On Thursday 6 June, Lincoln will commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day and the 65th anniversary of granting Freedom of the City to RAF Waddington with a parade, beacon lighting and flypast.
On the day, the Lincolnshire RAF squadron will begin their Freedom of the City Parade at St Martin’s Square on at 11.32am, proceeding down to the city’s War Memorial on the High Street. The beacon lighting will take place later that day, in Castle Square, at 9.15pm.
The parade, consisting of 150 RAF personnel, will march from St Martin’s Square down Lincoln High Street to the High Street War Memorial. Upon arrival, they will be greeted by Lincoln’s Town Crier, who will deliver a dedicated commemoration cry to the RAF station. This will be followed by a salute from the Lord Lieutenant/Commanding Officer.
The day’s events will culminate in the evening with the International Tribute, alongside the lighting of the beacon, commemorating D-Day and giving thanks for eighty years of peace and freedom.
Kate Fenn, Civic and International Relations Manager at City of Lincoln Council, said: “This event highlights the city’s support for the RAF and is also in remembrance of the events that took place on D-Day. We will mark these historic anniversaries and the contribution RAF Waddington has played in our community. We encourage members of the public to attend and show their support for this special event.”