Armed Forces Week: Gosport's "deep rooted relationship" with Royal Navy, Army and RAF honoured at ceremony

The commemoration at Falklands Gardens this morning (June 23), and others across the Portsmouth area, marked the start of Armed Forces Week. Events such as this are regarded as an opportunity to honour serving personnel and veterans and mark their commitment to serving our nation.

Sailors at HMS Sultan joined dignitaries, residents, and military veterans, at the event. The base’s Commanding Officer, Captain Mark Hamilton, said: “Armed Forces Week gives us the chance to recognise the commitment of all our service personnel who work tirelessly, often behind the scenes, to maintain our national security. From deployments overseas to supporting operations at home, the Armed Forces community continues to demonstrate exceptional dedication in challenging and complex environments.”

Others to attend the ceremony include Surgeon Captain Richard Heames, Commanding Officer of the Institute of Naval Medicine, and the Mayor of Gosport, Councillor Kirsten Bradley. Cllr Bradley said the ceremony highlights the borough’s strong military connections.

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She added: “Gosport has the highest percentage of veterans among its population of any local authority in England and Wales at 12.5 per cent. Our deep-rooted relationship with the Armed Forces community demonstrates how integral they are not just to national defence, but to local communities across the UK."

An armed forces day market will be held in Gosport on Saturday (June 28). Military themed stalls and activities will be organised, with the Collingwood Volunteer Marching Band conducting a performance.

Residents can visit artisan and street food stalls, and enjoy live music. The market will be held on the high street between 10am and 4pm. The culmination of the celebrations will be the HMS Collingwood Open Day on Saturday (June 28), which offers guests first-hand experience of life in the Royal Navy and front-row seats for the annual Field Gun competition.