Afghan medal for 857 Naval Air Squadron

77 Royal Navy Sea King crew members from 857 Naval Air Squadron have been presented with their Afghanistan Operational Service Medals by The Prince of Wales.

Naval Officers and Ratings from the Squadron marched from Wellington Barracks past Buckingham Palace and up the Mall to receive the Operational Service Medal at a Royal medal presentation ceremony at Clarence House London. The Squadron was deployed to Afghanistan to conduct Air Operations between October 2009 and March 2010.

The “eye-in-the-sky” capability of the Mark 7 Sea King provides vital information to forces tackling the insurgency in the region and this capability is key to achieving security and stability for those living in the area.

Lt Cdr Steve Lynch, Commanding Officer of 857 NAS said; “This is a very proud and special day for the Squadron personnel and their supportive families, I am honoured to bring the Squadron to London to highlight the Navy contribution to security operations in Afghanistan. This is an event we have all looked forward to and while we may enjoy the ceremony today, we remember that our friends and colleagues are still on call for flying operations every day in Afghanistan until we return to take their place.”