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Armed Forces Day 2014

Armed Forces Day 2014

On 29 June 2013 Nottingham was the host to the National Armed Forces Day 2013 Event.

The day started with a a parade of more than 600 Service personnel, veterans and cadets marched from the Nottingham Castle to the Old Market Square where a Drumhead Ceremony took place with a fly over by the Red Arrows presided over by Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester representing The Queen and Royal Family. The Market Square event concluded with a flypast of Typhoon aircraft over the Council House as the parade marched off.
( Read more and see some pictures here )

Throughout the city were events to commemorate and pay tribute to the British Armed Forces. Of these events was the displays and events on the Victoria Embankment where you could met and see all the branches of the armed forces.

For me this was an amazing experience as the location of the event was in the area where I grew up, the playing fields were where I learned how to play field hockey at senior school, the River Trent was where I walked my dog. It was on my patch, my home and I felt so proud of that fact.



The large playing fields and the banks of the River Trent held equipment and vehicles for people to interact with. You could try CPR on an army medical dummy, see what how an army surgeon. Look inside a Sea King Helicopter or climb aboard a Typhoon Eurofighter or Chinook Helicopter.



The Mercian Regiment had a mass of equipment and vehicles in their section. You could try on the body armour and equipment, hold a rifle or hand gun, fire one of their big guns or climb aboard one of the vehicles. The rifle they were showing did not look real but it was, it was unloaded but still the real thing and very heavy. The 9mm Glock looked more like a toy than a real weapon, it was lighter than I expected but easy to handle. That was the first time I had touched a real gun, in the past in museums and whatnot I have only handled reproductions.



One of the displays was the daily patrol field rations. A little stove, dried food packs, MRE type meals, chocolate, biscuits, crackers and dried fruit drinks that together with the 10 litres of water, their weapon and body armour make up the daily equipment pack weighing up to 80Kg. I will never moan about carrying groceries again.



The Royal Marine sped along the river in their boats then invaded Victoria Embankment giving the crowds a little taste of the manoeuvers they go through.



The magnificent Battle of Britain Memorial flight over the events, proved to be an amazing airshow the like we have not seen in Nottingham in years. Firstly a solo Dakota flew low enough to almost touch the pilot, circling over the Meadows and Bridgford, then Lancaster Bomber, Spitfire, Hurricane in formation. Later, a Sea Fury and a Royal Navy Lynx helicopter circled and spead over the fields and river amazing everyone.



Also I saw the historical section where you saw the re-enactment groups, Romans, Vikings, middle ages, Crimea, Boar War & Zulu Wars, and WWI. Each group displaying with their mock battles and fights, the troops and defenders of this country throughout history. Also what life was like at home during the historical wars. How the women followed the men to provide the ancillary services.



I was able to touch my own family history through some of these sections, my 3 time great grandfather was in Crimea and later in India during the Indian Mutiny. He was a member of the 11th HUSSARS (or Prince Albert's Own) Hussars, nicknamed The Cherry Pickers and was a survivor the Charge of the Light Brigade.



My 2 time great grandfather was in the Boar War and fought in Southern Africa. Both my Great Grandfathers were both on the Somme in WWI as was my Great Uncle. My grandfather was in WWII, he was first in the Royal Auxiliary Air Force working alongside the merchant Navy in the Mediterranean before signing up as a member of the RAF and after the war when he demobbed he joined the TA (Territorial Army) and my father was a Sherwood Forester, (similar to The Canadian Grey and Simcoe Foresters,) he served in Malaya and Singapore during the police action and when he returned to the UK served in Northern Ireland which is now where the home base of the 2nd Battalion of the Mercian Regiment resides.



I occurred to me halfway through the afternoon that I rather like seeing men in uniform and boy where there so really hot and good looking men, add the blue or green uniforms and no wonder I was feeling rather warm all afternoon.



I spent the day surrounded by these brave men and women many of them local to Nottingham or with ties to the city such as the 2nd Battalion of the Mercian Regiment (formerly Worcester and Sherwood Foresters) and some from overseas like the diver from Canada and the sailor from Australia.



Friendly, polite and courteous, with smiles and oodles of patience throughout my natter and questions.



These photographs are dedicated to all those brave men and women throughout our history who have served our country proudly.



We thank you for your bravery, your service and dedication. Best Wishes to you all. We are proud of you, Our Soldiers, Our Heroes.