The Queen's Colour Squadron is the unit of the Royal Air Force charged with the safe-keeping of the Queen's Colour for the Royal Air Force in the United Kingdom. Since its formation, it has been manned exclusively by officers and men of the RAF Regiment. It also has a secondary operational role as 63 Squadron RAF Regiment, a Regiment Field Squadron (RFS), responsible for the defence of RAF and other assets on the ground from enemy forces.
In its ceremonial role, the squadron is responsible for representing the Royal Air Force at various significant occasions. The unit has mounted the guard at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and The Tower of London on several occasions, and has formed guards of honour for various visiting heads of state at Heathrow Airport, near its former base of RAF Uxbridge and its current base of RAF Northolt. The Squadron also handled the coffin of Diana, Princess of Wales on the return of her body to RAF Northolt following her death in Paris in 1997.
Read more about Queen's Colour Squadron: The Queen's Colour Squadron of The RAF, No 63 Squadron RAF Regiment
Famous quotes containing the words queen, colour and/or squadron:
“Ah petal, dust and wind-fall
on the ground queen awaiting queen.”
—Hilda Doolittle (1886–1961)
“Circumstances ... give in reality to every political principle its distinguishing colour and discriminating effect. The circumstances are what render every civil and political scheme beneficial or noxious to mankind.”
—Edmund Burke (1729–1797)
“Well gentlemen, this is it. This is what we’ve been waiting for. Tonight your target is Tokyo. And you’re gonna play ‘em the Star Spangled Banner with two-ton bombs. All you’ve got to do is to remember what you’ve learned and follow your squadron leaders. They’ll get you in, and they’ll get you out. Any questions? All right that’s all. Good luck to you. Give ‘em hell.”
—Dudley Nichols (1895–1960)