Beautiful sunshine accompanied a flawless parade from RAF Wittering as the historic Station exercised the Freedom of the City of Peterborough today.
Image By: Cpl Paul Robertshaw
RAF Wittering was first granted the Freedom of Peterborough in 1983 and since then the Station has paraded through the cathedral city every two to three years to recognise the trust and support given by its citizens.
Image By: Cpl Paul Robertshaw
Freedom of the City is an ancient sign of trust given by towns and cities to nearby military organisations allowing them to march through with drums beating, flags flying and bayonets fixed. It is also an expression of pride for both the City of Peterborough and RAF Wittering.
Image By: Cpl Paul Robertshaw
The parade met with perfect weather conditions and spectators were treated to a display of faultless precision drill as Cathedral Square became a sea of RAF blue punctuated with polished silver bayonets and gleaming black toecaps.
Image By: Cpl Paul Robertshaw
Military music, so much a part of the parade, was provided by the Band of the Royal Air Force College who struck up with a series of familiarly rousing tunes. Scores of Peterborough’s citizens lined historic Cathedral Square to enjoy the display and take in the sunshine.
Squadron Leader Emma Wolstenholme was the Parade Commander. She said: “It takes a lot of practice and polishing to get a parade looking perfect. I think we did really well and, judging by the warmth of the welcome we received, the people of Peterborough seemed to think so too.”
Image By Cpl Paul Robertshaw
Wing Commander Mike Ainsworth was joined by The Right Worshipful the Mayor of the City of Peterborough, Councillor Chris Ash, and Colonel Mark Knight MBE, Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire, in inspecting the parade.
Image By: Cpl Paul Robertshaw
Wing Commander Ainsworth said: “RAF Wittering has a very good friend in the City of Peterborough. That friendship has allowed us to celebrate an enduring relationship with the freedom parades and commemorate the sacrifices made over the years.”
He continued: “You could tell how pleased the people of Peterborough were to see us by the enthusiastic applause they gave the parade and I’d like to thank them for their welcome. Parades of this kind are a team effort. Both the city and the Station have done their part to make today’s parade a success.”
