RIAT Colours Parade - echos of the Great Escape
 

So, I gather that in these days of excessive harmony et al that some of our finest are spending a week confined to barracks at Innsworth practising marching up and down the square for the RIAT Colours Parade. Not allowed off camp, even if living just down the road, and even a curfew imposed!

Have seen the joining instructions...it suggests packing a chess set or a pack of cards to while away those long hours of confinement!

Sorry, but did I just dream the turn of the millenium or are we really still living in the 1940s? Images of Tom, Dick & Harry spring to mind just so the guys and gals can pop out for a pint.

Still, nothing like a good parade to improve morale all round and boost some air rank's career. :rolleyes:

I think it is to stop both of them getting down the pub and spilling the beans.

There were 89 in the Stalag Luft 4 escape; I don't think we have that many spare bods now.

We might not have 89 spare bods now, but there are a few more than 89 down there at the moment. Not that I'm saying they have been taken away from essential tasks or anything - that would be daft.

Rumour has it they are going to be away on this marching jamboree for 10 nights.................wonder if anyone in blunt command has worked out the cost of that :p

A Parade? At RIAT?

Why? What is the point?:confused:

The point is that we are a military service, and we are being awarded a new Colour by our Sovereign (whom we serve). Do you think that we should just shamble up to her, say 'thanks for the new flag' and shamble away again? Also, it's a chance to show ourselves off to the public (whom we also serve). You must remember the public - the ones who are bemoaned on pprune so often for not knowing who we are or what we do? Think about it - it's about having some pride in who we are and what we do.

And before we start the 'what about overstretch' agument - did anyone see Trooping the Colour last month? The Army are far more stretched than us; just try suggesting to them that they scrap the annual event. Ask any of those that were on the parade if they think it's a waste of time.

Military Airshows in the UK

Although I'm not entirely convinced that RIAT is the appropriate venue for such a ceremony.

But where else is there, these days?

A thought,

Buckingham Palace Forecourt.

Or Horse Guards - HM and the Duke could come in a carriage. Petrol's gone up, you know, and one's roof needs doing.

Plus they could get out the flypast plans from the Birthday Parade and use them. Less practice = less fuel used.

Win-win :ok:

Now, now 'Taxydual' thats far too old-fashioned and out of keeping with the direction the Royal Air Force train is taking.

To be honest I thought that an airshow would be too militaristic for current climes. Perhaps the Queen should have presented a non-gender non-race specific member of the RAF with a dove of peace at a mung bean collective in Islington.

Must have misread it. I thought the point was the confined to camp bit. To avoid confrontation with the locals?

In case anyone tried for a home run?

I'm not too sure many of the public will get to see the event as it is being held on Friday, a non-public day. There will be many press there, up to 150, so we may get at least 15 secs on the BBC and maybe 30 on Sky and ITV.

Or to be sure that all involved are focussed, fresh and sober enough to put a decent effort into practicing a parade for HM The Queen?:hmm:

Have they checked out the kit in the gym? On fine, warm days it's good to exercise outdoors :ok:

Having taken part in a few Cenotaph Parades in London and as such also had the required practices at the home of the QCS, RAF Uxbridge I can't say that we were ever confined to camp.

In my experience all such measures do is create resentment for the event they are there to take part in, hardly the best way to motivate the troops.

God forbid that they should do that. Surely they would have to leave out the Nimrod element. Otherwise we might have a few barrack room lawyers telling us that it broke H&S rules :rolleyes: and was an insult. :E

Like BEags, I am not sure RIAT is the right place. Buck House would be more appropriate. Sadly long gone are the days where it would be staged at an airfield with a Royal Review

http://doghousecrafts.co.uk/handdaf/royrevodi/shack.jpg

Is that RAF Odiham?

Yes, that's RAF Odiham 55 years ago...

318 RAF aircraft on static display, then a 27 minute flypast of 641 aircraft, starting with a Sycamore chugging past at 74 KIAS and ending with a Swift at 580 KIAS in afterburner..... (The Swift's engine seized on its way back to Chilbolton, but it managed to land dead stick!)

And this was only 6 weeks after the almost as impressive Coronation flypast.

Now I understand, I thought it was a march past of the present Colours to the spotters or something. Don't think much of the venue though.

Surely some one is having a joke? Confining people to camp, two can rule, enforced PT, chess boards. I've also heard they've activated an EAW to achieve all this.
Whilst I agree that the parade should be done smartly etc I think that someone has gone way OTT. Why not treat it as something that people want to do and enjoy,rather than be imprisioned inside the wire with a radio made from a baked bean can and a coat hanger.
If people get out of line then the people in charge can sort it out like they have been doing for the last ninety years. The RAF really knows how to boost morale, no wonder people are leaving in droves.

At least we'll beable to see if the EAW system works, however I'm not so sure this was what it was designed for.

On the Positive side:Dsomeone will get promoted for this.