Mar 26, 2005, 05:11 PM
Squadron ends where it began - in France
20 March 2005
The Saints went marching in to a French cathedral, as its final sortie saw
it fly full circle.
Number 16 Squadron was born at St Omer near Calais, where it won its
nickname as its bi-planes added air power to the first world war trenches.
Today it returned to the town for the "last rites" as it is disbanded, in a
squadron shake-up which sees its Jaguar jets pensioned off, and its final
base at RAF Coltishall on the final approach to closure.
Both 16 and its sister 54 squadron marched shoulder-to-shoulder earlier this
month as RAF top brass and civic dignitaries gave a final salute to their
proud history in disbandment ceremonies.
But while members of 54 laid up their standard in Norwich Cathedral, 16 took
theirs home to France.
Station community relations officer Mick Jennings said a bus full of
personnel headed to St Omer for a similar ceremony, as it was felt to be the
appropriate place, adding: "People often want to be buried where they were
born."
It marks the end of a history which also saw the squadron doing
reconnaissance in the second world war, and most recently training pilots to
convert to the Jaguar jets.
The ceremony came as politicians continued to question whether the
earlier-than-expected retirement of the Jaguar was leaving a gap in
Britain's armoury, and as local people strive to protect the local economy
against the afterburn of its closure.
The Select Committee on Defence has raised concerns of a "capability gap"
resulting from the phasing out of the Jaguar more quickly than the phasing
in of its replacement Typhoon Eurofighter.
There are also worries that the Typhoon was hatched as a fighter to deal
with a Cold War enemy that no longer exists, and cannot provide the ground
attack and reconnaissance roles of the Jaguar.
Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup has however said the RAF could manage
with lower numbers of a better aircraft which was being adapted to more
varied roles.
Mid Norfolk MP and Conservative shadow defence minister Keith Simpson said
the Select Committee report was unlikely to see any stay of execution for
Coltishall, as closure plans were too far down the road.
He said an action group looking at softening the impact of closure should
know by May if the Ministry of Defence wanted it for anything else, having
ruled out any future RAF use.
In the meantime the group had to work on the assumption it would not, and
was currently doing a detailed study into the full cost and economic impact
of closure.
Coltishall is due for closure at the end of next year, after its remaining
aircraft leave next spring, with 41 Squadron also disbanded, but 6 Squadron
kept alive as a Typhoon unit as it is the RAF's unit with the longest run of
unbroken service.
20 March 2005
The Saints went marching in to a French cathedral, as its final sortie saw
it fly full circle.
Number 16 Squadron was born at St Omer near Calais, where it won its
nickname as its bi-planes added air power to the first world war trenches.
Today it returned to the town for the "last rites" as it is disbanded, in a
squadron shake-up which sees its Jaguar jets pensioned off, and its final
base at RAF Coltishall on the final approach to closure.
Both 16 and its sister 54 squadron marched shoulder-to-shoulder earlier this
month as RAF top brass and civic dignitaries gave a final salute to their
proud history in disbandment ceremonies.
But while members of 54 laid up their standard in Norwich Cathedral, 16 took
theirs home to France.
Station community relations officer Mick Jennings said a bus full of
personnel headed to St Omer for a similar ceremony, as it was felt to be the
appropriate place, adding: "People often want to be buried where they were
born."
It marks the end of a history which also saw the squadron doing
reconnaissance in the second world war, and most recently training pilots to
convert to the Jaguar jets.
The ceremony came as politicians continued to question whether the
earlier-than-expected retirement of the Jaguar was leaving a gap in
Britain's armoury, and as local people strive to protect the local economy
against the afterburn of its closure.
The Select Committee on Defence has raised concerns of a "capability gap"
resulting from the phasing out of the Jaguar more quickly than the phasing
in of its replacement Typhoon Eurofighter.
There are also worries that the Typhoon was hatched as a fighter to deal
with a Cold War enemy that no longer exists, and cannot provide the ground
attack and reconnaissance roles of the Jaguar.
Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup has however said the RAF could manage
with lower numbers of a better aircraft which was being adapted to more
varied roles.
Mid Norfolk MP and Conservative shadow defence minister Keith Simpson said
the Select Committee report was unlikely to see any stay of execution for
Coltishall, as closure plans were too far down the road.
He said an action group looking at softening the impact of closure should
know by May if the Ministry of Defence wanted it for anything else, having
ruled out any future RAF use.
In the meantime the group had to work on the assumption it would not, and
was currently doing a detailed study into the full cost and economic impact
of closure.
Coltishall is due for closure at the end of next year, after its remaining
aircraft leave next spring, with 41 Squadron also disbanded, but 6 Squadron
kept alive as a Typhoon unit as it is the RAF's unit with the longest run of
unbroken service.