Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force

History

The history of the unit goes way back to the early days of Hong Kong as a British colony. On 30 May 1854, with the departure from Hong Kong of the British men-of-war on anti-piracy duties in the north, following the Shanghai precedent, an appeal was made by the Lieutenant-Governor, Sir William Caine, for willing citizens to assemble for the purpose of forming an auxiliary police force to protect the lives and property of Hong Kong’s inhabitants. Ninety-nine worthy men turned up and the Hong Kong Volunteer Corps was formed. Following numerous incarnations, the Royal Hong Kong Regiment (The Volunteers) and the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force were spawned from this original corps of volunteers.

The HKAAF came into existence as an air force in 1949 as part of the Hong Kong Defence Force. From 1949 to 1970, it was known as the Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force (HKAAF). Its royal title was approved by King George VI in 1st May 1951, as was that of what became the Royal Hong Kong Defence Force (RHKDF). This was the first time that a volunteer force had been so honoured.

When the Royal Hong Kong Defence Force was disbanded in 1970, the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force (RHKAAF) and Royal Hong Kong Regiment (RHKR) were formed under new ordinances as separate units. The RHKAAF was finally disbanded on 31 March 1993, and succeeded the following day by the Hong Kong Government Flying Service (GFS), a newly created civilian unit using the original service staff of the RHKAAF.

Although technically an armed military unit, run on the lines of an RAF squadron, latterly the unit's responsibilities were mostly involved in providing non-military aviation services such as police support, search and rescue, flying doctor, air ambulance and firefighting in the colony.

The RHKAAF was based at Kai Tak Airport from 1949 to 1993.