Brighton & Hove is set to honour its Armed Forces community with a series of special Armed Forces Day events taking place across the city on Saturday June 28 and Monday June 30. From a Spitfire flyover to memorials, the city will come together to celebrate the contributions of service members past and present and to remember those lost in one of Sussex’s most tragic battles.
Armed Forces Day is a national occasion that recognises the dedication and bravery of those serving in the British military, including regular troops, reservists, veterans, cadets and their families. As part of the celebrations, Armed Forces Day flags will fly proudly from council buildings throughout the city.
On Saturday, June 28 residents are invited to a free, family-friendly celebration at Downs Junior School, home of the Take Shelter WWII Museum. Running from 10am to 4pm, the event features live wartime music and dancing, vintage and emergency vehicles, displays by the Army Cadet Force, tours of the original underground air raid shelter, and the unmissable highlight — a Spitfire flyover at 2.55pm.
While the event is free and fully accessible, tickets are required to access the air raid shelter. Full details can be found on the Armed Forces Day website.
Monday, June 30 will be dedicated to remembrance, marking the anniversary of the Battle of the Boar’s Head — a First World War offensive in which 366 men of the Royal Sussex Regiment lost their lives. The day begins with a dawn ceremony at the AMEX Stadium, the final stop in a 120-mile charity march along the Sussex coast by British Army veteran Guy Radlett. A 1916 trench whistle will sound at 6.30am in tribute to those who fell.
Later that morning, at 10.45am, a commemorative service will be held at the Boar’s Head Memorial at Old Steine Gardens, reflecting on the heavy toll the battle took on the region. Sixty-two men from Brighton & Hove were killed in a single day — the city’s greatest single-day loss of life during the war — earning the event the solemn nickname “The Day Sussex Died”.
Earlier this year, Brighton & Hove City Council reaffirmed its commitment to the Armed Forces community by re-signing the Armed Forces Covenant — a pledge to ensure no one in the military community faces disadvantage. The council has earned silver status in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme and is now working toward gold.
Councillor Amanda Grimshaw, Mayor of Brighton & Hove and Armed Forces Champion, said: “It’s an honour to be able to dedicate a day of celebration to the bravery and sacrifice of our Armed Forces Communities.
“Sixty-two men from the city died in the Battle of Boar’s Head — scarcely a town or village in Sussex was untouched by that loss. Events like these help us remember their sacrifice and show our ongoing appreciation to serving troops, families, reserves, veterans and cadets.”
