HIGH FLYER
Photographer Anna’s role in virtual event is praised
AWOMAN from Gloucester was a member of a team recognised in the New Year honours list for outstanding work during the pandemic.
Anna Lythgoe joined the RAF Reserves in 2017 with many years’ experience of working as a press photographer in the Gloucestershire area.
She works in her spare time as a photographer and videographer for the RAF.
The Royal International Air Tattoo is held annually over the third weekend in July at RAF Fairford, but the 2020 and 2021 editions have both been cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
RAF media specialists set to work in the spring of 2020 to recreate the Air Tattoo experience for an online audience. So the Virtual Air Tattoo project was born.
The Dcom Ops Team Commendation in the New Year honours list was for the project team.
Anna said: “We were tasked in midmay with creating videos from new and existing footage that reflected the aircraft and attractions and events normally on display at RIAT. A big feature of the Air Tattoo traditionally is the push from RAF Recruitment to give visitors an idea of the kinds of career on offer with the RAF.”
One of the videos Anna produced was on her life as a reservist mobilised as part of the military support during the coronavirus pandemic. Her job while mobilised was to support media coverage of military aid in the pandemic.
As well as her piece on serving during the pandemic, the team created videos on different themes, such as science and technology in the RAF, clubs and associations in the RAF and, of course, others about the real stars of RIAT – the aircraft.
“I created pieces on the RAF’S newest heavy transport aircraft, the A400M Atlas, and one about the Puma helicopter,” said Anna. “I also worked on a video about the Wedgetail, the RAF’S future airborne early warning aircraft, where I interviewed the wing commander leading that project.”
All were short, punchy one-minute videos, tailored for social media, and part of Anna’s job was to edit them to make sure they were compelling.
Anna’s pieces were among the 100 new videos produced to enable the virtual event to take place. The team’s commendation recognised how each team member “delivered far more than would normally be expected in their primary roles and attacked the gargantuan task with energy and good humour.”
The project is just one of the many challenges Anna has taken on since becoming a reservist. After joining the RAF Reserves, she completed her basic training at RAF Halton in Buckinghamshire. There, alongside RAF reservists of all trades, she learned how to handle a weapon, deal with chemical attacks and give first aid. Since then, she has taken on a range of work, including being deployed on exercises overseas. She says one of the highlights of her RAF service was a visit to Scandinavia in 2019.
“I was deployed on an exercise called Arctic Express in Sweden in 2019 and it was really enjoyable,” she said.
It involved Nato air forces, including the RAF working with the Swedish and Finnish air forces. The deployment had some memorable experiences for Anna, such as taking pictures out of the open rear door of a Hercules transport aircraft as it flew low over the forests of central Sweden.
Anna added: “I saw the land shooting past as I took my pictures. Pretty exciting, really.”
Anna serves with Number 614 (County of Glamorgan) Squadron, based in Cardiff. Recruiting from South Wales and the West, the unit has nearly 100 members, who perform a range of roles for the RAF, including driver, intelligence analyst and RAF Police.
Wing Commander Phil Sagar, Officer Commanding of 614 Squadron, said: “I’m very pleased that Anna’s work’s been recognised in this way – it really is thoroughly deserved. She’s a great professional and a valuable asset to our media flight and the wider Media Reserves.”
Wing Commander Howard Leader, Officer Commanding of RAF Media Reserves, he said: “I’m absolutely thrilled that Anna and all the members of the Virtual Air Tattoo team have had their efforts recognised in this way. They all rose to this massive challenge and have my hearty congratulations for a job so well done.”
Honorary Air Commodore of the RAF Media Reserves, Simon Wren, said: “This is a remarkable achievement for a remarkable team and a great testament to the professionalism of RAF Media Reserves as a whole.”