Saturday 30th June will see hundreds of events held to mark the tenth annual Armed Forces Day, including parades and ceremonies right across the country…
Men and women from the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force, both Regulars and Reserves, will be recognised alongside the wider defence family including cadets and veterans.
The national event will take place in Llandudno, North Wales, attended by Her Royal Highness Princess Anne The Princess Royal representing the Queen and the Royal Family, the Prime Minister Theresa May and the Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, along with other senior politicians.
Excitement is building in Llandudno and thousands of people are expected to see a record number of flypasts, displays and exhibitions.
Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said: “Armed Forces Day remains a valuable opportunity to honour our troops who work so hard to keep us safe. Our servicemen and women are on hand every hour of every day to protect us from the threats we face and today I encourage people across the UK to come together and salute them for their tireless commitment.”
Since last year’s Armed Forces Day the UK Armed Forces have had a busy year at home and around the world, including helping those struggling in heavy snowfall and the emergency assistance provided in the aftermath of the Salisbury attack.
The Armed Forces have continued to work further afield, including in Iraq and Syria where they continued to take the fight to Daesh, helping to drive the terrorists back and give ordinary people in those countries the chance to rebuild their lives.
Around the world our troops have worked day and night, reassuring NATO allies in Europe and deploying over 2,000 personnel to the Caribbean in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma.
The UK Armed Forces are currently involved in over 20 operations in more than 25 countries, from Estonia to Iraq. But many of those back at home will be in attendance at Armed Forces Day events across the country.
Also present will be many veterans that make up the estimated 2.56 million Armed Forces veteran community living in the UK. Young cadets will be present too; together the Sea, Army and Air Cadets have almost 100,000 members.
On the 30th June, a parade of around 1,000 serving personnel, veterans, cadets and marching bands will step off from the Llandudno War Memorial at 11am to signal the start of the Armed Forces Day celebrations.
