NAVY NEWS, AUGUST 2008 29
Picture: Sgt Graham Spark
Nation celebrates
Forces veterans
THOUSANDS of people lined not just grizzled old veterans
the Golden Mile at Blackpool with their grandchildren, but
to see the Duchess of young families who, he hoped,
Cornwall launch National will have gone home a little
Veterans Day. wiser about veterans’ issues.
The famous old resort put Apart from Veterans Day
Picture: Stuart Bingham
on a spectacular programme programmes, there have
of events over a week, but the been other high-profile
main focus was on the day
acts of remembrance in
dedicated to veterans of all
recent weeks, two of them
ages.
at iconic memorials.
Former paratrooper
A service was held
Tony Barlow, now a civilian
at the Armed Forces
firefighter, set the tone by
white-tipped reef shark, Although Blackpool was the
Memorial in Staffordshire
abseiling down Blackpool
it was presented to him by centre of attention nationally,
to commemorate the
Tower to be presented with his
102 UK Servicemen and
veterans badge.
the minister, along with his hundreds of other events,
were staged
women killed on duty
Another unusual badge
certificate.
large and small,
around the country as the
during 2007.
ceremony took place at the
The Duchess of Cornwall
British public paid tribute to Nine of them were
Blackpool Sea Life Centre,
later took a tram to the
the Armed Forces of yesterday members of the Royal
where ex-Royal Navy diver
North Pier, where many of
and today. Navy.
Lyndon Evans recovered his
the activities for veterans were
On the eve of Veterans Their names have
badge from the bottom of the
based.
Day itself, 15 veterans were recently been added to the
shark tank.
Among the old warriors she
presented with their badges by structure, at the National
Watched by Veterans
met was 112-year-old Henry
Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Memorial Arboretum,
Minister Derek Twigg, Lyndon
Allingham, the former World
at a reception at Number 10 and each was read out
– now a Blackpool hotelier –
War 1 Naval aviator and RAF
Downing Street. to the congregation by
used the skills he learnt with
veteran.
Those attending represented representatives of their
the Navy to train Sea Life Veterans minister Derek
a cross-section of forces, respective Services.
Centre divers when the facility Twigg praised both the event
including all three Services,
opened a few years ago. – the third annual celebration
The memorial already
merchant seamen who bears the names of around
After collecting his badge, – and the response from the
supported military operations 16,000 people who died
closely watched by the odd people of Blackpool.
and war widows, and of while on duty since 1948.
deployments from the past
Among those attending
70 years, from Normandy to
was the Prince of Wales,
Sierra Leone and from the
who laid a wreath.
Falklands to Northern Ireland,
The Armed Forces
Kosovo and Iraq.
were represented by
Sea Cadets took a leading
Vice Admiral Peter
role in events at Bristol, where
Wilkinson, the Deputy
the youngsters marched into
Chief of the Defence Staff
the arena at the start, along
(Personnel).
with their khaki and light-
There was a slightly
blue colleagues, and then
sparser attendance, but
performed Ceremonial Sunset
an appropriately rugged
at the close.
setting, for the annual
Also prominent were the
Royal Marines Association
local branches of the Royal
parade in Scotland.
Naval Association, the Royal
Veteran bootnecks
Marines Association and the
from across the country
Bristol reserve unit, HMS
joined together at the
Flying Fox.
Spean Bridge Commando
The Fleet also had a major
Memorial, near Fort
part to play in events around
William.
the country.
Under a glowering sky,
At Plymouth, Type 22
the veterans were joined by
frigates HM ships Cumberland
16 members of the Fleet
and Cornwall carried out a
Protection Group RM
13-gun salute and steam-past
from Faslane, including
of the Hoe in full ceremonial Officer in Charge Col
order. Richard Spencer and
The Historic Dockyard FPGRM padre Rev David
at Chatham was host to a Devenney, who conducted
Veterans Day event, which also a short service.
celebrated the centenary of the Old and young then
Territorial Army. joined to march past the
Organiser Bill Fowler said he 17ft bronze sculpture
was particularly pleased by the of three commandos in
age range of those attending – battledress.
● Clockwise from top left: a Dakota on a fl y-past of the
Armed Forces Memorial in Staffordshire; ex-Royal Navy
diver Lyndon Evans collects his veterans badge from the
shark tank at Blackpool Sea Life Centre; veterans parade
their standards at Blackpool; Royal Marines gather at the
Spean Bridge Commando Memorial
Picture: LA(Phot) Del Trotter Picture: Stuart Bingham
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