By Patrick Hennessy and Sean Rayment
Last Updated: 1:42am BST 13/04/2008


Britain is to have a "special day of celebration" for the Armed Forces after Gordon Brown endorsed the idea in a victory for a campaign by The Sunday Telegraph.

The Prime Minister signalled his backing for an annual day of parades, tattoos and other events, to be held on a weekend, to allow the public to express its support and respect for the military.
The proposal is a key part of a report by Quentin Davies, the Labour MP who heads the National Recognition Study Team, on improving public understanding of the Armed Forces.
Mr Davies's report, which is with the Prime Minister at No?10, is expected to be published soon. However, Mr Brown confirmed in a letter to Richard Scudamore, the chief executive of the Premier League, that an Armed Forces Day would be officially announced and called on leading football clubs to take part.
The Prime Minister said he was impressed by the way soldiers back from Afghanistan were applauded by the crowd as they walked round Aston Villa's stadium before a match last season. His letter to Mr Scudamore said: "The parade of honour carried out at Aston Villa last year was an excellent example of how football clubs and their fans can show their appreciation for the service of our Armed Forces.
"As we take forward our plans for a special day of celebration for the Armed Forces, I look forward to working with you to see how the Premier League can play its part."
Government sources said the idea was to have a day where there could be "maximum participation" from the public. Mr Brown wants sports clubs to play a major part in celebrations after being impressed by links between the military and sports events in the United States, including fly-pasts by the US Air Force at the American football Superbowl. He will study these on his trip to New York, Washington and Boston this week.
Lord Guthrie, the former chief of the defence staff, said last night: "I am delighted that the Government has taken up this imaginative initiative and I congratulate The Sunday Telegraph for leading the way."
Patrick Mercer, the Tory MP and former infantry commander, said: "The Sunday Telegraph's campaign has been crowned a victory. This is nothing less than our troops deserve and I am delighted that they will receive the proper recognition for their gallantry."
The campaign began last month amid growing belief within the military that the public had lost interest in troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, where 267 members of the Armed Forces have died since 2001. It followed disclosures that members of the RAF had been advised not to wear uniform in public following abuse from anti-war protesters near RAF Wittering, Peterborough.
General Sir Richard Dannatt, the head of the Army, voiced concerns over apathy towards the Armed Forces when he said that a returning soldier wanted "people in his local pub to know and understand what he had been doing". He added: "How many councils have written to their local battalions to ask them when they are coming back from Iraq and whether they can give them a homecoming parade? The answer, I fear, is not high.
"Soldiers are genuinely concerned to hear the population that sent them being dismissive or indifferent about their achievements?.?.?.? We are in danger of sapping at our volunteer Army's willingness to serve in such an atmosphere again."
The Sunday Telegraph has campaigned for Armed Forces Day to be marked by all servicemen and women wearing uniform in public, open days held in barracks and announcements in school assemblies to make pupils aware of local troops and their service to the nation.
The campaign has the support of Des Browne, the Defence Secretary, and the Ministry of Defence as a whole. Cdr John Muxworthy, of the United Kingdom National Defence Association, praised The Sunday Telegraph and welcomed the Government's intention, saying: "Raising the profile of our Armed Forces is desperately needed."
A poll showed that an a Armed Forces Day was supported by almost 80 per cent of the public. More than 5,000 people have signed up and backed our campaign.

Bravo!!.... now thats a welcome development!!.. Its high time that such recognition is being delivered in such a proactive fashion.... fills the void that ignorance and/or the jihaddis would glady fill with lies and inneundos, and it also adds to the National Cohesion of the British Nation..

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"Barrel High, Powder Dry!"

"Illic est haud effrego ex Veneratio"

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The Broadwayblues / New York Yankees
Sacred Heart University-Division 1 Men's Ice hockey.
Army Aviation U S A


Classic. And we get it.

Posted by... Nightflyer..Go get me a beer.... Posted by Zekos....get me one too b.itch Posted by... Exo1.Haha!!... good man!!.... .........yeah!!.... while your out there get me one too.....Posted by... SniperALpha1Corona with lime is the way to go. CAUSE THAT'S AMERICA *****!Posted by...Zidane Whiskey pl0x.

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A lttle over excited arn't U?

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"If you're going through hell, keep going". Winston Churchill

__________________
The Broadwayblues / New York Yankees
Sacred Heart University-Division 1 Men's Ice hockey.
Army Aviation U S A


Classic. And we get it.

Posted by... Nightflyer..Go get me a beer.... Posted by Zekos....get me one too b.itch Posted by... Exo1.Haha!!... good man!!.... .........yeah!!.... while your out there get me one too.....Posted by... SniperALpha1Corona with lime is the way to go. CAUSE THAT'S AMERICA *****!Posted by...Zidane Whiskey pl0x.

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I agree...

__________________
"Barrel High, Powder Dry!"

"Illic est haud effrego ex Veneratio"

It'll be interesting to see how they go about doing it. We're proud of our military but we're not a militaristic nation.

The parade thing is the way to go... seeing a short presentation before a footie match, and maybe a national parade day or something... its a good thing IMO, and it doesnt qualify as militarising a nation...

__________________
"Barrel High, Powder Dry!"

"Illic est haud effrego ex Veneratio"

Agreed!........The Army did a presentation and answered questions just around the corner here in our village. All the lads had done tours of Afghanistan and Iraq and were doing a great job talking to people who didn't really understand either deployments. So hopefully they went away alot wiser and certainly more informed..........It adds the human element to it all and does a far better job than any media report.

More of it I say.

Right on Tex... definately the way to go.....

__________________
"Barrel High, Powder Dry!"

"Illic est haud effrego ex Veneratio"