This year is the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Royal Norwegian Air Force in November 1944 as an independent part of the armed forces. It had previously been split between the Norwegian Army Air Service and Royal Norwegian Navy Air Service.
Chief of The Royal Norwegian Air Force, Major General Tonje Skinnarland, accompanied by Norway's Military Attaché to the UK and members of 331 and 332 Squadrons, visited the Airfield today to mark this significant anniversary. 331 and 332 Squadrons served at North Weald from May 1942 until March 1944, when they joined the 2nd Tactical Air Force.
The General laid a wreath at the Norwegian Obelisk at the Debt of Honour Memorial as part of a commemorative ceremony along with the EFDC and Parish Council Chairmen and W/Cdr Matt Fleckney of 56 Squadron. An Aero Legends Spitfire TD314 also performed a flypast overhead.
The party then proceeded to the Little Norway revetment at The Squadron where the Spitfire was parked for them to admire and take a closer look, guided by its pilot Tony Parkinson.
After a further floral tribute was laid at the Norwegian Stone, paintings of the 331 Squadron ‘Star of Stone’ Spitfire, BL637, were presented to the delegation by Geoff Berriman. He has been instrumental in getting a memorial dedicated for its pilot Karl Jacobsen in his home town of Stone in Staffordshire, which raised £5,000 to buy the Spitfire by public donations at The Star Inn during 1941. It was shot down over France on 19 June 1942 while flying from North Weald.
It was an honour for us to greet such distinguished guests back on their old home Airfield once again.
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