Spitfire flypast to mark closure of RAF Uxbridge

OVER 95 years of military history will come to a poignant end this afternoon when a Spitfire flypast will mark the official closure of RAF Uxbridge.

As the headquarters of the No 11 RAF group, the base has oft been described as the place where the Battle of Britain was won.

MPs and councillors alike have described the closure of the famous base and barracks which opened to the military in 1915 as the 'end of an era'.

Up until today, the site has been the Headquarters of the Music Services, and No 63 Squadron of the RAF Regiment, better known as the Queens Colour Squadron.

The troops will march in to their new state of the art base at RAF Northolt at 2pm tomorrow.

At 4.25pm today a ceremony will commence, including a flypast of aircraft from 32 (The Royal) Squadron and an ensign lowering ceremony at 4.55pm including a flypast of a Spitfire.

The RAF Uxbridge site is currently the subject of a planning application which would see thousands of homes, a school, a theatre, shops and a public park built on site.

Uxbridge and South Ruislip MP John Randall (Con) said: "I do think it is a sad day because of the close relationship Uxbridge has had with the RAF for nearly a century.

"It's been part of my life from when I was a schoolboy in Hillingdon running through on cross country and it has also played a vital part in the local economy.

"I feel very proud of the history and am delighted that the history and heritage side will be preserved and the troops are not moving far away to RAF Northolt.

"It opens a new chapter in that site which is going to be a very important part of the Uxbridge landscape for the next century."

Last August troops from the No 63 Squadron paraded through the streets on their return to RAF Uxbridge from Afghanistan, in front of crowds of more than 20,000.

Councillor and deputy mayor of Hillingdon David Yarrow said: "We come into regular contact with officers at RAF Uxbridge and it will be sad to see them go.

"Hillingdon has always had a military connection and we will have to work hard to see that continue."