NAVY NEWS, JULY 2009 11
Still time
to salute
Services
EVEN after the big day itself there
will still be plenty of chances to get
involved in an event celebrating Wings over
the Armed Forces of yesterday,
today and tomorrow.
● Marines in an Offshore Raiding Craft fl y the Armed Forces Day fl ag upriver in Brunei during Exercise Commando Rajah, part of the Taurus
The first is at the Marryat Hall
09 task group’s jungle training in the Far East
Picture: LA(Phot) Bernie Henesy
in the heart of Dundee, organised
Somerset –
by Craigowl Primary School with
the help of the Royal Marines,
amongst others, on Wednesday
July 1.
The weekend of July 4-5 sees a
number of events, concentrated in
the south of England.
Armed Forces Day
and over
Cornwall
Portsmouth hosts two days
TWO of the highlights of the Fly
of events on Southsea Common
showcasing all three Services.
Parades on both days will
include cadets, serving personnel
and veterans, accompanied by
military bands.
Less than 40 miles north at celebrations begin
Navy 100 programme take place
in the West Country this month.
First off the ground will be
RNAS Yeovilton’s International
Air Day on Saturday July 11,
which celebrates naval air power
through the ages.
the same time is the Hampshire
The plan is to show examples
and Rushmoor Armed Forces
of the very first jet-powered
Day Salute in the shape of the THE COUNTDOWN to
designs to operate from British
Aldershot Army Show, taking
Armed Forces Day had nearly aircraft carriers at sea, with
place at Queen’s Parade.
finished for many towns and other planes illustrating the
On Saturday July 4 Abingdon
cities around the UK as Navy
development of jet fighter
pays its tribute in the form of a
News went to press.
technology.
fete-style event featuring a series
But a handful of communities
So, if all goes to schedule,
of military displays on the pitches
have already demonstrated their
visitors will see the Vampire
outside Dalton Barracks.
support for the Services past and
and Sea Vixen in the skies over
Folkestone also holds its
present by staging their events
Somerset, as well as the more
Armed Forces Day on the
early.
familiar Harrier.
Saturday with a free family
One such event was that
Other aircraft lined up to
event at the Leas Bandstand all
organised by Orkney, which
participate, as Navy News went
afternoon celebrating all aspects
featured a parade through the
to press, included the Typhoon,
of the Services.
streets of Kirkwall between the
F16, Rafale, Spitfire, Seafire and
On Sunday July 5 activities
local branch of the Royal British
Vulcan on the fixed-wing side,
at the County Hall car park
Legion and the kirk green in front
with Sea King, Merlin, Lynx,
in Haverfordwest will include a
of St Magnus Cathedral.
Chinook and Apache representing
static military and vintage vehicle
Around 150 Service personnel
the rotary world.
display, while RAF Shawbury
joined the march, which included
And no air show would be
bases its big day around the Assault
veterans and cadets.
complete without the military air
Glider Trust, on the same date.
A similar event took place on
display team par excellence – the
Surrey RBL once again stages a
RN’s own Black Cats.
special British Armed Forces and
the same day in Kircaldy, Fife.
Oh yes, the Red Arrows
Veterans Race Day at Lingfield
Brig David Allfrey, Commander
are also booked to put in an
Park on Wednesday July 8, to
51 (Scottish) Brigade, is the man
appearance.
which veterans from all conflicts
behind the Armed Forces effort
On the ground, the Royal
and current Servicemen and
north of the border.
Marines will be providing music
women are especially invited.
He said: “It’s stunning to see
and a commando display, while
There will be a parade of
how councils and communities
the air station’s Brickwoods field
standards and a march-past by
across Scotland have fallen in
gunners will go through their
veterans, and the day will end with
behind the Armed Forces and
paces.
the Sunset Ceremony.
are working tremendously hard to
More than 200 vehicles will be
Ayr hosts an Armed Forces
ensure they get a celebration they
● Defence minister Lord Drayson’s Aston Martin Vantage GT2 in its Le Mans racing livery – complete
on display, including classic and
Day parade and static display on
deserve.
with Armed Forces Day decals
vintage cars and motorcycles and
Friday July 10, and the town will
“It means a great deal to us.
military vehicles.
also hold a civic reception for
This is the first year we’ve joined
the ultimate sacrifice in the course Government minister Lord
at Le Mans – and while his Aston
For more details see www.
the Armed Forces and veterans
up with the veterans to celebrate
of their duty.” Drayson also played his part in
Martin Vantage GT2, which runs
yeoviltonairday.co.uk
marching on the parade.
Armed Forces Day and I am sure
Of the Orkney event, Brig raising the profile of the initiative
on cellulose-based bioethanol fuel,
Further west, RNAS Culdrose
Dorchester offers a varied
it will grow bigger each year.
fell just short of running the full
promises to blow visitors away
programme over the weekend of
“Armed Forces Day should be
Allfrey said: “We saw sailors, by adding Armed Forces Day
24-hours, the team still took 11th
when they take a look around
July 17-19 including World War 2
seen as distinct from Armistice
soldiers, airmen and their families decals to the car his team drove in
place and Armed Forces Day was
the air station, home to almost
music hall, quiz trails for children
Day on November 11 each year,
mixing with cadets from the the Le Mans 24-hour endurance
promoted to a wider audience.
100 aircraft at their Air Day on
at the Keep Military Museum, a
which is a day of reflection and
three Services, our veterans and race.
And talking of fuel efficiency,
Wednesday July 29.
march and music from the 1940s.
remembrance of those who have
supporters – all having a great Racing fanatic and entrepreneur
a group of transport workers in
An arena programme between
Caernarfon’s day is at the
fallen.
day. Paul Drayson is Minister with
Blackpool were gearing up to haul a
10.30am and 5.45pm will include
castle and surrounding area on
“June 27, on the other hand,
“I hope that members of the responsibilities for Science and
tram as Navy News went to press. RN field gunners, a Royal
Saturday July 18, while Inverness
should be a day of fun, pride and
public who do not normally make Innovation in both the Ministry of
Marines band, a motorcycle
holds its Armed Forces Weekend
spectacle.
contact with the Services take the Defence and the Department for
Led by former matelot Mick
display team, MOD police dog
at the Northern Meeting Park on
“Of course, we will also take
opportunity to get to know us a Business, Innovation and Skills.
Smith, now a driver with Metro
demonstrations and Sea Cadet
July 25-26, one of the highlights
time to think of those serving on
bit better. But he put his political career on
Coastlines, and his colleague Carl
drill sessions.
of which will be a parade led by a operations abroad, and those who
“It is fine and honourable to be the back burner a couple of years
O’Hara, the group includes a
Aircraft provisionally booked
massed pipe band. have been injured or have made
a Scottish Serviceman.” ago to concentrate on competing
number of ex-Services personnel.
They hope to pull HMS to put in an appearance include
Blackpool, an illuminated frigate Lynx, Merlin, Sea King, Harrier,
● Sea Cadet Keiran Robertson
(13) of the Orkney unit inspects
weighing 14 tons, along the Typhoon, Hawk, Hurricane,
medals during Armed Forces
promenade from Rigby Road to Mustang and Seafire.
Day in Kirkwall
the North Pier to raise money for More details can be found
Help for Heroes and BLESMA online at www.royalnavy.mod.
Picture: Mark Owens
Homes. uk/server/show/nav.6201
011_NN_jul.indd 1 19/6/09 13:54:07
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