Wales

Armed Forces Day Cardiff

Hundreds of events were held across the UK on Saturday, to mark the second Armed Forces Day. It’s the nation’s chance to show their support for troops and their families, and for veterans of past conflicts. The focal point for this year’s celebrations was Cardiff, where among the attractions HMS Kent was open to the public.

More than a thousand sailors, soldiers and airmen stepped off from Cardiff Castle. In the skies above them, a Lancaster bomber and a spitfire - a show of respect for the veterans also on parade.

As they marched proudly into the arena down at the bay, Prince Charles took the salute.

HMS Kent was one of the big attractions of the day. People queued up for over an hour in the baking sun to get on board the type 23 Frigate.. where they were treated to demonstrations, shown what life is like for the Royal Navy at sea.. and on the crowded bridge, some even got to sit in the Captain’s chair.

The ship’s been at sea for fifteen months out of the last twenty-four, so this was a treat for the crew as well.

Over at the arena, one of the main attractions was the Royal Marines Commando Display Team… an impressive show of unarmed combat. These skills are being used more and more on operations, to disable and disarm the enemy at close quarters.

The stands and stalls remained busy all day…. The armoured vehicles distracting the children from the soaring temperatures… there was an hour long wait for a sit in the Tornado cockpit, but nobody seemed to mind.

Although only in its second year, so successful has Armed Forces Day become, it’s expected to run and run.

Organisers hope that Armed Forces day, and the public’s enthusiasm for it, will make a difference to those on operations.

As the day drew to a close, the crowds headed for the bay, to watch a search and rescue demonstration, and the flypasts, including helicopters, Harriers and of course what flypast would be complete without the Red Arrows.

This was the day the Armed Forces to showed the public what they do, and the public showed them, that they’re behind them all the way.
Charlotte Cross, Forces News, Cardiff.