BritinBritain
Per Ardua Ad Astra
In the military there are always “Urban legends.” One I heard from a bunch of RAF Aerial Riggers in Singapore, I wasn't there so I cannot confirm the story, but knowing Aerial Riggers it's the sort of thing they would do. Anyway, this is the story I heard.
During a show at the Royal Tournament at Earls Court in London many years ago, one of the displays was a no command drill display by the Queens Colour Squadron of the Royal Air Force. As they march into the arena all the lights are out, the airmen with L1A1's are at port arms, as they enter the arena they fire blanks into the air, then the lights come on and commence the display.
Apparently one of the aerial riggers was in the rafters with a dead duck (bought from some butchers in London still clothed in its feathers), when the lights came on, the dead duck was dropped into the arena. The sight of the duck and howls of laughter from the audience threw the colour Squadron completely off their display. From what I heard the Officer I/C the Queens Colour Squadron had to be physically retrained from attacking the riggers.
During a show at the Royal Tournament at Earls Court in London many years ago, one of the displays was a no command drill display by the Queens Colour Squadron of the Royal Air Force. As they march into the arena all the lights are out, the airmen with L1A1's are at port arms, as they enter the arena they fire blanks into the air, then the lights come on and commence the display.
Apparently one of the aerial riggers was in the rafters with a dead duck (bought from some butchers in London still clothed in its feathers), when the lights came on, the dead duck was dropped into the arena. The sight of the duck and howls of laughter from the audience threw the colour Squadron completely off their display. From what I heard the Officer I/C the Queens Colour Squadron had to be physically retrained from attacking the riggers.
