Veteran Bob Edwards is calling on people across Oxfordshire to honour the county’s servicemen during the first British Armed Forces Day on Saturday.

Armed Forces Day is an annual opportunity for everyone to show its appreciation for those who have served their country.

Mr Edwards, a retired RAF sergeant based at RAF Brize Norton, said it was important for people to remember the nation’s armed forces past, present and future. Earlier this week, Oxfordshire County Council and all five district councils raised special flags to mark the occasion.

Today, South East Minister Jonathan Shaw was due to be in Carterton to meet serving personnel from RAF Brize Norton and retired veterans.

Mr Edwards, of Richens Drive, Carterton, served in the RAF between 1959 and 1985, and was posted to Singapore, Cyprus and Brize Norton during the Cold War. He said: “The day is about honouring armed forces and veterans and all supporting aspects of the armed forces, as well as raising awareness of the past and to make people aware of what the armed forces do. We should be very grateful for what the armed forces do and from looking back at history, you can see the work the efforts of the armed forces have made this country free.”

The 70-year-old grandfather of four said: “I would like armed forces day to grow in all parts of the country and I would like to see Oxfordshire get in line with that.

“We have got RAF Benson, Brize Norton, troops at Dalton Barracks, Bicester and Didcot and the army school at Shrivenham.”