Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal Presents The New No 47 Squadron Standard
Royal Air Force Lyneham
www.raf.mod.uk/raflyneham
8th June 2006
Today, 8 June 06, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Honorary Air Commodore of RAF Lyneham presented No 47 Squadron with their new Squadron Standard bearing the Battle Honour “IRAQ 2003”.

Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal arrived at RAF Lyneham am and was escorted to the dais on the Parade Square to view the presentation ceremony of the new No 47 Squadron Standard. The presentation was made in front of distinguished guests and former members, as well as family and friends of No 47 Squadron.

The parade commenced with a Royal Salute and a flypast from a C130K Hercules. It comprised of both members of No 47 Squadron, as well as other personnel from around the station who are pivotal in keeping the aircraft flying, looking after personnel and supporting the operational deployments of RAF Lyneham and No 47 Squadron around the globe today.

Once the parade was over, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal was taken to the Junior Ranks Mess, The Wessex Restaurant. She then unveiled a plaque to open the new Hercules Room before being escorted to the Officers’ Mess to have her photograph taken with Station and No 47 Squadron Executives, and to cut the No 47 Squadron 90th Anniversary Cake.

Upon leaving the Officers’ Mess, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal was presented with a bouquet of flowers by Alyssa Lenton-Jinks, the young daughter of a No 47 Squadron Air Loadmaster.

Officer Commanding No 47 Squadron, Wing Commander Greg Cook said, “I am most grateful to the men and women of RAF Lyneham for the time, effort and dedication they have all demonstrated in making not only today possible, but for their support in making No 47 Squadron the most operational and highly decorated squadron of the RAF over the last 5 years. Without them, none of this would be possible today”.

The origin of Colours and Standards in the RAF dates back to WWII. On the 25th Anniversary of the formation of the RAF in 1943, King George VI announced his intention to award ceremonial flags, known as standards, to Operational Squadrons.

To qualify for the award of a Standard, the late King decreed that a squadron must have completed 25 years of service in the RAF, RAuxAF, RNAS or the RFC, or have earned the King’s appreciation for outstanding operations.

The first presentation of the Standard to No 47 Squadron took place on 25 March 1955 at RAF Abingdon. The current Standard was presented to the Squadron by Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal at RAF Lyneham on 3 May 1984. Following the presentation of the new Standard, the original Standard was laid up in St Michael and All Angel's Church in Lyneham village.

47 Squadron Background
Motto: Nili nomen roboris omen - 'The name of the Nile is an omen of our strength'. An earlier unofficial motto was Sans Peur - 'Without fear'.

Badge: In front of a fountain, a demoiselle crane's head erased - approved by King George VI in November 1938. The unofficial badge had been a sun rising over a pyramid, but tours in Russia and Sudan inspired the use of a crane (found in both countries) which, when navigating, flies high like a bomber. The fountain commemorates the amphibious role when seaplanes were flown off the Nile.

Battle Honours: Macedonia 1916-1918*, East Africa 1940-1941*, Egypt and Libya 1942*, Mediterranean 1942-1943*, Burma 1945*, South Atlantic 1982, Gulf 1991, Iraq 2003*. Honours marked with an asterisk, may be emblazoned on the Squadron Standard