RNAS Culdrose Annual Freedom of Helston Parade

The parade will take place on Thursday 21 June 2011 between 10.00 and 11.00am when Naval personnel will exercise their privilege to march through the streets of Helston "with bayonets fixed, drums beating and flags flying".

HMS SEAHAWK was granted the Freedom of the Borough of Helston in 1958 and the Air Station is keen to exercise the right and privilege of marching through the streets of the town, where the Mayor of Helston will take the Salute accompanied by the Commanding Officer of Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose and members of the Town Council.

The action of a City or Town conferring upon a Unit 'Freedom of entry with swords drawn, bayonets fixed, drums beating, bands playing and Colours flying', dates from the time when fortress walls were necessary to protect the inhabitants of the Town from the incursions of outlaw bands and the attacks of feudal Lords. Bodies of armed men were refused entry into the Town unless the citizens were confident that they meant no harm. Thus the granting of permission for a formed body of armed men to enter a Town became a mark of trust and confidence in which that body was held by the citizens of the Town. To be granted freedom of a Town or City is the greatest honour that can be bestowed upon a Unit within the Armed Forces.

The Parade will form in the Trengrouse Way car park at 10.00am. Following an inspection of the Parade, the Mayor of Helston and the Captain of Culdrose will make an address, and then the Parade will ‘step off’ at 10.50am to march down Meneage Street and Coinagehall Street. The Mayor will take the salute at 11.00am and there will be a flypast of aircraft based at RNAS Culdrose. A total of 60 personnel will take part in the march.