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RAF Germany

Wildenrath

Bruggen

The end of an era was reached on 21 August when the last permanently-based combat squadron - No 31 Squadron - of the Royal Air Force in Germany took farewell of RAF Bruggen. Six Tornado GR4 aircraft were waved off by the Burgermeister of Niederuchten, Herr Siegfried Wilms. After almost 50 years, the RAF is withdrawing from Bruggen and, indeed, from stationing in Germany as a UK national formation.

The six fast jets, led by Wing Commander Paddy Teakle, departed the base on the German-Dutch border at lunchtime and, as a final tribute, flew over a number of the former RAF Germany bases as well as bases of the German Air Force. Their route took them over Laarbruch, Kalkar, Buchel, Norvenich. Wildenrath and, nostalgically, one last time over Bruggen itself, as they bid a final farewell on behalf of all RAF aircrew to the bases that played such a major role in the defence of Europe during the Cold war. The

Following the decision in 1996 to withdraw the RAF from Germany and close the last remaining flying bases, the draw down of RAF Bruggen began in April 1999 when No 17(Fighter) Squadron was disbanded. No 14 Squadron departed for RAF Lossiemouth in January 2001 and No IX (Bomber) Squadron re-located to RAF Marham in July this year. No 37 Squadron, RAF Regiment, will move to RAF Wittering in October..

Wildenrath and Bruggen where also known to attract a lot of visitors on a mostly daily basis.

It was a fact that the first visitors would by around 10:30. On Wildenrath on visitor was the mail plane, sadly this was always civil.