12 Flight AAC disbanded after 57 years in Germany
12 Flight Army Air Corps, based in Javelin Barracks, Elmpt Station in Germany disbanded on March 31, after being saved from disbandment in 1994
12 Flight Army Air Corps (12 Flight AAC) conducted a flypast involving all four pilots and aircraft, together with a disbandment presentation, to mark the end of their 54 years in Germany on Wednesday, March 4.
12 Flight AAC's origins date back to just after the Second World War when it was formed as a training continuation flight through to its very brief time in Libya in 1970, as well as its current guise in RAF Wildenrath and finally Niederkrüchten Elmpt, formally known as RAF Brüggen.
During 12 Flight AAC's illustrious history it has carried many top ranking generals and ministers but has also found time to fly a number of celebrities including Sir Patrick Moore.
Lieutenant General Richard Shirreff, who had done some 88 hours with the pilots of 12 Flight AAC last year alone, praised the members of 12 Flight AAC, headed by Major Des Corrigan, for their effectiveness and valuable and excellent contribution over the years.
Referring to the last Commander in Chief of the British Army of the Rhine, now General The Lord Guthrie who saved 12 Flight from being disbanded in 1994, he said: "I can only repeat what General Guthrie, whose Military Assistant I was at the time said: 'I could not have done my job properly without your help'.
"The disbandment is very sad and a great loss as the face to face liaison is essential for our work. This is now no longer possible. The Army will be a poorer place without 12 Flight."
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