Queen's Colours to be Presented to RAF at Air Tattoo
It was confirmed on the 12th May that the presentation of the Queen's new Colours is set to be made both to the RAF and to the RAF Regiment during a special ceremony to be held in July.
The ceremony is actually taking place during the run-up to the Royal International Air Tattoo (abbreviated to 'RIAT') - the world's largest military airshow - and forms part of a number of events marking the RAF's 90th Anniversary.
The Air Tattoo occupies the weekend of July 12th-13th, but this ceremony will be a private event on the Friday preceding, with about 5,000 guests having been invited.
Royal Salute
A Royal Salute will herald the event's opening, together with a flypast carried out by four RAF Typhoon combat jets.
The presentation of the Queen's Colours only happens every decade-and-a-half. It last took place in 1993, during an event that marked the RAF's 75th Anniversary at RAF Marham in Norfolk.
The Colours themselves will be accompanied by 63 Squadron of the RAF Regiment, known as the Queen's Colour Squadron, together with additional RAF Regiment squadrons.
RAF Squadron Standard Parade
During the ceremony, nearly every RAF Squadron Standard will be paraded, while it will conclude with a large-scale flypast featuring aircraft spanning the RAF's illustrious history.
RAF Project Officer for this event, Group Captain Tony Barmby, spoke of the ceremony's significance, and of his personal feelings on it.
"For most RAF personnel, involvement in such a parade is a once-in-a-career experience", he said.
"It would be easy to let the ceremonial aspects of the day eclipse the direct and hugely important link to current operations. As the historical rallying point in battle, the Queen's Colours represent that link.
"I'm very proud to have the chance to play a part", he concluded.
RAF London Flypast
The RAF was formed on April 1st, 1918. Exactly 90 years after this, a special flypast took place over London featuring the RAF Red Arrows and four Typhoons.
Source - Armed Forces International's Aviation Expert
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