Celebrating Legion Pipe Band Anniversary and Armed Forces Day
More than 100 pipes and drums from five pipe bands will march through Inverness on Saturday 25 July to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Royal British Legion’s Inverness Branch Pipe Band as well as Armed Forces Day. They will be followed by a parade of 300 veterans - young and old - serving members of H M Forces, Regimental Associations from all three Services, the Cadet Services and youth organisations.
The event will start at 2 pm at the Eastgate Centre, Inverness – led by Inverness Royal British Legion Pipe Band - with the massed bands marching to the Town House. There they will be joined by the Colour Party which includes the National Standards of the Royal British Legion Scotland plus Branch Standards accompanied by all three Service Associations and Cadet Standards, these will be Paraded for the Ceremony of Marching on the Colours.
The procession will then march across the River Ness to the Northern Meeting Park, where Provost Jimmy Gray, Chairman of The Highland Council’s Inverness City Committee, will take the salute at Inverness Cathedral entrance.
Provost Gray said: “This, the first Armed Forces Day, is an opportunity to celebrate and honour the British Armed Forces from the past, the present and the future as well as their continuing contribution in our communities when they leave the Forces. We fully support Inverness Royal British Legion in organising the first Armed Forces Day. Inverness and the Highlands have a long and proud association with the Armed Forces and are proud to celebrate their contributions - both while serving and afterwards in civilian life. We anticipate a memorable event at the Northern Meeting Park.”
The Inverness Branch Royal British Legion Scotland has arranged a spectacular variety of static displays at the Northern Meeting Park that includes Fire & Rescue Services; vintage military vehicles as well as displays from the Navy, Army and Air Force. The 3rd Battalion (Black Watch) the Royal Regiment of Scotland will, by then, be on active duty in Afghanistan so the 2
British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) will be present with a digital radio link for families to contact serving troops.
All surplus monies collected from entry fees and raffles will go to support:
On Sunday 26th July, the pipes and drums will be back in action as the Inverness Branch of the Royal British Legion holds an Armed Forces Day Parade and Drumhead Service in commemoration of all members of H M Forces, past, present and future. Leaving from the British Legion Club at 1.30 pm, the parade will again be led by the Inverness Royal British Legion Pipe Band, followed by the Colour Party and representatives from the Armed Forces, veterans, civic dignitaries, local MPs, cadets, and local youth organisations.
They will march to the Northern Meeting Park for a Drumhead Service led by the Chaplain the Rev. Dr Peter Howson.
Following the service, the Deputy Lord Lieutenant Lt Col R M D Young TD DL will perform a ceremony of presentation to several veterans of the their veteran’s badges, awarded to them by the MoD for their service to HM Queen and country.
The parade will return at 2.30 pm to the Inverness Royal British Legion. Anyone wishing to take part in this presentation should contact the Inverness Branch of the Royal British Legion.