Tenth Annual Armed Forces Day celebrated across the country
Hundreds of events are being held today across the country to mark the tenth annual Armed Forces Day.
Hawk pilots Lt Nick Weightman (L) and Lt Tom Sawle show their support for Armed Forces Day 2018 at RNAS Culdrose. MOD Crown Copyright.
Men and women from the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force, both Regulars and Reserves, are being recognised alongside the wider defence family including cadets and veterans.
The National Event is taking place in Llandudno, North Wales, attended by Her Royal Highness Princess Anne The Princess Royal, representing the Queen and the Royal Family. Prime Minister Theresa May and Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson are also attending the event, alongside the thousands of attendees who will gather to watch parades, displays and a record number of flypasts.
Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said:
Today we mark the tenth Armed Forces Day and it 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.
I commend Llandudno for an outstanding event and thank organisers across the country for their efforts to mark Armed Forces Day.
The Armed Forces have had a busy year at home, including helping those struggling in heavy snowfall and providing emergency assistance in the aftermath of the Salisbury attack.
They are currently working in more than 25 countries and are ready to respond whenever they’re required. This year we saw over 2,000 personnel deployed to the Caribbean in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, on operations in Iraq and Syria as part of the fight against Daesh, and continue to reassure NATO allies in Europe.