UK celebrates its first Armed Forces Day
29 June 2009
On Saturday 27
June, people across the UK marked Armed Forces Day by paying
tribute to British Service men and women.
The Queen attended a ceremony in Edinburgh and around 200 other events were held across the country.
This year's main national celebration was held at the Historic Dockyard in Chatham, Kent where approximately 30,000 people turned out to officially mark the country's first Armed Forces Day. The government changed the name from Veterans Day to raise awareness and appreciation for those on active duty.
Serving personnel and young
recruits from all three branches of the armed forces The Royal
Navy, Army and RAF lined up to greet the dignitaries as they
arrived at Thunderbolt Pier. Veterans of World War II and the
serving soldiers of more recent conflicts marched side by side, age
and youth united in the pride of service to their country.
The official party included Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his wife Sarah, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, and the Chief of the Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup and Defence Minister Kevan Jones.
Mr Brown said: "The people that have come here today have shown the high esteem and regard in which they hold the Armed Forces of our country.
"The Armed Forces who do so much, the families who make such sacrifices. I don't think we say thank you enough, today is our chance to say it and say it with one voice, thank you very much to our Armed Forces."
A video of the day's events can be viewed below (Video Production by RAW Productions and hosted on YouTube for The Royal British Legion.)
After the
Drumhead service in Chatham former Royal Marine commando Sean
Power, 27, spoke of his pride that the services were now being
shown the respect they deserve.
"A few years ago I remember feeling disliked by the public for fighting a hugely unpopular war in Iraq," he said.
"But it is a testament to the hard work of organisations such as The Royal British Legion that people can now distinguish between an unpopular campaign and the soldiers, sailors and airmen and women who have to fight it."
