Double celebration as RAF Cosford given Freedom of Dudley

Group Captain Tone Baker OBE, Station Commander at RAF Cosford, accepted the freedom scroll on the steps of Dudley Council House which is the highest honour that can be granted by councils.

Councillors voted unanimously to honour the branch of the Royal Air Force and dozens lined the street to show their support for the personnel.

It was followed by a parade where 60 staff from the station marched through town along with six local air cadet squadrons while music was performed by the RAF Cosford Voluntary Band.

A service was then held at St Thomas and St Luke's Church which paid tribute to the RAF heroes of the Battle of Britain before wreaths were laid at the cenotaph in Ednam Road.

Captain Baker, who joined the RAF at the age of 16 in 1989, said: "This honour is absolutely incredible. I was born in Dudley and raised here. I went to school here before attending the training corps.

"When I joined the Royal Air Force, the first station I went to was RAF Cosford so to join these two together through the Freedom of Dudley is an incredible thing both for me professionally and personally and for the Royal Air Force.

"We have got veterans on parade so we can commemorate those who have given service to the Royal Air Force and armed forced.

"We also have cadets here showing the next generation coming through. There is a great turn out and my mother and father are here."

The event was organised in partnership between Dudley Council and Dudley Royal Air Forces Association (RAFA)

The Mayor of Dudley Councillor Alan Taylor, who presented the scroll, said: "It is quite a prestigious day for us and it is a great honour to be able to give this Freedom of the Borough. This is not something that happens everyday.

"The RAF and armed forces do a fantastic job for us by looking after the country. It is especially poignant as this year marks 100 years of the air force.

"There was a good crowd and everybody felt buoyant and up for it."