Armistice Day 2008 - Tuesday 11 November
Following the opening of the Armed Forces Memorial in 2007, the Arboretum has become a national focal point for remembrance. This year it welcomed some 20,000 visitors (plus Poppy Man!) during the two-week remembrance period.
As well as being the time that many individuals chose to visit one of the 150 memorials on the site, there were a number of major events taking place.
Armistice Day saw His Royal Highness Rear Admiral Prince Michael of Kent GCVO RNR and Her Royal Highness Princess Michael of Kent attending.
Also in attendance were the Right Honourable Bob Ainsworth MP Minister of State for the Armed Forces, Vice Admiral Sir John Dunt KCB, Vice Admiral Paul Boissier, Maj Gen Martin Rutledge, Air Marshal Stephen Dalton and Chris Simpkins, RBL director general.
The event comprised a ticket-only service within the Armed Forces Memorial. It was led by former Bishop to the Armed Forces, The Right Reverend John Kirkham, The Reverend Monsignor Paul Donovan QHC VG Royal Navy and Honorary Chaplain to the Arboretum, The Reverend Simon Lumby.
At precisely the eleventh hour, and signalling the two minute silence, a shaft of sunlight fell from the slot cut into the walls of the Armed Forces Memorial and struck its central plinth. A flypast of three Tornados, acknowledging the 90th anniversary of the Royal Air Force, took place at midday.
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| HRH Rear Admiral Prince Michael of Kent laying a wreath |
Over 80 media were accredited for the event and proceedings were shown live as part of BBC One’s coverage. BBC News Channel, ITN, Sky News, ITV Central, BBC Midlands Today and many of the other regional BBC and commercial stations broadcast live throughout the course of the day.
After sunset, ITV Central East, ITV Central West and BBC Midlands took over the Armed Forces Memorial in order to anchor their half hour evening broadcasts there. This provided the Arboretum with unrivalled, blanket media coverage across the whole of the region.
A gallery of photos of the event (courtesy of Barry Turner Photography) is available on The Veterans website.
