Armed Forces Day (formerly Veterans' Day) in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
is an annual event celebrated in late June to commemorate the service of men and women in the
British Armed Forces
The British Armed Forces, also known as His Majesty's Armed Forces, are the military forces responsible for the defence of the United Kingdom, its Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies. They also promote the UK's wider interests, s ...
. Veterans' Day was first observed in 2006.
Although an official event, it is not a
public holiday
A public holiday, national holiday, or legal holiday is a holiday generally established by law and is usually a non-working day during the year.
Sovereign nations and territories observe holidays based on events of significance to their history, ...
in the UK. The name was changed to Armed Forces Day in 2009. Armed Forces Day has so far been observed on the last Saturday of June.
Origins
Plans for a Veterans' Day were announced in February 2006 by then-
Chancellor of the Exchequer
The chancellor of the Exchequer, often abbreviated to chancellor, is a senior minister of the Crown within the Government of the United Kingdom, and head of His Majesty's Treasury. As one of the four Great Offices of State, the Chancellor is ...
,
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown (born 20 February 1951) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party (UK), Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 to 2010. He previously served as Chance ...
, who said the aim was to ensure the contribution of veterans was never forgotten. The day is marked across the UK by local ceremonies and the presentation of medals to living ex-servicemen and women. The date of 27 June was chosen as it came the day after the anniversary of the first investiture of the
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...
, in
Hyde Park
Hyde Park may refer to:
Places
England
* Hyde Park, London, a Royal Park in Central London
* Hyde Park, Leeds, an inner-city area of north-west Leeds
* Hyde Park, Sheffield, district of Sheffield
* Hyde Park, in Hyde, Greater Manchester
Austra ...
, London in 1857.
Veterans' Day was created as a permanent extension of Veterans' Awareness Week first held in 2005. Armed Forces Day generally focuses on celebrating living current/ex servicemen & women, whereas Remembrance Day focuses on honouring the dead. Although it used to be called Veterans' Day in the UK, it is not the same as the United States'
Veterans Day
Veterans Day (originally known as Armistice Day) is a federal holiday in the United States observed annually on November 11, for honoring military veterans of the United States Armed Forces (who were discharged under conditions other than di ...
which is more similar to
Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day (also known as Poppy Day owing to the tradition of wearing a remembrance poppy) is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth member states since the end of the First World War to honour armed forces members who have died in t ...
in the
Commonwealth
A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...
.
On 25 June 2007
Jim Devine, the Member of Parliament for
Livingston
Livingston may refer to:
Businesses
* Livingston Energy Flight, an Italian airline (2003–2010)
* Livingston Compagnia Aerea, an Italian airline (2011–2014), also known as Livingston Airline
* Livingston International, a North American custom ...
, tabled a
House of Commons Early Day Motion
In the Westminster parliamentary system, an early day motion (EDM) is a Motion (parliamentary procedure), motion, expressed as a single sentence, Table (parliamentary procedure), tabled by Member of Parliament, members of Parliament that formally ...
calling for the day to be a public holiday, stating "that this House recognises the outstanding contribution that veterans have made to the country; and believes that Veterans' Day should be a national public holiday across the United Kingdom."
Veterans' Day
2006
The first Veterans' Day in 2006 saw a series of events across the UK which included an event at the
Imperial War Museum
Imperial War Museums (IWM) is a British national museum organisation with branches at five locations in England, three of which are in London. Founded as the Imperial War Museum in 1917, the museum was intended to record the civil and military ...
in London, which was attended by
Lachhiman Gurung
Lachhiman Gurung ( ne, लाछिमान गुरुङ; 30 December 1917 – 12 December 2010) was a Nepalese–British Gurkha recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy ...
VC, a
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...
ese recipient of the
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...
, which was awarded for bravery in 1945 when he was a
Rifleman in the
4th Battalion of The 8th Gurkha Rifles,
British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, commonly referred to as the Indian Army, was the main military of the British Raj before its dissolution in 1947. It was responsible for the defence of the British Indian Empire, including the princely states, which co ...
during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
in
Burma (Myanmar)
Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...
, and
Corporal Christopher Finney
Christopher Finney, (born 23 May 1984) is a former British soldier of the Blues and Royals who was awarded the George Cross for bravery under friendly fire during the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Finney grew up in Marple, near Stockport, before moving ...
GC of the
Blues and Royals who was awarded the
George Cross
The George Cross (GC) is the highest award bestowed by the British government for non-operational gallantry or gallantry not in the presence of an enemy. In the British honours system, the George Cross, since its introduction in 1940, has been ...
for bravery under
friendly fire during the
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq was a United States-led invasion of the Republic of Iraq and the first stage of the Iraq War. The invasion phase began on 19 March 2003 (air) and 20 March 2003 (ground) and lasted just over one month, including 26 ...
. Parades were held in
Dundee
Dundee (; sco, Dundee; gd, Dùn Dè or ) is Scotland's fourth-largest city and the 51st-most-populous built-up area in the United Kingdom. The mid-year population estimate for 2016 was , giving Dundee a population density of 2,478/km2 or ...
and
Staffordshire
Staffordshire (; postal abbreviation Staffs.) is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. It borders Cheshire to the northwest, Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east, Warwickshire to the southeast, the West Midlands Cou ...
as well as a service at
Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United ...
. There was also an evening reception at
10 Downing Street
10 Downing Street in London, also known colloquially in the United Kingdom as Number 10, is the official residence and executive office of the first lord of the treasury, usually, by convention, the prime minister of the United Kingdom. Along wi ...
for representatives of veterans associations.
2007
The 2007 national event was held in
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...
as the start of a five-day event from 27 June to 1 July. In the morning there was a "Parade of Standards" which was led by
The Central Band of the Royal Air Force, from the
International Convention Centre (ICC) to the
Hall of Memory Hall of Memory is a name used for some memorials, including:
* The Hall of Memory, Birmingham, a war memorial in Birmingham, United Kingdom, honoring residents killed in World War I.
* The octagonal chapel at the heart of the Australian War Memori ...
in
Centenary Square
Centenary Square is a public square on the north side of Broad Street in Birmingham, England, named in 1989 to commemorate the centenary of Birmingham achieving city status. The area was an industrial area of small workshops and canal wharves ...
.
The day also included celebrations in
Victoria Square where a Spitfire aircraft was on display and the Minister for Veterans
Derek Twigg
John Derek Twigg (born 9 July 1959) is a British Labour Party politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Halton in Cheshire since the 1997 general election.
Early life
Twigg attended Bankfield High School (now Ormiston Ch ...
presented five Veterans' Badges and met the families of service personnel who died in the line of duty.
2008
For the 2008 Veterans' Day, the national event was hosted in
Blackpool
Blackpool is a seaside resort in Lancashire, England. Located on the North West England, northwest coast of England, it is the main settlement within the Borough of Blackpool, borough also called Blackpool. The town is by the Irish Sea, betw ...
as part of the resort's annual "National Veterans' Week" which ran from 21 to 29 June 2008.
Events were held throughout the UK and the day was promoted by a nationwide
television advert.
The National Veterans' Day Service was held at Blackpool Cenotaph, a
Grade II Listed building which had just been restored, by
North Pier
North Pier is the most northerly of the three coastal piers in Blackpool, England. Built in the 1860s, it is also the oldest and longest of the three. Although originally intended only as a promenade, competition forced the pier to widen its ...
on central promenade. The service was led by the
Bishop of Blackburn
The Bishop of Blackburn is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Blackburn in the Province of York.
The diocese covers much of the county of Lancashire and has its see in the town of Blackburn, where the seat of the diocese is locat ...
and was attended by
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Derek Twigg and General Sir
Richard Dannatt, the
Chief of the General Staff, as well as
Henry Allingham (at the time, he was the oldest surviving veteran of
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
).
The service was followed by a "Schools Veterans' Day Thank You" performed by local school children.
Various other events were held throughout Blackpool during the day including a "Badge Presentation ceremony" in the
Tower Ballroom
Blackpool Tower is a tourist attraction in Blackpool, Lancashire, England, which was opened to the public on 14 May 1894. When it opened, Blackpool Tower was the List of tallest buildings in the British Empire and the Commonwealth, tallest man m ...
with the Duchess of Cornwall presenting veteran badges to among others,
Martin Bell.
There was also a Veterans' Parade along the promenade and a
Falklands War
The Falklands War ( es, link=no, Guerra de las Malvinas) was a ten-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British dependent territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands and its territorial de ...
veteran abseiled down
Blackpool Tower.
The weekly
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It is the most popular station in the United Kingdom with over 15 million weekly listeners. Since launching in 1967, the station broadcasts a wide range of content. ...
programme ''Friday Night is Music Night'' was broadcast live from the
Opera House
An opera house is a theatre building used for performances of opera. It usually includes a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and building sets.
While some venues are constructed specifically for o ...
presented by
Ken Bruce with the
BBC Concert Orchestra,
Alfie Boe
Alfred Giovanni Roncalli Boe (born 29 September 1973) is an English tenor and actor, notably performing in musical theatre.
He is best known for his performances as Jean Valjean in the musical ''Les Misérables'' at the Queen's Theatre in Lo ...
and Rebecca Thornhill.
The
Red Devils parachute display team performed an illuminated "night time parachute drop" outside North Pier
and the day ended with a Firework Finale from the pier.
Other events included a commemoration at
Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square ( ) is a public square in the City of Westminster, Central London, laid out in the early 19th century around the area formerly known as Charing Cross. At its centre is a high column bearing a statue of Admiral Nelson commemo ...
in London.
Armed Forces Day
2009
In 2009 the name of the event was changed to Armed Forces Day, to raise awareness and appreciation for those on active duty. It took place on Saturday 27 June. The host town was
Chatham, Kent
Chatham ( ) is a town located within the Medway unitary authority in the ceremonial county of Kent, England. The town forms a conurbation with neighbouring towns Gillingham, Rochester, Strood and Rainham.
The town developed around Chatham ...
with events elsewhere, including London.
2010
Armed Forces Day 2010 was held on Saturday 26 June, hosted in the Welsh capital of
Cardiff
Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...
.
The day-long celebrations included a military parade from
Cardiff Castle
Cardiff Castle ( cy, Castell Caerdydd) is a medieval castle and Victorian Gothic revival mansion located in the city centre of Cardiff, Wales. The original motte and bailey castle was built in the late 11th century by Norman invaders on top ...
to
Cardiff Bay
Cardiff Bay ( cy, Bae Caerdydd; historically Tiger Bay; colloquially "The Bay") is an area and freshwater lake in Cardiff, Wales. The site of a former tidal bay and estuary, it serves as the river mouth of the River Taff and Ely. The body of w ...
and the city's waterfront, where a range of events, activities and artistic performances were staged on land, sea and air. The parade was led by
the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall. Royal Navy frigate
HMS ''Kent'' was docked in Cardiff to take part in the events. An estimated 50,000 people attended the celebrations in the city.
Among the cities joining Cardiff in hosting events were Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Plymouth, Nottingham, Bristol and Manchester.
Events in Cardiff included:
*A traditional Drumhead Service in
Roald Dahl Plass
*Fly-overs by the
Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, the
Red Arrows
The Red Arrows, officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, is the aerobatics display team of the Royal Air Force based at RAF Waddington. The team was formed in late 1964 as an all-RAF team, replacing a number of unofficial teams ...
and Helicopter Formation
*Arena displays in Roald Dahl Plass including the Royal Marine Commando Display Team, and the
Royal Marine Band
*Military displays representing all of the armed forces throughout
Cardiff Bay
Cardiff Bay ( cy, Bae Caerdydd; historically Tiger Bay; colloquially "The Bay") is an area and freshwater lake in Cardiff, Wales. The site of a former tidal bay and estuary, it serves as the river mouth of the River Taff and Ely. The body of w ...
*Search and rescue
Sea King rescue display on the water
*The opportunity to go aboard HMS ''Kent'' docked in Roath Basin for the weekend
*An evening of stage performances featuring The Soldiers and Welsh male voice choir
Only Men Aloud!
Only Men Aloud is a male voice choir from Wales. The choir came to national prominence in the UK when they won the ''Last Choir Standing'' competition run by BBC television during 2008.
Overview
The choir was formed by Tim Rhys-Evans, a classica ...
*A firework finale over the waters of Cardiff Bay
2011
Armed Forces Day 2011 took place on Saturday 25 June, with the main parade held on the
Royal Mile
The Royal Mile () is a succession of streets forming the main thoroughfare of the Old Town of the city of Edinburgh in Scotland. The term was first used descriptively in W. M. Gilbert's ''Edinburgh in the Nineteenth Century'' (1901), des ...
in the Scottish capital of
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
, which was that year's host city. The personnel of the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
,
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
and
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
took the salute from
Prince Charles
Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to ...
, at the
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament ( gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba ; sco, Scots Pairlament) is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. Located in the Holyrood area of the capital city, Edinburgh, it is frequently referred to by the metonym Holyro ...
, in the presence of dignitaries, including the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary, the Defence Secretary, the First Minister of Scotland, and the
Chief of the Defence Staff. Over Edinburgh there was a fly-past by the
Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and the
Red Arrows
The Red Arrows, officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, is the aerobatics display team of the Royal Air Force based at RAF Waddington. The team was formed in late 1964 as an all-RAF team, replacing a number of unofficial teams ...
.
HMS ''Portland'', a Royal Navy frigate, was moored at
Leith
Leith (; gd, Lìte) is a port area in the north of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, founded at the mouth of the Water of Leith. In 2021, it was ranked by '' Time Out'' as one of the top five neighbourhoods to live in the world.
The earliest ...
, Edinburgh's port, for public tours.
In
Windsor, Berkshire
Windsor is a historic market town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British monarch. The town is situated west of ...
, at the Victoria Barracks, the
Irish Guards were awarded their
Afghan operational medals by
Prince William
William, Prince of Wales, (William Arthur Philip Louis; born 21 June 1982) is the heir apparent to the British throne. He is the elder son of King Charles III and his first wife Diana, Princess of Wales.
Born in London, William was educat ...
– who is their ceremonial
Colonel of the Regiment – and
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.
Further events and parades were held across the United Kingdom. At the Royal Navy's base in
Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council.
Portsmouth is the most dens ...
, a number of public events took place over the weekend, and Royal Navy destroyers
HMS ''Gloucester'' and
HMS ''Daring'' were docked and available to the public.
2012
UK Armed Forces Day 2012 was centred on
Plymouth
Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west.
Plymouth ...
and took place on Saturday 30 June. Similar events were held throughout the United Kingdom.
2013
UK Armed Forces Day 2013 was centred on
Nottingham
Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east ...
and took place on Saturday 29 June. Over 300 similar events were held throughout the United Kingdom.
2014
UK Armed Forces Day 2014 was centred on
Stirling and took place on Saturday 28 June. Hundreds of similar events were held throughout the United Kingdom.
2015
UK Armed Forces Day 2015 was centred on
Guildford
Guildford ()
is a town in west Surrey, around southwest of central London. As of the 2011 census, the town has a population of about 77,000 and is the seat of the wider Borough of Guildford, which had around inhabitants in . The name "Guildf ...
on Saturday 27 June. Hundreds of similar local events were held throughout the United Kingdom.
2016
![Detail above the newly dedicated memorial gate, Cleethorpes (geograph 3533899)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/Detail_above_the_newly_dedicated_memorial_gate%2C_Cleethorpes_%28geograph_3533899%29.jpg)
UK Armed Forces Day 2016 was centred on the
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire (abbreviated Lincs.) is a county in the East Midlands of England, with a long coastline on the North Sea to the east. It borders Norfolk to the south-east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south-west, Leicestershire ...
resort of
Cleethorpes
Cleethorpes () is a seaside town on the estuary of the Humber in North East Lincolnshire, England with a population of 38,372 in 2020. It has been permanently occupied since the 6th century, with fishing as its original industry, then develo ...
on Saturday 25 June, with some activities on 26 June hosted in
Grimsby Docks
The Port of Grimsby is located on the south bank of the Humber Estuary at Grimsby in North East Lincolnshire. Sea trade out of Grimsby dates to at least the medieval period. The ''Grimsby Haven Company'' began dock development in the late 1700s ...
.
2017
Held at Liverpool
2018
Llandudno
Llandudno (, ) is a seaside resort, town and community in Conwy County Borough, Wales, located on the Creuddyn peninsula, which protrudes into the Irish Sea. In the 2011 UK census, the community – which includes Gogarth, Penrhyn Bay, Craigsi ...
was the host city for UK Armed Forces Day 2018, which was celebrated on Saturday 2 June.
2019
Salisbury
Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath.
Salisbury is in the southeast of Wil ...
was the host city for UK Armed Forces Day 2019, which was celebrated on Saturday 28 June.
2020
Scarborough Scarborough or Scarboro may refer to:
People
* Scarborough (surname)
* Earl of Scarbrough
Places Australia
* Scarborough, Western Australia, suburb of Perth
* Scarborough, New South Wales, suburb of Wollongong
* Scarborough, Queensland, sub ...
was to be the host location for the 2020 UK Armed Forces Day event on Saturday 27 June. Scarborough was chosen to host the national event in June 2018 after submitting a bid which was described by the
MoD
Mod, MOD or mods may refer to:
Places
* Modesto City–County Airport, Stanislaus County, California, US
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* Mods (band), a Norwegian rock band
* M.O.D. (Method of Destruction), a band from New York City, US ...
as “outstanding”.
The event was due to take place on 27 June 2020, but has been postponed until 2022 due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
.
2021
Not held due to COVID-19 Pandemic.
2022
Planned for 25 June, with the host town being Scarborough, which was to be host in the cancelled 2020 day.
Protests
Armed Forces Day is regularly challenged by pacifist and anti-war groups. The
Peace Pledge Union described the introduction of Armed Forces Day in 2009 as an example of "everyday militarism" through which military attitudes and organisations become more involved in civilian life. There have been protests and vigils against Armed Forces Day in various towns and cities. In 2018, the
Peace Pledge Union claimed there were protests in more places than at any time since Armed Forces Day was introduced in the UK in 2009.
There has been particular criticism of the involvement of children in Armed Forces Day events, with some objecting to situations in which small children are invited to handle real weapons.
In
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
, there is much support for Armed Forces Day from the
unionist community. However, each year the flying of Armed Forces Day flags from
council
A council is a group of people who come together to consult, deliberate, or make decisions. A council may function as a legislature, especially at a town, city or county/shire level, but most legislative bodies at the state/provincial or natio ...
buildings has met with opposition, due to
some of the actions of the British Army during
The Troubles
The Troubles ( ga, Na Trioblóidí) were an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted about 30 years from the late 1960s to 1998. Also known internationally as the Northern Ireland conflict, it is sometimes described as an "i ...
. The opposition has come from
Irish nationalist/
republican groups, and from the families of those who were victims of the British Army.
["Statement by Sinn Fein on 'Armed Forces' flag at Belfast City Hall"]
Official Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin ( , ; en, " eOurselves") is an Irish republican and democratic socialist political party active throughout both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
The original Sinn Féin organisation was founded in 1905 by Arthur Gri ...
website. 24 June 2009. Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin ( , ; en, " eOurselves") is an Irish republican and democratic socialist political party active throughout both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
The original Sinn Féin organisation was founded in 1905 by Arthur Gri ...
argued that it dishonours the "hundreds of Irish citizens" killed by the British Army during the conflict and is an insult to their families.
[ Republican group ]Éirígí
Éirígí (), officially Éirígí For A New Republic, is a socialist republican political party in Ireland. The party name, , means "Arise" or "Rise Up" in Irish, and is a reference to the slogan "The great only appear great because we are on ...
, who hold a yearly protest in Belfast, have called the event a "propaganda stunt" motivated by "rising recruitment rates" and "growing disgust at the British military's contemporary wars of conquest". Before 2012, the Ministry of Defence had asked Belfast City Council to fly the flag from Belfast City Hall
Belfast City Hall ( ga, Halla na Cathrach Bhéal Feirste; Ulster-Scots: ''Bilfawst Citie Haw'') is the civic building of Belfast City Council located in Donegall Square, Belfast, Northern Ireland. It faces North and effectively divides the comm ...
for one day. Since 2012, it has asked that the flag be flown for six days."Armed Forces flag to fly for six days at City Hall"
''BBC News
BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broadca ...
''. 22 June 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
References
{{reflist, 30em
External links
Armed Forces Day website Armed Forces Day Facebook pageVeterans' UK website2008 Veterans' Week websiteVeterans' Day Wales websiteAndover Armed Forces Day website
2006 establishments in the United Kingdom
Annual events in the United Kingdom
Armed Forces days
Holidays and observances by scheduling (nth weekday of the month)
June observances
Military life
Military of the United Kingdom
Observances in the United Kingdom
Public holidays in the United Kingdom
Recurring events established in 2006
Veterans' affairs in the United Kingdom
Veterans days