Death knell for RAF Kinloss

HIS Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh will take the salute today at RAF Kinloss as the three flying squadrons disband.

Over 100 personnel from across the station will take part in a parade, which will be their last formal duty together.

The squadrons 42 (Reserve), 120 and 201 will each be lead by their commanding officers in what is expected to be a sombre occasion.

Around 700 people including station personnel, their families and invited guests will look on.

On Tuesday, Kinloss personnel exercised their right to the Freedom of Forres for the last time by marching through the town.

Thousands of people lined the route to pay their respects.

The death knell was sounded for Kinloss in October when Prime Minister David Cameron announced the scrapping of the new MRA4 Nimrod aircraft in the Strategic Defence and Security Review, which was to be homed at the Moray base.

Sister station RAF Lossiemouth still faces an uncertain future with a decision on whether it will remain open not expected until June or July.

Defence Secretary Liam Fox will visit the Lossie base and closure threatened RAF Leuchars in Fife today.

The airfield at Kinloss will cease to operate from the end of July and it will close as an RAF station on 31 March 2013.