King visits Scotland's main RAF base and thanks families for their sacrifices
Charles visited RAF Lossiemouth in Moray, northern Scotland, on Wednesday, to attend the stand-up parade for Number 42 (Torpedo Bomber) Squadron.
He also watched a flypast of two Typhoon bombers and a P-8A Poseidon aircraft, one of nine stationed at the only RAF main operating base in Scotland.
RAF Lossiemouth is one of two quick reaction alert stations which protect the UK airspace, and the King met families including those of servicepeople based in Cyprus and Poland, where they are defending Nato's eastern borders.
The King watched a parade including a brass band which played God Save the King twice, and gave a speech where he acknowledged the proximity of VJ Day on August 15 and thanked families for their 'encouragement and understanding' which he said was critical to the success of the air force.
He said: 'With just a week until VJ Day, it is a fitting moment to recall that your aviators flew throughout the Burma Campaign in their Blenheim Bombers and Republic Thunderbolts.'
Bagpipers greeted Charles as he arrived by helicopter for a private meeting with RAF leaders, and he watched a parade and re-presented a squadron standard which had previously been blessed by a vicar who prayed for the military and their families as well as the monarch.
The King said: 'Today, we also recognise the vital role played by your families and friends, some of whom I am delighted to see can join us today. Their unwavering support is the foundation upon which this squadron's success is built.
'It is their encouragement and understanding that enable you all to dedicate yourselves so fully to your duties.
'On behalf of the nation, I can only offer all the families my heartfelt thanks for the sacrifices you make and the strength you provide.'
He praised the 'dedication, skill and professionalism' of staff, and added: 'The squadron's work not only ensures the operational readiness of the Royal Air Force, but also strengthens our bonds with our Nato partners whom you train, including Canada and Norway.
'By providing world-leading training to our allies, you contribute to a shared commitment to peace, security and co-operation across the globe.'
He also acknowledged his own links to the region, and said RAF Lossiemouth is 'the beating heart of the United Kingdom's long-range maritime patrol aircraft capability, and an air station at the end of whose runway my old school, Gordonstoun, is situated'.
He continued: 'In the 1960s, it was the Royal Navy's Buccaneer aircraft that took off and landed over us and, as part of the Cadet Corps, we regularly used to train or be trained by personnel on the station.'
The King was given a tour of the squadron buildings and the Poseidon hangar, which houses nine P-8A Poseidon maritime reconnaissance aircrafts which are equipped with weapons systems for anti-submarine warfare as well as surveillance and search and rescue missions.
Charles was given a tour of one multi-role maritime patrol aircraft and met the crew, who showed him cutting-edge technology to detect, identify and monitor targets, which will be rolled out to Norway, Canada and Germany later this year.
He toured the plane which has a wingspan of 123ft, is 129ft in length and stands 42ft 9in tall and can carry sonobuoys to search for enemy submarines and can be armed with torpedoes if required.
The King met members from the Typhoon air wing, senior leadership and representatives from the wider community, including children from the Airplay Youth support programme and their families, who live on, or near, RAF Lossiemouth.
He also met representatives from community projects including support for families of deployed service personnel, and a community group which is planting Christmas trees in sand dunes at Lossiemouth Beach.
A little girl presented the King with a bunch of handpicked flowers and he was given a glass holder made from timber from an old bridge on Lossiemouth beach.
Schoolchildren waved Union flags as they met the King before he left in a BMW.
Officer commanding training Sergeant Simon Bracknell said: 'It is a really proud day for everyone involved, they worked really hard, even with the storm 24 hours ago with 80mph winds.
'The standard that we have marks the squadron's battle history. For the King to present it is really special.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Glasgow Times
21 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Veteran, 99, says there are ‘not many of us left' ahead of VJ Day anniversary
Dougie Shelley, who joined the Royal Navy aged 17, served as a seaman gunner on the Arctic convoys and was later posted to the Pacific and Australia. He said he was out in the Far East at the end of the war and described those who survived to celebrate as 'lucky fellas'. Mr Shelley, who lives in a retirement housing complex in Southend, Essex, said he will turn 100 next month. Dougie Shelley joined the Royal Navy aged 17 (Family handout/PA) 'Yep, an old, old sailor of 100 years old,' he said. 'There's not many of us left, mate. We've sailed the seven seas.' He continued: 'At the end of the war we were out in the Far East but we came into Hong Kong, and that's where it was at the end of the war. 'We went into the China Fleet Club. Boy, did we have a lovely time. 'My god, all those lucky fellas.' He served on several ships including the HMS Milne, which he described as 'the biggest ship the Royal Navy ever built' at the time. 'And boy what a ship,' said Mr Shelley. His carer Paul Bennett, who served in the Army and met him at a local veterans club in 2016, said he will watch Friday's VJ Day memorial service on TV with Mr Shelley. Mr Bennett, 77, said he spends two hours with Mr Shelley each day and does his shopping, cleaning, laundry and other tasks for him. 'I do it out of respect for him and his service,' said Mr Bennett. 'He was in the Arctic Convoys in the war. 'He was in the (HMS) Milne and the (HMS) Armada.' Mr Bennett said Mr Shelley 'spent his life as an able seaman, he never got promoted or anything – failed his bosuns exams because he had eye trouble'. 'He tells me he got sunk twice when he was in the Arctic and managed to survive both sinkings,' he said. 'Then he was there on D-Day in the Milne supporting the chaps going off to land in craft ashore in Normandy and he was a gunner keeping the skies clear of enemy aircraft and all that sort of thing. Dougie Shelley turns 100 in September (Stefan Rousseau/PA) 'So, he's done his bit. 'He always says to me he misses the people he served with. 'The problem of course now is there's none of them left.' Mr Shelley, who has no known surviving family, followed his brother and uncle into the Royal Navy. Mr Bennett said: 'His claim to fame is he lied about his age to join the Navy and got in, and he said it was the best time of his life. 'He left the Navy in 1947, did a few jobs, then went back into the Merchant Navy for some years.' He said Mr Shelley worked on ships taking so-called Ten Pound Poms to Australia and also had jobs in security and as a driver for the Ministry of Defence. One of Mr Shelley's roles on the HMS Milne was as the 'rum bosun', Mr Bennett said, and Mr Shelley would sound a pipe and call 'up spirits' before the daily rum ration was given out.
Glasgow Times
21 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Veteran says horrors of war ‘should never be forgotten' on anniversary of VJ Day
Albert Lamond took part in D-Day in 1944 as an 18-year-old seaman, a year after joining the Royal Navy, and also served in the Pacific in the lead up to VJ Day on August 15, 1945 when Japan announced its surrender to the Allied forces. Mr Lamond was involved in D-Day as a signalman on HMS Rowley, part of the 3rd Escort Group, when it was deployed to rendezvous with battleship HMS Warspite as it travelled to Normandy to shell German troops. HMS Rowley's role was to act as a first line of defence by circling HMS Warspite and it was expected that the sailors would sacrifice their lives. Mr Lamond survived and a year later, on VJ Day, his role was to evacuate Allied prisoners of war from remote islands and transport them to Australia. Mr Lamond, who was 19 at the time, described the PoWs as 'living skeletons' but said they were still able to smile when they were rescued. He had a career on the railways after leaving the Navy, and now lives in McKellar House at Erskine Veterans Village in Renfrewshire. Mr Lamond said: 'Sometimes it feels like yesterday. I can still see it so clearly – from D-Day to the long months that followed in the Pacific in the run-up to VJ Day. Those memories never leave you. 'By the time VJ Day came, I was heading towards the Philippines. We were preparing for more fighting when the news came through about the surrender. After years of horror, that was it, the war was finally over. 'I remember feeling an enormous sense of relief, but also a deep sadness for those who didn't make it home. We had seen the cost of war up close, the lives lost, the suffering endured, and I knew that for many families, the relief of peace was mixed with grief that would never fade. 'Our job wasn't over though, and orders changed. Instead of heading into battle, we were sent to evacuate Allied prisoners of war from remote islands and transport them to Australia for medical treatment. Albert Lamond in his Navy days (Erskine Veterans Charity/PA) 'I will never forget the sight of those men we brought home – they were living skeletons. The sight of them moved the entire crew. Those men had been through unimaginable suffering, but still managed the courage to smile, to shake our hands, and to thank us. It was a humbling experience that I remember clear as day. 'For me, VJ Day will always be about more than the end of the war in the Pacific, it was the final chapter in a war that had shaped my young life. 'You never forget the war, never mind VJ Day, and you never forget the people you served with. The horrors should never be forgotten.' His nephew Richard Copeland said: 'I grew up hearing these stories of danger, bravery, and moments that shaped the world. 'Albert didn't just serve in one part of the war, he saw it all, from the Arctic convoys to D-Day, and then on to the Pacific and VJ Day. To me, he's the embodiment of courage. When he would tell us all about those days, you could feel the weight of history in his voice. 'Although we were captivated, we also knew the harsh realities of what he had been through. Hearing him continue to speak about these moments keeps the war alive and not just confining them to pages of a history book. 'It's real, it's human, and it happened to someone I love. His memories shine a light on parts of the conflict people rarely hear about but should be remembered. 'Places like Erskine Veterans Charity do a wonderful job caring for veterans of all ages and conflicts, but they also carry the responsibility of making sure stories like Albert's are never lost. 'I'm so proud of him, not only for what he experienced but for also reliving the hardest moments of his life so that others can understand the true cost of war.'
Leader Live
21 minutes ago
- Leader Live
Veteran says horrors of war ‘should never be forgotten' on anniversary of VJ Day
Albert Lamond took part in D-Day in 1944 as an 18-year-old seaman, a year after joining the Royal Navy, and also served in the Pacific in the lead up to VJ Day on August 15, 1945 when Japan announced its surrender to the Allied forces. Mr Lamond was involved in D-Day as a signalman on HMS Rowley, part of the 3rd Escort Group, when it was deployed to rendezvous with battleship HMS Warspite as it travelled to Normandy to shell German troops. HMS Rowley's role was to act as a first line of defence by circling HMS Warspite and it was expected that the sailors would sacrifice their lives. Mr Lamond survived and a year later, on VJ Day, his role was to evacuate Allied prisoners of war from remote islands and transport them to Australia. Mr Lamond, who was 19 at the time, described the PoWs as 'living skeletons' but said they were still able to smile when they were rescued. He had a career on the railways after leaving the Navy, and now lives in McKellar House at Erskine Veterans Village in Renfrewshire. Mr Lamond said: 'Sometimes it feels like yesterday. I can still see it so clearly – from D-Day to the long months that followed in the Pacific in the run-up to VJ Day. Those memories never leave you. 'By the time VJ Day came, I was heading towards the Philippines. We were preparing for more fighting when the news came through about the surrender. After years of horror, that was it, the war was finally over. 'I remember feeling an enormous sense of relief, but also a deep sadness for those who didn't make it home. We had seen the cost of war up close, the lives lost, the suffering endured, and I knew that for many families, the relief of peace was mixed with grief that would never fade. 'Our job wasn't over though, and orders changed. Instead of heading into battle, we were sent to evacuate Allied prisoners of war from remote islands and transport them to Australia for medical treatment. 'I will never forget the sight of those men we brought home – they were living skeletons. The sight of them moved the entire crew. Those men had been through unimaginable suffering, but still managed the courage to smile, to shake our hands, and to thank us. It was a humbling experience that I remember clear as day. 'For me, VJ Day will always be about more than the end of the war in the Pacific, it was the final chapter in a war that had shaped my young life. 'You never forget the war, never mind VJ Day, and you never forget the people you served with. The horrors should never be forgotten.' His nephew Richard Copeland said: 'I grew up hearing these stories of danger, bravery, and moments that shaped the world. 'Albert didn't just serve in one part of the war, he saw it all, from the Arctic convoys to D-Day, and then on to the Pacific and VJ Day. To me, he's the embodiment of courage. When he would tell us all about those days, you could feel the weight of history in his voice. 'Although we were captivated, we also knew the harsh realities of what he had been through. Hearing him continue to speak about these moments keeps the war alive and not just confining them to pages of a history book. 'It's real, it's human, and it happened to someone I love. His memories shine a light on parts of the conflict people rarely hear about but should be remembered. 'Places like Erskine Veterans Charity do a wonderful job caring for veterans of all ages and conflicts, but they also carry the responsibility of making sure stories like Albert's are never lost. 'I'm so proud of him, not only for what he experienced but for also reliving the hardest moments of his life so that others can understand the true cost of war.'
