air Commodore-in-Chief of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force and President of the BSGMP, His gracious unveiling of the window made for the perfect occasion that will long be remembered by the Club.’