YEOVIL NEWS: Freedom parade and flypast with RNAS Yeovilton

THE Commanding Officer of RNAS Yeovilton, Commodore Jock Alexander, is looking forward with pride to this morning’s (Wednesday, June 3, 2015) Freedom Parade in Yeovil to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.

Yeovilton itself is celebrating its own 75th birthday this year and personnel will parade with “swords drawn, bayonets fixed, drums beating, bands playing and Colours flying.”

The parade will leave the Court Ash car park – by the old cinema – at 10.55am and will pass the Mayor, Cllr Mike Lock, and civic dignitaries at the Borough at 11am to coincide with a flypast.

The flypast will include aircraft representing each of the squadrons based at RNAS Yeovilton.

The parade has been organised by Yeovil Town Council in association with RNAS Yeovilton and the Avon and Somerset Constabulary.

People will be able to watch the parade move off from Court Ash, along Princes Street and into High Street and the Borough before it continues down Middle Street and Lower Middle Street before turning left up into Central   Road and past the Bus Station before turning into Market Street and returning to Court Ash.

Commodore Jock Alexander, Commanding Officer of RNAS Yeovilton, will lead the parade.

He said: “RNAS Yeovilton was granted the Freedom of Yeovil in 1962 and with this great honour comes the right to parade “with bands playing, colours flying and bayonets fixed”.

“The Freedom of the Borough is an ancient privilege which dates from the time when standing armies, abroad the countryside, were often feared by townsfolk. To be given the right to enter a town and parade in this way was considered a sign of great trust.”

The parade will finish at around 11.20am.

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