Princess Anne will visit RAF Lyneham next week to bid farewell to three squadrons, in what will be the final royal visit to the base before it closes.
Flying Squadrons 24, 30 and 47 will be on parade at the base on Tuesday, as will 47 Air Despatch Royal Logistic Corps Standard, all of whom will soon be departing Lyneham.
The Princess Royal will inspect the parade, acting in her role as the base’s Honorary Air Commodore, one of her many military roles, and she will be accompanied by Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence.
More than 100 airmen will be paraded and will be accompanied by the RAF Central Band.
Also included will be three fly-pasts ,including one by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Dakota. A number of former station commanders and members of the RAF Lyneham Old Boys’ Association will be in attendance.
The base is due to close next year as the RAF and personnel have already begun moving out to RAF Brize Norton, in Oxfordshire.
It is expected that most squadrons will be gone by October this year, with civilian workers and equipment being withdrawn in 2012.
The station’s three flying squadrons have been based at Lyneham since 1967 and have been involved in transporting people and vehicles, and dropping troops and supplies in hostile environments.
RAF Lyneham has been open since 1943 and has long been home of the iconic Hercules fleet.
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