Countdown To Armed Forces Day 2019 Begins in Salisbury

The countdown to the 2019 National Armed Forces Day weekend has officially begun in Salisbury.

Local dignitaries and serving personnel watched on as red white and blue bunting was fired into the air and a rendition of Dame Vera Lynn’s “We’ll Meet Again” was played by a live band.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook, the leader of Wiltshire Council, is hopeful that the city can make the event the best Armed Forces Day ever:

“Wiltshire, I believe, is the home of the British Army," she said

"Salisbury Plain is the beating heart of the British Army. So what better place to make it the best weekend ever?”

Salisbury is a place where the poisoning of the Skripals and Dawn Sturgess is still very much in people’s minds; the Army was heavily involved in the clean-up operation and it is expected the event will allow residents to thank the military for their support.

“We’ve been shoulder-to-shoulder with the community in Salisbury,” Colonel Andrew Dawes told Forces News.

“Of course Salisbury is where we shop. Salisbury is where our wives and husbands work. It’s where we educate our children.”

Salisbury city centre will be the backdrop for the grand Armed Forces Day Parade with sailors, soldiers and airmen and women marching through the historic streets.

City leaders also hope the day will be a showcase for the 4,000 troops relocating to the area from Germany.

“This is an opportunity to put Salisbury back on the map for very positive reasons,” said Cllr Matthew Dean.

“And we are of course expecting to welcome many thousands of people to National Armed Forces Day. We’ve got the most amazing events.”