Over 100 military vehicles descend on Dorset for Armed Forces Day
Some vehicles have already been visiting schools ahead of the occasion.
Over 100 military vehicles are due to descend on Dorset for Armed for Day today.
Dorchester and Weymouth are both hosting historic vehicles and tanks in commemoration of historic battles.
Dorchester
In Dorchester we're being warned this could be our last chance to catch a glimpse of around 70 military vehicles in the town all at once.
Organisers are encouraging us to dress up in period attire.
The tanks will travel in convoy up High East Street on Saturday 18 June at around 3pm, then turn down Church Street before parking up at Brewery Square for 1.5 - 2hrs to allow the public to have a really good look and take photos. They should be at Brewery Square by 3:30pm.
Jack Beckett is the organiser. He said:
"So people can come and talk to the owners, pretty much touch the vehicles, it is living history. These are actual running vehicles.
"You won't see this, I don't think, again. This is recreating a scene that would have been seen in Dorset in the build-up to D-Day so it's historic.
"It's important to remember our history. It can be fun, but it is important that we teach people and show people what we do and hopefully inspire people to maybe pick up a book just to do some more research.
"The world's in a strange place right now so it's nice to revert back 70 odd years and bring a bit of history back in."
The troop has already been making the rounds through Dorset this week. They stopped by at Broadmayne First School yesterday to teach children about the second world war.
"When I was young I had y grandfather and then the next generation had their great-grandfather. These youngsters don't have any direct relatives. They have bloodline but they don't have any direct living relatives.
"So it's important to tell them their local history because the Americans were based here in the war, this is exactly what would have been driving around this village."
Weymouth
Armed Forces Weekend spans three days in Weymouth with over 60 military vehicles headed to the town on Saturday.
This year promises to be a special event after the Ministry of Defence awarded £10,000 to support the occasion.
The event starts on the Saturday morning at 10am with an impressive military vehicle display on Weymouth Pavilion’s forecourt. Between 11am to 3pm, enjoy the free music and entertainment from The Decadettes who will be undertaking a tribute to the forces with a sing-along and seated performance from the South Wales Police Band. At 3.30pm, the military vehicle convoy will then start their engines and parade along Weymouth seafront.
On the seafront, there will be a variety of ex-service associations stands and charity stalls.
On the Sunday at 11am, an open-air service at the Cenotaph on Weymouth seafront will commence with a flypast along the entire length of the seafront from a Spitfire and a Hurricane from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Team. The service will be followed by a parade of veterans and historic military vehicles along the Esplanade. Band performances will take place in the afternoon together with a display of the historic vehicles.
The celebrations conclude on Monday 20th June at 10.30am with an Armed Forces flag raising ceremony taking place outside The New Town Hall on Commercial Road.
The Ministry of Defence have awarded Weymouth Town Council £10,000 to support this event.
Cllr Ann Weaving, Mayor of Weymouth, said: “Weymouth has a long and proud association with the armed forces and it’s an honour to host one of the country’s most popular annual veterans’ events. This year’s Armed Forces Weekend will be especially poignant as we mark the 40th anniversary of the Falklands War.
“I greatly look forward to taking part in the event and welcoming veterans and their families from across the country to the town.”