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| Thousands attend Armed Forces Day | Thousands attend Armed Forces Day |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Tens of thousands of people across the UK have been marking the first ever Armed Forces Day by paying tribute to British servicemen and women. | Tens of thousands of people across the UK have been marking the first ever Armed Forces Day by paying tribute to British servicemen and women. |
| The government changed the name from Veterans Day to raise awareness and appreciation for those on active duty. | The government changed the name from Veterans Day to raise awareness and appreciation for those on active duty. |
| The Queen attended a ceremony in Edinburgh and around 200 other events were held across the country. | The Queen attended a ceremony in Edinburgh and around 200 other events were held across the country. |
| This year's main national celebration was held at the Historic Dockyard in Chatham, Kent. | This year's main national celebration was held at the Historic Dockyard in Chatham, Kent. |
| Raise awareness | Raise awareness |
| The official party included Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his wife Sarah, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, and the Chief of the Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup. | The official party included Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his wife Sarah, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, and the Chief of the Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup. |
| Mr Brown said: "The people that have come here today have shown the high esteem and regard in which they hold the Armed Forces of our country. | Mr Brown said: "The people that have come here today have shown the high esteem and regard in which they hold the Armed Forces of our country. |
| "The Armed Forces who do so much, the families who make such sacrifices. I don't think we say thank you enough, today is our chance to say it and say it with one voice, thank you very much to our Armed Forces." | "The Armed Forces who do so much, the families who make such sacrifices. I don't think we say thank you enough, today is our chance to say it and say it with one voice, thank you very much to our Armed Forces." |
| Sir Jock said there would always be a "tiny minority" who reacted negatively to the military. | Sir Jock said there would always be a "tiny minority" who reacted negatively to the military. |
| But he went on: "I believe people in this country distinguish between the missions and the Armed Forces themselves. | But he went on: "I believe people in this country distinguish between the missions and the Armed Forces themselves. |
| Members of the Royal Navy, Army and RAF took part in the Chatham parade href="/2/hi/uk_news/wales/8121615.stm">Cardiff to host next Forces Day Arrests at Scottish event In Pictures: Armed Forces Day | |
| "People have always appreciated their Armed Forces but we have not always in the past given that appreciation the tangible expression it needs. | "People have always appreciated their Armed Forces but we have not always in the past given that appreciation the tangible expression it needs. |
| "That's changed over the past few years and I think this is just a reflection of that." | "That's changed over the past few years and I think this is just a reflection of that." |
| Both the Queen and the Prince of Wales also sent messages of "deep and enduring gratitude" to Britain's past and present soldiers, sailors and airmen and women. | Both the Queen and the Prince of Wales also sent messages of "deep and enduring gratitude" to Britain's past and present soldiers, sailors and airmen and women. |
| The Queen was in Edinburgh, where she presented campaign medals to the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards as the regiment's Colonel-in-Chief. | The Queen was in Edinburgh, where she presented campaign medals to the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards as the regiment's Colonel-in-Chief. |
| In addition to the national event, concerts and parades were held in towns and cities, including Leeds, Glasgow, Manchester and Plymouth. | In addition to the national event, concerts and parades were held in towns and cities, including Leeds, Glasgow, Manchester and Plymouth. |
| A service in Glasgow's George Square was marred by a disturbance on a nearby street. | A service in Glasgow's George Square was marred by a disturbance on a nearby street. |
| Strathclyde Police said the incident involved dozens of people and a number of arrests had been made. | Strathclyde Police said the incident involved dozens of people and a number of arrests had been made. |
| 'Show appreciation' | 'Show appreciation' |
| During the week, more than 3,000 Armed Forces Day flags were flown by councils, businesses, schools and homes across the UK. | During the week, more than 3,000 Armed Forces Day flags were flown by councils, businesses, schools and homes across the UK. |
| Have Your Say This is an excellent idea, but where was the publicity? Colin, Plymouth, Send us your comments and pictures | Have Your Say This is an excellent idea, but where was the publicity? Colin, Plymouth, Send us your comments and pictures |
| Speaking during his first visit to Afghanistan since taking over as defence secretary, Bob Ainsworth said the new day honouring service personnel would be a "huge fillip" to troops. | Speaking during his first visit to Afghanistan since taking over as defence secretary, Bob Ainsworth said the new day honouring service personnel would be a "huge fillip" to troops. |
| The lack of recognition extended to the armed forces in recent years was "not acceptable", he said. | The lack of recognition extended to the armed forces in recent years was "not acceptable", he said. |
| He referred to young soldiers he once spoke to, who had recently returned from theatre shortly after he became a defence minister in 2007. | He referred to young soldiers he once spoke to, who had recently returned from theatre shortly after he became a defence minister in 2007. |
| "They were telling me at that time that they didn't tend to talk about what they had been up to because people weren't interested," he said. | "They were telling me at that time that they didn't tend to talk about what they had been up to because people weren't interested," he said. |
| "I just thought that that was so depressing. Now you can see lots of organisations - small businesses, large businesses, communities - trying to show their appreciation. | "I just thought that that was so depressing. Now you can see lots of organisations - small businesses, large businesses, communities - trying to show their appreciation. |
| "And it is just phenomenally important. It's a huge improvement on the situation that was existing a couple of years ago." | "And it is just phenomenally important. It's a huge improvement on the situation that was existing a couple of years ago." |
| OPERATIONALAfghanistan: 9,000Balkans: 200Iraq: 500Qatar: 250Kuwait: 1,500Bahrain: 150Oman: 150 NON-OPERATIONALGermany: 21,500Cyprus: 3,100Falkland Islands: 1,500Gibraltar: 500Other including UN: 300 | OPERATIONALAfghanistan: 9,000Balkans: 200Iraq: 500Qatar: 250Kuwait: 1,500Bahrain: 150Oman: 150 NON-OPERATIONALGermany: 21,500Cyprus: 3,100Falkland Islands: 1,500Gibraltar: 500Other including UN: 300 |