In front of thousands of holidaymakers and day trippers, almost two hundred Air Cadets from across Lincolnshire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire marched through the North Lincolnshire resort of Cleethorpes to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Royal Air Force.
Proceeding from the Town’s Railway Station, the parade consisted of the Band of the Royal Air Force College, Cranwell followed by the Pipes and Drums of Royal Air Force Waddington and the RAF Veterans who undoubtedly gained the biggest round of applause as they passed.
wing the excellent Air Cadet band of Trent Wing. Smartly turned out and proving a credit, not only to the Air Cadets but also to their parent service, the Royal Air Force, the cadets and supporting uniformed staff proudly marched in the gruelling heat led by Wing Commander Tony Wright, Officer Commanding Trent Wing.
Respects were paid by the Parade at the Town Hall where Air Vice Marshall John Cliffe, Air Commodore Neil Gammon and Commander Nick Chatwin took the salute.
Deputy Lieutenant Alex Baxter was the Queens Representative.
The parade, organised by the North Lincolnshire Council, came the day after the Town’s Armed Forces Day and was followed by a flying display involving military and civilian aircraft. The task of getting all the cadets and staff together in the right place at the right time befell Squadron Leader Terrance Shird RAFAC who is to be congratulated on a “job well done”.
The flying display was professionally directed by Charles Skiera, who, when not performing as a Flying Display Director around the country, is a uniformed volunteer with the RAFAC in Trent Wing.