CIVILIANS and soldiers took to the streets across Oxfordshire to honour sacrifices made by generations of soldiers, sailors and pilots for Armed Forces Day.
Thousands of people lined the streets in Banbury on Saturday as the Band of the Irish Guards led a parade down the high street where the Freedom of Banbury was conferred on the town’s own Army Reserve 142 Vehicle Squadron.
Some 300 serving soldiers, volunteers, cadets and war veterans joined the parade.
Veterans march through Banbury
Banbury Town Council leader and a former Irish Guardsman Kieron Mallon said: “This was a superb tribute to this country’s armed forces.
“Banbury can be proud of what took place today and it was good to see so many people line the streets and show their support by applauding as the parade passed by.”
In Bicester, a joint military and civilian parade and armed forces information stalls were incorporated into the annual Bicester Carnival.
Armed Forces Day in Bicester
Roshelle Walford, who lives in the town, joined the parade with her sons Gabriel and Isaac who are members of Oxford Sport and Traditional Martial Arts.
She said: “We had an amazing time, it was really, really good fun.”
And volunteers manned three low-key stalls in Witney High Street for the Royal British Legion, Help for Heroes and Brize Norton Military Wives choir.
Witney’s event was organised for the second year by 25-year-old Liam Walker.
Mr Walker, who lives in Witney’s Deer Park, decided to organise an Armed Forces Day event in Witney when he attended a repatriation ceremony in Carterton last year.
He said he was surprised to learn back then that his nearest events for the day were in Bicester, so took it upon himself to organise plans for Witney.
Community fundraiser Mark Garwood and fundraising book author James Robertshaw at the RBL stand
He said: “Growing up in Witney I was surrounded by it, we have the largest military base in the UK on our doorstep, and you’ll be shopping in Sainsbury’s and see people in uniform.”
Five women from Brize Norton Military Wives Choir used the day to promote their next concert at the Stow Cotswold Festival this Friday.
Sue Soowamber, whose husband is Flying Officer Frank Soowamber, said: “Armed Forces Day is important because it is a chance to celebrate the forces and remember those who have fallen.”
Across the street, West Oxfordshire volunteers and officers for the Royal British Legion were telling shoppers about the work their organisation does supporting current and former personnel and their families.
The Military Wives Choir, from left, Steph Gaffney, Marrie Lornie, Jo Cameron, Emma James and Sue Soowamber perform in Witney
Community fundraiser for Oxfordshire RBL Mark Garwood, who lives in Carterton, has never served in the forces, but his father worked in the Royal Observer Corps.
He said: “It’s about celebrating our forces, what they do for this country, and remembering all of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.”
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