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Armed Forces Day marked in Folkestone with a free event at Radnor Park

00:00, 25 June 2016

updated: 09:04, 25 June 2016

Folkestone’s Armed Forces Day will see various groups come together to honour people who have served for this country.

It will start at 11am at Radnor Park today and is free for all.

Youngsters from Cadet forces and Army units will be coming together to mark the service, and joining them will be The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment Parachute Display Team – The Tigers.

They will be providing a freefall display into the park arena.

Cllr Jan Holben raises the flag for Armed Forces day outside the Civic Centre
Cllr Jan Holben raises the flag for Armed Forces day outside the Civic Centre

The Ministry of Defence has fully supported the event by contributing money to it.

After the welcome speeches from the town mayor of Folkestone Cllr Martin Salmon, Lt Col Andrew Betts and MP Damian Collins, there will be a formal recognition award to Robert Saxby.

He is a D-Day veteran who received the Legion d’ honneurin December 2015.

As an Able Seaman of the Royal Navy, he served on HMS Magpie as part of the second support group on the Normandy landings.

Mr Saxby received the highest distinction awarded in France after French president Francois Hollande decided in 2014, during the 70th anniversary of the landings that France needed to do more to thank those who fought so bravely to help free their country.

Those attending will have the opportunity to visit the many stands and stalls supporting Armed Forces Day with the Royal British Legion among them, who also offer a wide range of support and advice to service personnel.

Other displays and stands include The Battle of Britain Experience, Static Aircraft, a First World War interactive trench system, Kent Army Cadet Force Laser Display, exhibitors of military history and a children’s funfair.

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