Time to celebrate our Armed Forces

Since its inception in 2006, then named Veterans' Day, the annual event has received widespread support from the public.

Across the region, dozens of events will be taking place from flypasts, to marching bands to displays of historic military vehicles. Among the biggest celebration will be Sunday's event at Himley Hall and Park.

The event will run from 11am to 5pm and include a presentation of he HM Armed Forces Veterans' Badge by the Mayor of Dudley to veterans living in the borough.

There will also be a youth marching band competition, a display of historic military vehicles and children's entertainment including a zip line.

At RAF Cosford on Saturday there will be a flypast by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Dakota.

And at the RAF Museum, Cosford veterans will be enjoy a day of activities, including a lunch where they will have the rare opportunity of dining amongst the aircraft and artefacts in Hangar 1.

The Jays, a 1940s singing quintet, will resurrect the hits of The Andrews Sisters and The Glenn Miller Orchestra.

There will also be a big event in Oldbury on Saturday with a parade and medal ceremony with the Mayor of Sandwell Councillor Barbara Price carrying out the presentation.

Other activities and entertainment include a drill by Air Cadets, bhangra music and dhol drummers, songs by Maggie O'Hara, music by Ukulele Union and children's rides.

One of the organisers behind the event is Nobby Clarke, who served for more than 20 years in the Royal Signals.

He said: "There are lot of families in Britain who have some ties to the Armed Forces. It is about their sons who served, their relations who served. We must not forget what happened in the past and what will happen in the future. We must not forget what they did and what went on.

"That goes for those who served in the First World War. We want to remember them and what they did for us. It equally goes for the Second World War in which my father served and all other arena where British people have been involved."

Mr Clarke, who works with the Royal British Legion, believes there is a growing trend of people wishing to support Armed Forces Day. He added: "It is quite surprising people say to us all the time they have found sets of medals having looked back in their family's history.The numbers who support military charities like Help for Heroes is also growing all the time.

"Interest now seems to go beyond the First World War and the Second World War. It is now about Waterloo and other conflicts as well."

"What is great is there is also a lot of interest we see from the kids. As part of the Royal British Legion we go into the schools and do some classes and the kids get dressed up in First World War uniform."

Other events being held this weekend include a parade through Wolverhampton city centre and a 1940s family fun day on Pelsall Common on Saturday.

The event will have stallholders, a field hospital, military vehicles and re-enactments, fairground rides, singers, musicians and children's wartime games and refreshments.

At the National Memorial Arboretum organisers are putting on a packed schedule of military bands and a talk by the Royal Naval Association in addition to the Daily Act of Remembrance.

In Birmingham, crowds will gather in Centenary Square. Veterans' Associations such as the Royal British Legion, Help for Heroes and War Widows Association will have stalls at the event while the Army cadets will be providing a paintball range.

The country's biggest event is in Guildford tomorrow with 60,000 people expected to attend alongside hundreds of armed forces personnel, veterans and cadets.

Mr Clarke said those who serve in the forces form a unique bond and it was great to see the public show their appreciation.

"The point is for people who have been in the Armed Forces it is a brotherhood, it is a family," he explained.

"When people come out of the forces it is like being reborn. You have to learn the civilian way of life, but we never forget the things we saw and the things we did."

Visit www.armedforcesday.org.uk