RAF Halton celebrates with a freedom parade
Aylesbury turned out in force to thank RAF Halton as the Station celebrated the Freedom Of Aylesbury with a parade through the town. With their bayonets fixed, Queen’s Colour flying, and the Central Band of the Royal Air Force playing, around 70 personnel marched past a large crowd as a Dakota from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight flew gracefully overhead making three passes to the obvious joy of the crowd.
The right to march through the town was granted in October 2010 in recognition of the Station’s service to its local community during times of war and peace.
Aylesbury’s new Town Mayor, Councillor Tuffail Hussain, welcomed Halton’s Station Commander and personnel on behalf of the Town Council, and people of Aylesbury, saying: “Please accept this gift as a token of our friendship and appreciation to you, and all the men and women of RAF Halton, for the work you do and the responsibilities you have in the service of our Queen and country.”
Addressing the crowd, Station Commander, Group Captain Simon Harper, said: “It is a huge privilege to stand before you and to recognise the unique relationship between us and the town of
He continued: “RAF Halton has a long and distinguished history and this year we will commemorate our role, 100 years on, when so many men were trained at Halton for the battlefields of the Western Front. Today we train thousands of Royal Air Force personnel as well as those from the Royal Navy and the Army for their role in Defence. Wherever it may be; deployed in the dust of Southern Afghanistan, operating in the heat of the Middle east or defending the skies above the