This Saturday, the Royal New Zealand Air Force will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the withdrawal of its 5 Squadron from Fiji. NZ High Commisioner Mark Ramsden said this would be a very special occasion.

“It’s really a piece of history between the two countries,” he said.

He said some members of the No.5 Squadron would be flown into the country this afternoon by an Orion aircraft and the chief guest, Air Vice-Marshal Mike Yardley will arrive on Saturday. Mr Ramsden said part of Saturday’s programme would be an Orion making a survillance flight over Fiji’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) with five Fijian officials.

The celebration he said would be at his official residence at Ratu Sukuna Road at 4.30pm.

The Squadron, with its Catalina and Sunderland flying boats, was based in Laucala Bay, Suva, from 1944 before it was relocated back to New Zealand.

The former RNZAF base was given to become the campus of the University of the South Pacific.