Wartime flying veterans walked out of a Battle of Britain service in disgust after their standards were banned.
The walk-out by about 40 members of the branch took place shortly after the service at Walton parish church had begun.
It followed a clash with churchwardens, who had refused to allow standards into All Saints' Church.
A Royal British Legion standard party, which also attended, refused to go inside without their standards.
Normally the standards are laid on the altar at the annual service.
Don Elam, former Royal Air Forces Association (Rafa) branch chairman, stood up and told the 100 -strong congregation: "We have been told we cannot bring our standards in and the Rafa will be leaving the church and not returning."
The members then filed out.
John Halls, chairman of Frinton and Walton Rafa, said the ban was "an insult to all those who had fought for their country".
Churchwarden Margaret Riddelsdell said insufficient notice had been given by the Rafa branch to hold the service in the church which had been booked for Holy Communion.
She said they had done what they could, arranging for the names of the fallen to be read out and for the Dambusters hymn to be sung, but they had banned the standards.
More in today's Evening Gazette
Published Tuesday, September 20, 2005
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