RAF Museum Lancaster Flying Display to Honor Veterans June 2, 2013

The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight‘s Avro Lancaster will be taking to the skies over Shropshire, UK in honour of the thousands of National Service RAF veterans. The iconic aircraft will perform for visitors and guests at the National Service (RAF) Association parade, taking place at the Royal Air Force Museum in Cosford on Sunday June 2nd.

Starting at 11:00AM, this event is expected to see hundreds of ex National Service men and women participate in a parade, led by the Central Band of the Royal Air Force. Following an extremely short 100 meter march, the parade participants will form up next to the Museum’s Hangar 1 where Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton will be the reviewing officer, accompanied by Group Captain Sansom, Station Commander of RAF Cosford. All veterans who served in the Armed Forces are welcome to participate.

Following the parade, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton, will be officially presenting Arctic Star medals and the Bomber Command Clasp to eligible veterans. These prestigious accolades are awarded to members of the British Armed Forces and the Merchant Navy who were involved in action in the Arctic Circle or Bomber Command during World War II. Both awards are retrospective, coming almost seventy years after the end of the war. Veterans from all three services who have been awarded either honour are invited to put their names forward in order to have their medals officially presented to them on the day by the Chief of the Air Staff.

Following the ceremony, visitors and guests will be treated to a flying display from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’s Lancaster scheduled for 1:00PM. Additionally, National Veterans Organisations and training camp associations will be represented in Hangar 1. On completion of the formal events, guests will have access to the RAF Museum site where they can catch up with old friends and view the exhibits.

The Museum gates will open at 9am on Sunday 2nd June, although the Museum itself will open at 10am. Entry to the Museum and participation in the parade is FREE.