Events and Parades 2024
Edited 07/04/2024
Sunday 21st April; FBESA St. George’s day, form-up 10:30 for 11:00 service at St. Paul’s church, St. Paul’s Square, Birmingham, B3 1QZ 1st part in church, 2nd part at the memorials on the green for wreath laying ceremony, after service refreshments and entertainment in the Cobden suite at the Cobden hotel, 166, Hagley Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B16 9NZ
Thursday 25th April; ANZAC Day, 12:00 memorial service at the Gallipoli memorial for wreath laying ceremony and act of remembrance at the NMA Alrewas, http://www.thenma.org.uk/events
Sunday 28th April; ANZAC Day, (25th April) RBL annual remembrance service at the CWGC cemetery Brocton, Cannock, WS12 4PS, form-up 10:00 for 10:30 march on,
Friday 3rd May 2024 Hagley Road village; VE Day parade, form-up 14:00 for 14:30 with the HRV Veterans and residents with in-house choir to commemorate Victory in Europe, Hagley Road Retirement Village, 330, Hagley Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B17 8BM, veterans and standard bearers very welcome.
Wednesday 8th May; “VE” day, 79th anniversary. Victory in Europe Day (8th May), form-up 10:30hrs for 10:45hrs service and act of remembrance with wreath laying at the cenotaph, St. Peter’s Square, Wolverhampton, WV1 1RT
Thursday 16th May Remembering National Service “61” Thursday16th May 2024 marks the 61st anniversary since the last national serviceman was demobbed from National Service, (conscription), the National Service Veterans Association will commemorate the event on Thursday 16th May 2024 at the National Memorial Arboretum (NMA), with a Service of Remembrance and wreath laying ceremony at their own National Service Veterans Memorial, form-up 11:30 for 12:00 service, attendance is open to all veterans, members, bereaved families, and descendants of UK National Servicemen all standard bearers are invited to attend please. Please note; the annual conscripts Memorial Day will be held on 16th May every year in future, Renamed “Remembering National Service” The last Sunday in June has no significance to us, it is not an anniversary date.
Sunday 19th May; Ceremony to mark the 11th anniversary of the death of Fusilier Lee Rigby, (“04/07/1987–22/05/2013”) at the War Memorial, Powke Lane Cemetery, Rowley Regis on Sunday 19th May 2024 at 10:00am, including act of remembrance and wreath laying ceremony, everyone welcome, especially standard bearers, Welcome by; Mark Spilsbury.
Tuesday 4th June; Commemorating “D” – Day “80”, a tea party to celebrate the 80th anniversary of “D” – Day at the Communitea café, Age Concern Birmingham, 76-78 Boldmere Road, Sutton Coldfield, B73 5TJ, everyone welcome, especially veterans at 11:00, more information at; info@ageconcernbirmingham.org.uk or 0121 362 3650 or with John Dolphin, FBESA chairman, 0121 241 3112 or johndolphin48@hotmail.com
Thursday 6th June “D” day 80th anniversary; The 1944 Alliance Normandy-Market Garden will hold their annual remembrance service for “D” – Day 80 at the NMA Alrewas, form-up 10:45 for 11:00 service at the SONT Normandy campaign memorial for a short service, act of remembrance and wreath laying ceremony, everyone welcome including Veterans, families, members and standard bearers, http://www.thenma.org.uk/events You will not be able to attend the 2pm service organised by the RBL/NMA unless you have registered.
Thursday 6th June “D” day 80th anniversary; On Thursday 6th June 2024 at 2pm the Royal British Legion will host a Remembrance Service to mark 80 years since “D”-Day within the grounds of the National Memorial Arboretum, near to the Naval memorial, Attending the service with a D-Day / Normandy Campaign veteran,
Alongside the service, the Royal British Legion will be welcoming eligible veterans and their families into a hosted event area, for further details use the link below. https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/get-involved/remembrance/remembrance-events/d-day#section-3
Portsmouth will host a major national commemorative event to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, in June 2024. https://dday80.campaign.gov.uk/
Friday 14th June; Falklands memorial service, form-up 10:30 for 10:45 service at the Cenotaph, St. Peter’s Square, Wolverhampton, WV1 1RT
Monday 24th June; Raising the Flag Ceremony to launch Armed Forces week, form-up 09:20hrs. for 09:50hrs ceremony in Victoria Square, Birmingham, B1 1BD.
Monday 24th June; flag raising day, to launch Armed Forces week, 10:30 FOR 11:00 St. Peter’s Square, Wolverhampton, WV1 1RT along with every town and city in the UK.
Saturday 29th June: Hi all, come and support all our armed forces, past, present, future, British and commonwealth on Saturday 29th June, everyone welcome, including standard bearers, veterans, serving military personnel, form-up 10:20 for 10:50 march on for 11:00 service in Central square, Brindley place for act of remembrance and to thank and honour the armed forces with the history of the armed forces. have a good day and forward onto colleagues’ and interested friends. Organized by “West Side Bid” and SSAFA, greater Birmingham branch, events start at 10:00 including activities, stalls, and entertainment, events to be confirmed.
ARMED FORCES WEEKEND; Show your support for our country’s Armed Forces during Armed Forces Weekend at the National Memorial Arboretum on Saturday 29th June & Sunday 30th June 2024, 9am.-5pm. Join us at this celebratory event to recognise the service and work of our Armed Forces. With fun activities and entertainment for all ages, including Climbing Walls, Archery, Zipline, Veteran’s Village with live music, this is sure to be a fun weekend for the whole family. http://www.thenma.org.uk/events-at-the-arboretum/forthcoming-events/armed-forces-day-weekend/
Armed Forces Day 27th June; (nearest Saturday) Armed Forces Day in the United Kingdom is an annual event celebrated in late June to commemorate the service of men and women in the British Armed Forces. Veterans’ Day was first observed in 2006. Although an official event, it is not a public holiday in the UK. The name was changed from Veterans Day to Armed Forces Day in 2009.
Saturday 29th June; Sandwell Armed Forces Day, 10:00 am. to 4:00 pm at Dartmouth Park will be a day for those in service and their families to enjoy free family activities, including entertainment and fair rides, Standard bearers welcome for opening ceremony. event_enquiries@sandwell.gov.uk
Saturday 29th June; WOLVERHAMPTON ARMED FORCES DAY, 12:00 pm to 4:30 pm. West Park, 76, Park Road, Wolverhampton WV1 4PH, this free, family-fun event is open to all and is a celebration of our armed forces community and an opportunity to say thank you for all they do for our city and the country. The event will include a funfair, a range of food stalls and bars as well as a series of interactive activities for everyone to enjoy including a cycle skills track, smoothie bike, face painting, mascots, penalty shoot-out and have a go sports activity. A military parade made up of serving personnel, cadets and veterans will be a focal point of the event and following that there will be an inspection and salute. There will be a range of information stalls and military demonstrations in the event arena where families can speak to members of the armed forces to find out more. Live entertainment will run throughout the day on the main stage. This will incorporate a range of musical styles to appeal to all the family and the event will close with the grand finale when The Imps, the world’s premier military style motorcycle display team will fly the Armed Forces Day flag in a spectacular pyramid formation. wolves.afd@wolverhampton.gov.uk
Sunday 30th June; HIMLEY ARMED FORCES DAY 2023 Armed Forces Day returns for another year at the prestigious Grade II listed Himley Hall & Park. The free event runs from 11am to 5pm and offers fun for all the family, including a vintage military vehicle display, vintage fairground rides, Punch and Judy shows and dance lesson taster sessions. There will also be a paintball gallery, archery and rifle range to have a go at. In the park vintage homewares, crafts and clothing will be on offer and our vintage tea tent will be serving ‘tea for the troops’. Highlights of the day will include an opportunity to meet regular and reserve military units and watch as past and present armed forces personnel are presented with their veterans’ badges and service medals. In the afternoon, marching bands, standard-bearers and members of the Armed Forces will join together for the spectacular Beating Retreat, a military tradition dating back centuries. capa.events@dudley.gov.uk
Monday 1st July; annual Veteran’s Day at Swanshurst school, Brook Lane, Birmingham, B13 0TW, 10:00-14:45, report 09:15 to register then opening ceremony, veterans invited to talk to pupils about their military experience, including a thank you lunch, then closing ceremony with act of remembrance, everyone, including veterans and standard bearers welcome,
Sunday 7th July Somme Sunday, at Aston parish church, Witton Lane, Birmingham, B6 6QA, to be organised by the RRF HQ. Warwick, the RRF HQ. are holding a church service first but anyone who does not want to go into church will form-up 11:15 for 11:45 act of remembrance and wreath laying service at the war memorial in the church grounds.
Saturday 27th July, 71st.Korean anniversary end of hostilities service, form-up 10:15 for 10:45 service at the Cenotaph, St. Peter’s Square, Wolverhampton WV1 1RT TBC.
Sunday 11th August; The FBESA will hold their annual service including act of remembrance, form-up 11:30 for 12:00 service, followed by lunch and entertainment in the Cobden suite at the Cobden hotel, 166, Hagley Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B16 9NZ Standard bearers, members and guests very welcome. TBC
Thursday 15th August; VJ Day; Victory over Japan Day, Service at the cenotaph, St. Peter’s Square, Wolverhampton, WV1 1RTform-up 10:30 for 10:45 start.
Thursday 15th August; VJ Day; Veterans of Hagley Road Village (HRV) will hold a victory over Japan Day service in the concert room, form-up 14:00 for 14:30 service at HRV, everyone welcome, especially standard bearers and veterans, Hagley Road retirement village. 330, Hagley Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B17 8BM
Tuesday 3rd September; Raising the flag; the Merchant Navy Association, Birmingham branch will raise the MN Red Ensign to mark Merchant Navy Day (3rd September) form-up 09:30hrs. for 10:00hrs ceremony Victoria Square, Birmingham, B1 1BD.
Tuesday 17th September; the 1944 Alliance Normandy-Market Garden will hold their annual act of remembrance and wreath laying ceremony on this the 80th anniversary of operation “Market Garden” at the MGVA memorial, form-up 11:45 for 12:00 service at the NMA Alrewas, www.thenma.org.uk everyone welcome, including veterans, members and standard bearers.
Saturday 12th October; Birmingham Air Raids Remembrance Association (BARRA) annual service of remembrance, form-up 10:30 for 11:00 service at” St. Martins in the Bull Ring” church, Edgbaston Street, Birmingham, B5 5BB after the church service form-up at the “Tree of Life” memorial for wreath laying ceremony, this is the 19th anniversary of the “Tree of Life” memorial erected in the Bull ring, 2005-2024.
Tuesday 5th November; Blue light-red poppy; Emergency services event for Remembrance Day will be held on Tuesday 5th November, form-up 10:30 for 11:00 at Central square, Brindley Place, when poppy wreaths will be presented to the emergency services for their vehicle’s, organized by “West Side” bid.
Thursday 7th November; The Railway Mission/Moor Street station annual Remembrance service’ act of remembrance, and wreath laying, form-up 10:15hrs for 10:45hrs service at the war memorial plaque in the front concourse, everyone welcome, especially standard bearers, Address: Birmingham B4 7UL
Thursday 7th November; Dudley annual Festival of Remembrance, form-up 1900hrs for 1930hrs service and concert at Dudley College of Technology, The Broadway, Dudley DY1 4AS tickets (free to standard bearers),
Friday 8th November; New Street station act of remembrance and pay homage with wreath laying ceremony by Network rail, form-up 10:15 for 10:45 service. Address: New Street station, Station Street, Birmingham B2 4QA
Friday 8th November; Remembrance at Cadburys. Meet-up 10:00 at Cadburys reception, Bournville Place, Bournville Lane, Bournville, Birmingham B30 2LU, then proceed to the war memorial for act of remembrance and wreath laying ceremony.
Saturday 9th November; Annual act of remembrance at the Dutch war graves in Merridale Cemetery, Jeffcock Road, Bradmore Wolverhampton WV3 7AE. form-up 09:30hrs for 10:00hrs parade and service
Sunday 10th November; Remembrance Sunday, Veterans and Standard bearers form-up 10:10 ready for 10:40 march off in Colmore Row, near Eden place, off Victoria Square, Birmingham, B3 3SJ, to march onto Cathedral Square, Colmore Row, Birmingham B3 2QB. for annual Remembrance Day service.
Sunday 10th November; Hagley Road Village; (HRV veterans’ group) will hold their annual Remembrance Day service on Sunday 10th November 2024, form-up 14:00 for 14:30 service with their own chaplain and in-house choir, everyone welcome, especially veterans and standard bearers to their service, Address: Hagley Road Retirement Village; 336, Hagley Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B17 8BH.
Monday 11th November; City of Birmingham annual Armistice Day service and parade, form-up 10:30hrs for 10:55hrs service at the Hall of Memory war memorial, Centenary Square, Birmingham, B1 2HF
Monday 11th November; Remembrance at Swanshurst 09:30 arrival for tea/coffee and chat. The Lord Mayor is invited. 10:45 – I, (Doug Smith) will say something, welcome and greetings, 11:00 – proceed out on to the grass for act of remembrance with two minutes silence. 11:05 – back in-doors for tea/ coffee and entertainment and leave at about 12:00. Swanshurst School, Brook Lane, Birmingham, B13 0TW
Sunday 15th December; FBESA Christmas party, full seasonal fare and entertainment, 12:30 sit down in the Cobden suite at the Cobden hotel, 166, Hagley Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B16 9NZ Dress code; Christmas theme jumpers etc. book through your own association or with John Dolphin, FBESA chairman, 0121 241 3112 or johndolphin48@hotmail.com