Navy News August 2009

14 NAVY NEWS, AUGUST 2009
Picture: Cpl Rachel Malthouse (RAF)
Picture: Sgt Andy Malthouse (RAF
Britain salutes
THE NATION took the
in Cardiff, which in 2009 was
chance to demonstrate its
one of around 200 towns, cities
support for the Armed Forces
and villages in the UK to stage an
past, present and future at
event on or around June 27.
Other major centres of
hundreds of events across the
celebration included Nottingham,
kingdom.
Southend, Edinburgh, Plymouth,
And serving personnel joined
Manchester and Birmingham.
the initiative at home and abroad,
As part of Blackpool’s events
flying the distinctive Armed Forces
a team of 22 staff from Metro
Day flag in Europe, the Middle
Picture: Cpl Rachel Malthouse (RAF)
Coastlines plus a group of serving
East and beyond.
soldiers pulled a 14-ton tram –
The centrepiece of the day was
the single-deck HMS Blackpool,
the national event at Chatham
complete with ‘guns’ – along the
Historic Dockyard, where more
famous promenade.
than 30,000 people enjoyed
– the Armed Forces who do so Driver Mick Smith, with
parades, concerts, exhibitions and
much, the families who make such colleague Carl O’Hara, set the
displays – and the chance to learn
sacrifices. initiative in motion in a bid to raise
exactly what the UK’s sailors,
“I don’t think we say thank you funds for Help for Heroes and
soldiers and air force personnel
enough. Today is our chance to BLESMA, the British Limbless
are involved in.
say it and say it with one voice Ex-Servicemen’s Association.
Serving men and women of all
– thank you very much to our Mick served five years in the
ages and ranks chatted to members
Armed Forces.” RN during the 1970s, and of the
of the public in the warm sunshine
Sir Jock Stirrup said: “The many ten ex-Service personnel doing
as they demonstrated the equipment
events that are taking place today the push three were ex-RN and
and training that is the bread-and-
and the enthusiasm the British one was a former Royal Marine.
butter of their daily routine.
public has shown for Armed In the capital the London Eye
A tri-Service parade of 200
Forces Day mean a great deal to was lit up in red, white and blue to
currently-serving personnel and
those in the military family.” mark Armed Forces Day.
450 veterans wound through
A tri-Service display on the Defence Secretary Bob
the town, and was met by Prime
River Medway, and a fly-past by Ainsworth flew to Afghanistan to
Minister Gordon Brown, the
the Battle of Britain Memorial spend the big day with deployed
Duke and Duchess of Gloucester
Flight, to say nothing of a display troops.
and the Chief of the Defence
by the Red Arrows, faced tough He said: “Every day the men
Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock
competition from digital shooting and women of our Armed Forces
Stirrup, at the dockyard, where
ranges, climbing and abseiling are risking their lives for the
they took the salute.
challenges, an inflatable assault defence of our country.
The Prime Minister said: “The
course and a wide range of tanks “They are the guardians of our
people that have come here today
and other vehicles which were just security and our values.
have shown the high esteem and
begging to be crawled all over. “Armed Forces Day is an
regard in which they hold the
It has been decided that next opportunity for us all to recognise
Armed Forces of our country
year’s national event is to be held their commitment, their courage,
Picture: PO(Phot) Mez Merrill
014-015_NN_aug.indd 1 21/7/09 15:00:41
Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5 | Page 6 | Page 7 | Page 8 | Page 9 | Page 10 | Page 11 | Page 12 | Page 13 | Page 14 | Page 15 | Page 16 | Page 17 | Page 18 | Page 19 | Page 20 | Page 21 | Page 22 | Page 23 | Page 24 | Page 25 | Page 26 | Page 27 | Page 28 | Page 29 | Page 30 | Page 31 | Page 32 | Page 33 | Page 34 | Page 35 | Page 36 | Page 37 | Page 38 | Page 39 | Page 40 | Page 41 | Page 42 | Page 43 | Page 44 | Page 45 | Page 46 | Page 47 | Page 48 | Page 49 | Page 50 | Page 51 | Page 52 | Page 53