1.
MV MODEL OF FOKKER TRIPLANE
0.04

2.
CV PICTURE OF BARON MANFRED VON RICHTHOFEN
0.07

3.
CU DITTO
0.09

4.
CV PICTURES OF AIRCRAFT IN ACTION (1917)
0.11

5.
MV AIR VICE MARSHAL CHEMINANT ON SALUTING DAIS
0.15

6.
MV MARCH PAST
0.19

7.
CV AIR VICE MARSHAL SALUTING
0.21

8.
MV SQUADRONS COLOURS CARRIED PAST
0.25

9.
MV PRESENT BARON RICHTHOFEN AND BARONESS WATCHING
0.28

10.
LV R.A.F. TROOPS MARCHING PAST
0.39

11.
MV BARON
0.41

12.
MLV TROOPS MARCHING PAST
0.43

13.
MV SPECTATORS
0.46

14.
MV TROOPS SLOPE ARMS
0.50

15.
CV AIR VICE MARSHAL SPEAKING
0.52

16.
MV BARON AND BARONESS LISTENING
0.54

17.
CU BARON
0.56

18.
LV TROOPS MARCH AWAY




Initials AA/V-S/BHH/MM



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: BRITAIN'S ROYAL AIR FORCE SQUADRON 209 CELEBRATED THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF ITS FOUNDING YESTERDAY (WEDNESDAY). THE SQUADRON IS NOW STATIONED IN SINGAPORE AND A SPECIAL GUEST AT THE ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION WAS THE WEST GERMAN AMBASSADOR TO SINGAPORE, BARON VON FREIHERR VON RICHTHOFEN. THE AMBASSADOR HAD A SPECIAL REASON FOR ATTENDING THE CEREMONY FOR HE IS THE COUSIN OF BARON MANFRED VON RICHTHOFEN, GERMANY'S MOST FAMOUS PILOT OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR.

A PICTURE OF BARON MANFRED VON RICHTHOFEN -- KNOWN AS THE RED BARON -- WAS ON DISPLAY AT THE SQUADRON'S BASE. HE WAS FINALLY BROUGHT DOWN IN APRIL 1918 BY CAPTAIN A.R. BROWN OF NO. 209 SQUADRON. THE HERALDIC EMBLEM ON THE SQUADRON BADGE SHOWS A FALLING EAGLE AND MARKS CAPTAIN BROWN'S VICTORY AND LAST FLIGHT OF THE "RED BARON". OTHER PICTURES ON DISPLAY SHOWED SOME OF THE EARLY AIRCRAFT USED BY THE SQUADRON WHEN IT WAS FIRST FORMED FROM A SQUADRON OF THE ROYAL NAVAL AIR SERVICE.

THE SENIOR AIR STAFF OFFICER OF BRITAIN'S FAR EAST AIR FORCE HEADQUARTERS, AIR VICE MARSHAL PETER DE LACEY LE CHEMINANT, D.F.C., REVIEWED THE PARADE.

SQUADRON 209 HAS A DISTINGUISHED RECORD OF SERVICE OVER 50 YEARS. TODAY ITS MAIN FUNCTION IS THE PROVISION OF SHORT RANGE TRANSPORT SUPPORT FOR THE ARMY. IT STILL RETAINS ITS ORIGINAL LINKS WITH THE ROYAL NAVY BY BEING THE ONLY ROYAL AIR FORCE SQUADRON STILL TO FLY FIXED WING AIRCRAFT ONTO AIRCRAFT CARRIERS.