April 4, 2017 1.36 pm This story is over 82 months old

RAF stations set for Freedom of the City parade in Lincoln

Two Lincolnshire RAF stations will march through Lincoln later this week to celebrate the bestowing of the Freedom of Lincoln on both RAF Waddington and RAF Scampton. Personnel from RAF Scampton and RAF Waddington will parade through Lincoln on Friday, April 7. The Commanding Officers of both stations wish to exercise their rights to march through the…

Two Lincolnshire RAF stations will march through Lincoln later this week to celebrate the bestowing of the Freedom of Lincoln on both RAF Waddington and RAF Scampton.

Personnel from RAF Scampton and RAF Waddington will parade through Lincoln on Friday, April 7.

The Commanding Officers of both stations wish to exercise their rights to march through the city, and will do so with bayonets fixed, bands playing and colours flying.

The parade will commence on St Martin’s Square at 10.45am, marching down the High Street, crossing Clasketgate and Silver Street, under the Stonebow and straight to the War Memorial.

The 98-strong RAF personnel will stop in front of the war memorial, where the Mayor of Lincoln will take the salute at 11.36am.

The parade will then leave the war memorial at 11.45am and will march to the Cornhill, onto Sincil Street, finishing at Wasterside South/City Square at 11.55am.

Barriers will be in place on the High Street from High Bridge to the war memorial from 10am on April 7.

A spokesperson for RAF Scampton told The Lincolnite:

“It is important for the local community to see the presence of the RAF.

“This is because we are a big part of the wider community.”

A spokesperson for RAF Waddington added: “RAF Waddington was granted the honour on April 25, 1959 and RAF Scampton received the honour on May 14, 1993.

“The granting of the Freedom of the City is entirely a ceremonial honour, but is the oldest and highest civic honour that can be bestowed on a military unit.”