Sidmouth crowds celebrate Armed Forces Day
CROWDS along Sidmouth’s seafront applauded those taking part in the Armed Forces Day parade on Saturday.
Headed by Sidmouth Town Band, Royal British Legion standards from Sidmouth, Branscombe men’s and women’s branches, West Hill and Axminster, plus a contingent of three standards from the Royal Naval Old Comrades Association, 20 Brownies and a group of veterans, marched to The Ham for a Drum Head service led by the Reverend Prebendary David James, the Reverend Robin Laird and the Reverend Peter Leverton.
Other commitments prevented some youth groups from attending, so Dave O’Connor, chairman of Sidmouth RBL, enlisted his two young grandsons, Joshua, 12, and Max, nine, to lay a wreath at the drums.
“It was a very good day,” he said. “The service went very well. All 100 chairs were taken and people were standing.”
East Devon MP Hugo Swire, who joined the parade, presented Terry Paltridge of Arcot Park, a former Royal Corps Transport Territorial Army soldier, with a Veteran’s certificate and lapel badge.
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