ROYAL AUXILIARY AIR FORCE I 100 th ANNIVERSARY
RAuxAF Squadron Standards
Twelve Royal Auxiliary Air Force Sqns formed in the 1920s and early 1930s served long enough ( 25 years ) up to 1957 to be awarded with a Sqn Standard showing battle honours from World War 2 . In 1957 when the Sqns were disbanded , their original Standards were permanently laid up .
502 ( Ulster ) formed May 1925 602 ( City of Glasgow ) formed 12 Sep 1925 600 ( City of London ) formed 14 Oct 1925 601 ( County of London ) formed 14 Oct 1925 . 603 ( City of Edinburgh ) formed 14 Oct 1925 605 ( City of Warwick ) formed 5 Oct 1926 504 ( City of Nottingham ) formed 14 Oct 1928 501 ( County of Gloucester ) formed 14 Jun 1929 604 * ( County of Middlesex ) formed 17 Mar 1930 607 ( County of Durham ) formed 17 Mar 1930 608 * ( North Riding ) - formed 17 Mar 1930 500 * ( County of Kent ) formed 16 Mar 1930 * These Sqns have not been reformed .
To coincide with the centenary of the Royal Air Force ( RAF100 ), Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II granted authority for the nine of the original twelve AAF / SR Sqns who were awarded battle honours in World War 2 and received Squadron Standards in the 1950s , to be awarded new Squadron Standards .
It must be noted that those Royal Auxiliary Regiment Squadrons ( 609 , 2503 , 2620 , 2622 , 2623 ), being combat units were presented with Squadron Standards , having achieved 25 years ’ Service .
501 Squadron Standard
Honorary Air Commodores
The role of Honorary Air Commodore ( HAC ) has been part of the RAuxAF since the 1930s , indeed the first Gazetted Air Commodore in Chief of the Auxiliary Air Force was HRH Edward , Prince of Wales in May 1932 . HACs were / are typically selected from either the business or civic leadership in the unit ’ s local region , the unit ’ s civilian profession , or from retired Air Officers who have a strong connection with the RAuxAF . Sir Winston Churchill became the HAC of 615 ( County of Surrey ) ‘ Churchill ’ s Own ’ Squadron in 1938 , and held the position throughout World War 2 and beyond . He was often seen in his RAF Uniform and was proud of his role as an HAC .
Today , most units of the RAuxAF have Honorary Air Commodores ( HACs ); most are prominent figures in civilian life , although some are retired RAF Air Officers . Their role as voluntary unpaid advocates , is to promote the interests of their unit , the RAuxAF and the RAF , and to use their status and experience to inspire the personnel on their unit . HACs are briefed regularly by their Squadrons and by the RAuxAF Inspectorate , to keep them up to date on Reserve and Regular RAF issues and plans .
Historically , two RAuxAF squadrons have had Royal HACs which are lifetime appointments ; 603 Squadron ( The reigning Monarch ) and 501 Squadron ( Duke of Gloucester ).
RAuxAF Memorial
In 2002 following the creation of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force National Memorial Trust , work began to provide a permanent RAuxAF memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum ( NMA ) at Alrewas in Staffordshire . The memorial was to be dedicated to all those who had served in the Auxiliary Air Force , the 48 Companies of the Auxiliary Territorial Service ( all female Service affiliated to the Auxiliary Air Force ), in particular , those who gave their lives in the cause of freedom . Funding of £ 10,000 was raised , and work began on the Memorial in 2003 . During the period of its existence , the Royal Auxiliary Air Force Memorial Trust has evolved into the RAuxAF Foundation who today maintain the Memorial .
The first RAuxAF Memorial at Alrewas . Built of fired bricks , the 2003 Memorial was octagonal in shape . The front face described the Memorial , and the rear 5 faces listed the Units that had at one time or another from 1924 up to 2004 been in either the Auxiliary Air Force or its successor , the Royal Auxiliary Air Force . The Memorial is in the centre of a rectangular plot which was bordered by trees and within which were sited , 4 benches provided by the 4 Royal
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