This year the 6 Rifles will be exercising their Freedom of the City. The parade will step off at 12.30pm from St James Park and march through the city, with the salute being taken at the Guildhall. The Parade will finish off at the Cathedral Green, where an inspection will take place by the Lord Mayor of Exeter, Cllr Cynthia Thompson, the Lieutenant of Devon, David Fursdon, and the Assistant Chief of the General Staff, British Army, General Nicholas Welch.
There will be a number of serving military, associations and cadets taking part in this year’s parade. The ‘Military Village’ will be taking place on the Cathedral Green, with recruiting stalls from some of the organisations and associations.
There will be entertainment on the Cathedral Green but also at the Canal Basin on the Quay – with two P2000 Royal Naval Training Ships inviting members of the public on board and the sea cadets offering boat trips. The day will be finished off an ‘Armed Forces’ themed Evensong at the Cathedral, concluding with the 6 Rifles’ Sounding Retreat, ending the day’s events.
For more information, visit www.exeter.gov.uk/armedforcesday . A Programme of Events will be made available from the Guildhall, Exeter Visitor Information and Tickets, Civic Centre, Custom House and the Royal Albert Memorial Museum.
Historically, Exeter celebrates Armed Forces Day the Saturday before the official national event, but this year the parade take place on 2 July.
The day before, on Friday 1 July, as part of the First World War Centenary, the City Council is helping to deliver a powerful piece of community art. Commissioned from one single artist, 19240 Shrouds of the Somme will promote remembrance and raise money for SSAFA and the Exeter Foundation.
Rob Heard, a Somerset artist, has a mission to personally create 19,240 shrouded figures to commemorate those Allied servicemen who died on 1 July 1916 during the first day of the Battle of the Somme. The Exhibition will run from 1 July to 7 July and will be open to the public from 7.30am to 9.30pm. For more information please visit www.thesomme19240.co.uk
