Weekend welcome to the Armed Forces
Buckinghamshire is throwing its weight behind a special celebration of Armed Forces Weekend in June hosted by the internationally renowned wartime codebreaking centre, Bletchley Park.
Bletchley Park will be giving away 2,000 free tickets to Buckinghamshire’s Armed Forces family to celebrate National Armed Forces Day.
County Council Chairman Bill Chapple OBE and Lord Lieutenant Sir Henry Aubrey-Fletcher were at the launch of ticket sales yesterday (Wednesday May 4) and urged Buckinghamshire’s Armed Forces family not to miss the opportunity to tour the historic centre.
The first ticket went to World War II Veteran Arnold Hargreaves (98), the sole surviving crew member of an HMS Bulldogboarding party that in 1941 captureda Nazi U-boat complete with Enigma code machine, six months worth of codes, and chartsshowing the positions of U-boats, minefields and swept channels in the Atlantic.
Armed Forces weekend activity on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 June includes a military band on the Saturday, and 1940s swing music from The Bevin Boys on the Sunday. There will be lawn croquet and face painting for children on the Sunday and military stall holders will be present on both days.
Sir Henry said: ‘Buckinghamshire is rich with Armed Forces heritage. Both Buckinghamshire County Council and Milton Keynes Council have signed an armed forces covenant that aims to recognise, remember, integrate and support our armed forces community. Armed Forces Day is a vital element of the covenant.’
Bill, who is also the county’s Armed Forces Champion, was delighted Bletchley Park was hosting the 2016 Armed Forces weekend. ‘We’re justly proud of our Armed Forces, who make sacrifices and endure hardships to keep us safe,’ he said. ‘I hope that members of the Armed Forces family as well as the general public will thoroughly enjoy the weekend.’
Bletchley Park CEO Iain Standen said: ‘As a place at the heart of World War II history we are delighted to support Armed Forces Day by giving members of the Armed Forces community the opportunity to visit Bletchley Park for free. We hope to see as many military families as possible over the weekend, and that other families will also enjoy joining in the extra activities.’
The free tickets to Bletchley Park are limited to the Armed Forces family in Buckinghamshire and must be pre-booked at www.buckscc.gov.uk/armedforcesdaywhile tickets for sale to the public can be booked athttp://www.bletchleypark.org.uk/