Last week Warrant Officer Phillip Armitage retired from the RAF following 37 years of service.

A statement from British Forces Gibraltar follows below:

Last week saw the end of a long and distinguished career spanning 37 years of loyal service  in the Royal Air Force (RAF) for Warrant Officer (WO) Phillip ‘Phil’ Armitage. 

Mr Armitage joined the RAF in 1983 where he completed his Phase 1 training at RAF  Swinderby. Phil then went on to serve at a number of RAF bases in the UK and overseas,  including Northolt, Aldergrove, Akrotirti and Brize Norton.  

Phil has been the Officer in Charge (OC) of RAF Movements in Gibraltar since 2013 and has  been pivotal in ensuring all Air Transport aircraft operating from the airfield are handled  safely and efficiently.  

RAF Station Commander, Wing Commander Nel Doherty said: “It is true to say that Mr  Armitage is loved and respected and will be truly missed by his RAF family, both here in  Gibraltar and back in the UK.” 

Continuing with RAF Gibraltar tradition, Service personnel and fellow colleagues waved a  socially-distanced fond farewell as Mr Armitage was driven through the Movements hangar  and off the Air Station for the last time as a serving member of the Royal Air Force. 

On the same day the RAF Air Movements Team were also awarded a Commander British  Forces Commendation having demonstrated excellent flexibility and selfless dedication  whilst supporting the delivery of a forward Mounting Base for UK Military Operations around  the globe.