ELEPHANT ON PARADE; OFFICERS PLACE CAPARISON ON ELEPHANT'S BACK; ELEPHANT PARADES.




Initials DHC/V/BHH/SC



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Background: THE BRITISH ROYAL AIR FORCE IS RICHER BY ONE EIGHT-MONTH-OLD INDIAN ELEPHANT, NAMED GOSTA. GOSTA YESTERDAY (FRIDAY) WENT THROUGH AN OFFICIAL ADOPTION CEREMONY AT THE RAF BASE AT SCAMPTON, IN ENGLAND.

NUMBER 27 SQUADRON OF STRIKE COMMAND HAS AN ASSOCIATION WITH ELEPHANTS THAT GOES BACK TO 1915, WHEN THE SQUADRON WAS EQUIPPED WITH AIRCRAFT OF CUMBERSOME APPEARANCES. THE AIRCRAFT - THE MARTINSYDE SCOUT - WAS NICKNAMED THE MARTINSYDE ELEPHANT, AND GAVE THE SQUADRON THE INSPIRATION FOR ITS EMBLEM, WHICH ALSO CONTAINS AN ELEPHANT.

YESTERDAY GOSTA WAS BEROBED WITH THE ELEPHANT-EMBLEMMED CAPARISON OF THE SQUADRON BEFORE BEING PARADED BEFORE AN ASSEMBLY OF SQUADRON OFFICERS AND MEN.

CHILDREN OF THE SQUADRON WERE AT THE SIDELINES OF THE PARADED TO SEE GOSTA MAKE THE MARCH-PAST.