The Kingsbridge and District branch of the Royal British Legion will be holding a wreath-laying to mark the 100th anniversary of the formation of the RAF.

100 years ago on the April 1, 1918, the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Flying Corps were merged together to create something new, the world’s first independent air force, the Royal Air Force.

According to the RAF website: “King George V authorised the creation of a new branch of the British military. It was formed in response to the growing role of airpower in warfare, and created by merging the aviation branches of the Royal Navy and British Army together into a single service, the Royal Air Force.

“The use of aviation in warfare evolved rapidly during the First World War. What started off as a tool used solely for reconnaissance, quickly changed and adapted into new roles. Fighter aircraft were developed to shoot down enemy reconnaissance aircraft and other aircraft were adapted drop bombs on the enemy.

“In 1917 Germany deployed long range Gotha Aircraft, aeroplanes that were capable of carrying long range raids against the British Isles. In response to these raids and lobbying by Viscount French, South African General Jan Smuts was authorised by the Imperial War Cabinet to conduct a review of the British Air Services, a report that would later become known by another name, the Smuts Report.

“Smuts recommended that air should be treated as a separate force, separate from the Royal Navy and the Army. Instead a new force should be created, that would be solely responsible for conducting warfare in the air.”

According to the RAF Museum, women have been involved in the RAF since the start. It says: “Its female counterpart, the Women’s Royal Air Force, WRAF, was created on the same date of April 1, 1918, and disbanded in 1920. Princess Mary’s Royal Air Force Nursing Service, was established as a permanent branch of the RAF in 1923.

“The Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, WAAF, formed for war in 1939 was continued after the Second World War ended. It was re-formed as the WRAF, a permanent female peacetime force in 1949 and was fully integrated into the RAF in 1994.

“Today, complete integration has broken down the barriers further. For example, female aircrew including pilots now fly operationally in the RAF.”

The RBL Kingsbridge and District Branch will be holding a wreath laying at Kingsbridge War Memorial to mark this occasion on Thursday, March 29, at 10.30am and invite anyone who is retired or still serving, and also those who have had any of their family serving with the RAF, to join them at the War Memorial to pay their respects.

Find out more about the 100th anniversary of the formation of the RAF, visit: www.raf.mod.uk/raf100/