Armed Services Day 2013

SATURDAY’S match with Fleetwood Town marks Armed Services Day 2013, our annual partnership with, and homage to, the military men and women of whom we are so proud.

This year’s event is focused very much on youth, the future of the services, and a large number of Sea, Army and Air Cadets are in the crowd, alongside children of service personnel.

Before the game and at half-time, there will be performances from the HMS Drake volunteer band and the HMS Heroes Military Children’s Choir; and, weather permitting, a junior field gun demonstration.

There will also be a pre-match parade of standards and a guard of honour formed by local cadet units before the match ball is delivered by a serving member of the Armed Forces. 

A collection is being held on behalf of the Naval Area Community Organisation, who will use your money to help support naval families.

Army and Royal Navy careers staff are also on hand to talk to members of the Green Army who might be considering a Service career.

Celebrations begin as early as 2.20pm when the Volunteer Band will entertain the crowd before, at 2.25pm, a Standard Bearers parade.

Then, at 2.35pm, it is the Military Kids Choir’s turn to shine.

The MKC is a choir provided by HMS Heroes volunteers, a unique, national, pupil voice group formed for the support of service children and young people. Today’s choir members are young people from Service and Veterans’ families across the city of Plymouth.

Vice Admiral Ibbotson takes salute will then take a salute, all before the players enter the pitch and the national anthem is played.

The match-ball will then be presented to referee Trevor Kettle, a senior air traffic controller with the Royal Air Force.

His assistants, Lance Corporal Rob Ellis and Sergeant Declan Ford, serve with the Royal Army Medical Corps and Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers respectively, whilst fourth official Captain Dave Woolford is also another Army man.

At half-time, and hopefully with Argyle winning by a substantial margin, the crowd will be treated to a junior Field Gun Display.

As you can see, it is going to be quite a day so make sure that you get down to Home Park in plenty of time to take it all in.