نجا
MONDAY, MARCH 5, 1979
PRINCE CHARLES NOTED THAT SINCE ITS FORMATION IN 1949 THE FORCE HAD CARRIED OUT OVER 1,500 FLIGHTS INVOLVING EMERGENCY OPERATIONS AND AIRLIFTS TO HOSPITAL.
+ON MANY OCCASIONS THESE INVOLVED OPERATIONS FROM SHIPS AT SEA IN HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS, + HE SAID.
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS NOTED THAT A SQUADRON STANDARD IS AWARDED AS RECOGNITION OF LOYAL SERVICE TO THE CROWN AND TO THE COMMUNITY. IT WAS FITTING, HE SAID, THAT THE PRESENTATION SHOULD BE HELD AT SEK KONG AS MANY OF THE FORCE'S OPERATIONS ARE UNDERTAKEN IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.
PRINCE CHARLES NOTED THAT THE RHKAAF WAS COMPOSED OF MEN DRAWN FROM A WIDE RANGE OF THE COMMUNITY, WITH MEMBERS GIVING UP MUCH OF THE IR LEISURE TIME TO TRAIN AND CARRY OUT THEIR DUTY WITH THE HIGHEST PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS. THE MEMBERS OF THE RHKAAF HAVE COMBINED TOGETHER TO FORM A USE OF WHICH HONG KONG CAN BE JUSTLY PROUD AND WHICH CAN LOOK BACK ON ITS PAST RECORD WITH A REAL SENSE OF ACHIEVEMENT,+ PRINCE CHARLES SAID.
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS ALSO EXPRESSED HIS APPRECIATION TO THE FAMILIES OF THE FORCE'S MEMBERS AND THEIR EMPLOYERS WITHOUT WHOSE ENCOURAGEMENT AND UNDERSTANDING THE HIGH STANDARDS OF THE AIR FORCE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE MAINTAINED.+
BEFORE PRESENTING THE STANDARD, WHICH HAD BEEN CONSECRATED BY THE RT. REV. GILBERT BAKER, PRINCE CHARLES SAID HE HAD NO DOUBT THAT THE FORCE WOULD CONTINUE TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WITH THE SAME DISTINCTION THAT IT ALWAYS HAS SHOWN.
SEVERAL HUNDRED PEOPLE, INCLUDING FORMER MEMBERS OF THE RHKAAF SOME OF WHOM HAD TRAVELLED THOUSANDS OF MILES FOR THE ROYAL OCCASION, ATTENDED THE CEREMONY.
IN HIS ADDRESS OF THANKS TO THE PRINCE, WING COMMANDER ROSS PENLINGTON NOTED THAT THE RHKAAF SQUADRON STANDARD WAS A BIT UNUSUAL IN THAT IT FEATURED A WINGED DRAGON INSTEAD OF THE USUAL EAGLE.
UNLIKE MEDIEVAL SCIENCE IN EUROPE, HE SAID, A DRAGON IN CHINA WAS REGARDED AS A BENEVOLENT CREATURE AND AS A GUARDIAN PARTICULARLY OF THE INTERESTS OF THE FAMILY.
+THE DRAGON AT THE HEAD OF OUR STANDARD WILL REMIND THE RHKAAF IN THE YEARS TO COME THAT WE ARE THE GUARDIANS OF THE INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY, AND WE WILL DO WHAT WE CAN TO SAFEGUARD THOSE INTERESTS, THE WING COMMANDER SAID.
SCHOOL HOLIDAY TO MARK PRINCE CHARLES VISIT
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HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OF WALES HAS TOLD THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION TO DECLARE A SCHOOL HOLIDAY ON A SUITABLE DATE TO BE CHOSEN BY THE DIRECTOR.