Laying Up Ceremony 06

…... have been proud of the poignant send-off in St Clement Danes that morning, and it was particularly thought provoking for him: Squadron Commander Bromet stood the Squadron up nearly 100 years ago. He brought it into existence in the heat of battle and laid the foundations of a historic legacy that is second to none, and it had been left to Wing Commander Kidd to close down the Squadron. Being true to its history and legacy had been at the forefront of his mind throughout, and he was pleased that, due to the efforts of the whole 208 Squadron team, the Squadron achieved everything they were tasked to do, and it was closed with dignity, appropriately and respectfully. He could only hope that Bromet would have approved.

The day was, without doubt, a sad day. It was the end of a great Squadron and the end of RAF ab-initio flying training on the Hawk T1. Indeed, when he personally delivered the last aircraft (XX236) to Shawbury, shutting that engine down for the very last time was very emotional indeed.

But it wasn’t all bad. The very fact that over the years an extremely strong bond had been forged between the members of 208 Squadron that still thrived through the Squadron Association, said to him that 208 would live on in spirit for years to come long after the events of the day. This bond, this esprit de corps, that was first reported by Bromet in his volunteer pilots only months after the formation of the Squadron, would continue to make the Squadron special, and had been experienced across the ranks and all the generations that had been proud to serve on 208 Squadron.

The previous few weeks had been a trying time for the small team that had remained behind to hand the Squadron building over, deliver aircraft, take inventories, pack away box up and transport nearly 100 years’ worth of historical items to the Air Historic Branch and into storage at Stafford.  He was very pleased that the team delivered all of this activity with the utmost diligence, professionalism, respect, and remained in the best of spirits throughout. However, to avoid all of the Squadron artefacts ending up in boxes in the corner of a dark warehouse, he wished to present the RAF Club Vice-Chairman, Air Commodore Peacock-Edwards, with a small part of 208 Squadron’s history as a token of his gratitude for all of the Club’s support over the years. On behalf of 208 Squadron, he presented a framed photograph of XX350 in formation with a Bristol Fighter, which had been signed by all final members of 208 Squadron.

Air Commodore Peacock-Edwards promised that the picture would ‘hang where it could be seen’.  

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