Veterans Celebrate RAF’s 90th Anniversary

A Chinook helicopter delivered HM Armed Forces Veterans Badges to 25 RAF Veterans today to mark the start of celebrations for the RAF’s 90th anniversary.

The Chinook landed at RAF Hendon, home of the RAF museum, where the badges were handed to Veterans Minister Derek Twigg and Commander-in-Chief Air Command, Air Chief Marshal Sir Clive Loader for the presentation.

Veterans Minister Derek Twigg said:

“The RAF has an esteemed history and it gives me great pleasure to celebrate the 90th anniversary by honouring some of those who have served with such distinction.

“We owe a great deal to our veterans, not only for their courage and commitment in Service, but also for the contributions they continue to make through the skills they bring to their communities. This is why we established the Veterans Badge in 2004. It has proved enormously popular, with over 560,000 badges issued to date. I am sure everyone who receives their badge today will wear it with pride.”

Among the badge recipients was 45-year-old Andrew Raggett, from London. Andrew served in the RAF for 7 years from 1979, following in the footsteps of both his father and grandfather. He now works as a resource co-ordinator for the London Ambulance Service.

Andrew said:

“I am delighted to receive my Veterans Badge. I think it is a fantastic idea and a great way to show that I am proud to have served in the Armed Forces. I have good memories of my time in the RAF and the skills I learned have certainly helped later in life. I am really pleased to be part of the RAF’s anniversary, like the other Armed Forces it has a proud history and one that I am delighted to be part of.”

The RAF celebrates its 90th anniversary tomorrow (Tuesday 1 April). To mark the occasion, the Red Arrows will at one o’clock fly in formation along the Thames for the first time with 4 Typhoon aircraft. Many other events have been planned throughout 2008 to mark the anniversary.

The HM Armed Forces Veterans Badge is available to all those who have served in the Armed Forces and can be obtained from the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency.

Source: Ministry Of Defence (National)

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