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The 17th October 2021 marked the 50th Anniversary of the disbandment of the Far East Air Force, the RAF’s organisation that commanded Stations and Squadrons in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong from 1949 to 1971. 

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50th Anniversary of the Disbandment of the RAF Far East Air Force

The 17th October 2021 marked the 50th Anniversary of the disbandment of the Far East Air Force, the RAF’s organisation that commanded Stations and Squadrons in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong from 1949 to 1971. 

RAF Boulmer’s own 20 Squadron served in the Far East Air Force during the 1960s, and the Officer Commanding, Wing Commander Foy, joined the RAF Battlespace Management Force Commander, Air Commodore Cowieson, and the Malaysian Defence Attaché in the United Kingdom, Brigadier General Safwan, at the commemoration which was held at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.

20 Sqn re-equipped with the Hawker Hunter FGA9 during the latter half of 1960 and flew their aircraft from the UK to Singapore in several legs. At RAF Tengah, they established themselves quickly, becoming familiar with both the Hunter and the region. They conducted regular detachments to RAF Butterworth in Malaysia, RAF Kai Tak and RAF Sek Kong in Hong Kong and, in the early 1960s, to Chiang Mai in Thailand as part of the UK’s South East Asia Treaty Organisation (SEATO) obligations. During the confrontation with Indonesia from 1963-1966, 20 Squadron’s Hunters were forward deployed to Labuan and Kuching in Borneo, providing continuous reconnaissance and ground support to British and Commonwealth ground troops, and air defence against air incursions. As relations between the newly independent state of Malaysia and Indonesian settled down, 20 Squadron continued to provide air support to UK interests in the Far East. In the run up to the UK’s military withdrawal from ‘East of Suez’, 20 Squadron was disbanded at RAF Tengah on 18 Feb 1970.

At the commemoration, Wg Cdr Foy met several former members of 20 Squadron. ‘Those former members of our Squadron remembered hard work as the Squadron made a significant contribution to the defence of Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Hong Kong,’ he said, ‘but they also recall excellent times with colleagues, friends and the local populations who were inherently cheerful and friendly. The current 20 Squadron is ready to contribute where we can as the RAF continues to help our friends in the region, particularly through the Five Power Defence Agreement.’

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