RAF Apprentice Tribute Ceremony

Her Majesty the Queen unveiled the RAF Apprentice Tribute on 31 October 1997 at RAF Halton. It was a glorious day, both in the sense of the occasion and the weather.

The unveiling ceremony was preceded by the presentation of a new Colour during a parade held on the Henderson/Grove parade ground. The Royal Air Force Central Band played us through the ceremony, with the beautiful Chiltern Hills bathed in sunshine forming a lovely backdrop to the occasion.

After the parade is was time for lunch and an opportunity to meet other members of the 89th Entry. There were a number of old hands (well we're all getting on) and some new - at least as far as I was concerned. The attendees were Malcolm Austin, Peter Ayee, Ken Coburn (yours truly), Shug Dalgleish, Eddie Gillespie, Roger Gulliver, Bill Jefferson, Gerry Klippel, Gordon Lowe, Dick Mustoe, Derek Page, John Robbins, Peter Short, Slim Steed, John Wainwright and George White - many were accompanied by their wives/partners.

Following lunch, we all assembled on the parade square, formed up in threes (by Entry) and marched off down the hill behind the pipe band and mascot (Lewis 9, the goat) to 'Schools' where the Tribute awaited our attention. The sight of a thousand or so apprentices, young and not so young, marching down the hill was something to behold.

When all were assembled around the Tribute, Her Majesty arrived and after a brief welcome speech she unveiled the Tribute. I don't have a picture of the Queen unveiling the Tribute but I do have picture of the Tribute in the setting of the Schools. The Tribue was designed by David Howells of the 29th Entry and represents the brass cube test job undertaken by Apprentices during their training.

After Her Majesty departed there was more playing of pipes and floods of nostalgia, bringing to a close a most memorable day.

"The Tribute"