Armed Forces Day marked in Buckinghamshire on Monday 20th June 2016

Umbrellas and rain failed to dampen the spirits of guests and onlookers as Buckinghamshire honoured the Armed Forces.

A trumpet voluntary, a sea of umbrellas and a heavy downpour welcomed Armed Forces Day to Buckinghamshire on Monday 20th June 2016.

Watched by dozens of onlookers and civic guests, veteran soldier Alan Grant raised the armed forces flag outside Old County Hall in Aylesbury Market Square to a voluntary by Max Farmer, the Lord Lieutenant’s Preferred Bugler.

Chairman Val Letheren and Lord Lieutenant Sir Henry Aubrey-Fletcher are joined by Alan Grant, Chairman of Royal Green Jackets Association in Aylesbury (left), Travis Humber, the Lord Lieutenant’s Army Cadet, and Max Farmer, the Lord Lieutenant’s Preferred Bugler.

Hosted by Buckinghamshire County Council Chairman Val Letheren and Lord Lieutenant Sir Henry Aubrey-Fletcher, the flag-raising began a celebratory week that culminates in a weekend event at the secret wartime code-breaking centre at Bletchley Park, at which serving services personnel, their families, cadets and veterans will be guests.

The Chairman told guests and onlookers: ‘Showing our support gives a much valued morale boost to the Armed Forces. It’s our opportunity to say a huge thank you to the men and women, and boys and girls, who make up the Armed Forces Family.‘

Father Doug Zimmerman, Rector of Aylesbury, led prayers on behalf of the Armed Forces, while a guard of honour from RAF Halton lined the steps of Old County Hall. Among the civic guests were Group Capt Adrian Burns, commanding officer at RAF Halton, and Group Capt Philip Lester, who commands RAF High Wycombe.

During the flag-raising, the Chairman held a one-minute silence in a tribute to the late Jo Cox, MP for Batley and Spen, who was killed in her West Yorkshire constituency last week.