Chatham Salvation Army » Blog Archive » First National Armed Forces Day

First National Armed Forces Day

The Salvation Army has a long standing association with the country’s armed forces through it’s provision of support services to wartime and other personnel over many years.

an enduring legacy

The Medway Towns also has a long standing association with the armed forces as Chatham was a Royal Navy base for over 400 years until it closed in the early 1980s and the Corps of Royal Engineers hosts the Royal School of Military Engineering just a short distance from the town centre. Another connection is that the parents (then Captains Will and Olive Straughan) of Songster Leader Verna Smith (R) were once in charge of a Salvation Army canteen during the days of World War 2 and right here in Kent for good measure.

Verna (medium) parents were canteen managers

The canteen at Sandwich in 1940.

Verna’s father can be seen at the far left of the picture and her mother is to the left of the back row

No surprise then that the ‘Army’ was offered a stand at the recent National Armed Forces Day event, the first of its kind, held in Chatham’s Historic Dockyard. The current Salvation Army emergency vehicle was used to provide refreshments, just like in days gone by, and was manned by Major Drew McCombe and several members of the Corps working in shifts throughout the day, a number of whom had previous military service with British forces. In addition to Drew those involved were Major Beverley McCombe, Nigel Lockwood, Jonathan Lockwood, Steve Lenton, Ray Maycock, Peter Sampson, Nigel and Margaret Day and Dolly and Doreen Scott.

part of the team

Ray Maycock, Peter Sampson and Major Beverley McCombe are not pictured

The ceremonial was preceded by the arrival by launch of HRH The Duke of Gloucester accompanied by Prime Minister Gordon Brown with wife, Sarah, and a host of local dignitaries. The Duke and Prime Minister both stopped to shake hands with military personnel and members of the public on their way to the parade ground.

A feature of the day was a parade, led by the Royal Marines Band, which commenced in Chatham High Street and was met on arrival at the Historic Dockyard by he Duke, who gave the royal salute. The parade comprised currently serving personnel and veterans and the ‘Ghurkas’ were given a special welcome by members of the huge crowd.