First Ever Joint Graduation For RAF Cranwell Personnel

The first ever joint graduation ceremony for both officers, airmen and airwomen has taken place at RAF College Cranwell in Lincolnshire.

The event, which was timed to coincide with the RAF’s centenary celebrations, saw 91 recruits, 106 officer cadets and 10 commissioned warrant officers parade past family, friends and the Chief of the Air Staff, Sir Stephen Hillier.

Necks bent backwards as a roar in the sky alerted attendants to a Spitfire flypast followed by two F-35 Lightning fighter jets.

Among those graduating was Holly Holt, 23, who said the course had been more demanding that she’d expected:

"Parts of it were a lot harder than I'd originally thought but the challenge was something that I was always up for."

Her father, Flight Sergeant Phil Holt, was brimming with pride that his daughter was joining him in the RAF:

"I cannot put into words how proud I have felt today. Today has been immense, utterly immense."

Speaking to Forces News, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier, said hosting the unique ceremony at Cranwell was a fitting way to celebrate the organisation’s centenary: "The very first RAF college, air academy in the world was here at Cranwell."

He went on to say: "It used to be the common entry point for everyone, be they officers or recruits.

"We moved onto a different phase in the 1920s, now we’re coming back to it and this will in the future be our common entry point for everyone who joins the Royal Air Force."

A recent Whitehall report said the Royal Air Force is operating 800 pilots below capacity but the head of the RAF rejected the idea that the service was being stopped from doing its job.

“Yes, I'd like more pilots,” he said.

“We're getting more pilots through the door, we're training them up but there's nothing at the moment that stops us from doing the job that we do."