Veterans Week
June 22nd, 2008My thanks and praise to Swindon’s Mayor, Cllr Steve Wakefield, for an excellent Veterans Awareness Day at the Steam Museum yesterday. This event is part of a week of events for Veterans in and around Swindon, and has been a cherished plan of the new Mayor for some time. A number of different agencies, ranging from S.M.U.G.S, of whom I have blogged previously, to the Royal Air Force Reserve, were represented. Wiltshire Deputy Lord Lieutenant James Arkell was formally presented with his Veterans Badge by the Mayor. There will be a further presentation ceremony to local veterans later in the week.
Regular visitors to the Blog will know of my great interest in military history and of my very high regard for veterans. It is up to us to ensure that their service is acknowledged by society. One of our more senior members of the Wroughton Conservative branch was “manning” the WREN stall at Steam. She saw service with the Fleet Air Arm from 1941 to 1945, having joined up at seventeen. For our generation, which seems to be very far removed from service experience, the direct links are still there. Its up to us to find them, learn from them and to make sure that those who served are not forgotten.
Despite the unsettled weather, the Old Town Festival got going with a concert at the Town Gardens Bowl, which was very well supported. Some talented youngsters from Commonweal School were followed by a school alumnus whose name escaped me but who could certainly sing. Alas, I was unable to stay for the Talent competition; I wouldn’t have been able to resist the urge to perform my rendition of “Mack The Knife” (the Bobby Darin version, although I can do a passable Louis Armstrong version as well).
