THE 95-year link between Uxbridge and the Royal Air Force will formally come to an end tomorrow.

The historic RAF camp will officially close its gates tomorrow afternoon, and a series of events is planned to mark the occasion.

These will include appearances by the Queen’s Colour Squadron and the Central Band of the RAF on the parade ground in front of Air Officer Commanding 2 Group, Air Vice Marshall Hillier, mayor of Hillingdon Shirley Harper-O’Neill, and other VIP guests.

There will also be a flypast by aircraft of 32 (The Royal) Squadron, and a Spitfire is expected to roar low overhead for the ensign-lowering ceremony just before 5pm.

The mayor will unveil a blue plaque at the entrance to the officers’ mess, commemorating Douglas Bader, the Battle of Britain fighter ace, who spent time as a patient at the RAF Hospital at the base in 1932, recovering from a terrible flying accident the previous year which cost him both of his legs.

The historic 110 acre site is to be redeveloped by VSM Estates, which plans to build 1,425 homes, a large theatre, primary school, hotel, shops, sheltered housing for the elderly, and a doctors’ surgery there.

The listed underground operations room, visited by prime minister Winston Churchill at the height of the Battle of Britain, is to be preserved in the scheme.