Littlehampton Armed Forces Day 2010. Picture: Stephen Goodger L26167H10Littlehampton Armed Forces Day 2010. Picture: Stephen Goodger L26167H10
Littlehampton Armed Forces Day 2010. Picture: Stephen Goodger L26167H10

Red Devils thrill at Armed Forces Day in Littlehampton in 2010

Littlehampton is renowned for its packed programme of events to salute the services on Armed Forces Day and 2010 was particularly special, with a spectacular display by the Red Devils freefall parachute team. Uniformed and service organisations united with community leaders on June 26, 2010, to pay tribute to those in the forces, with a parade and drumhead service and various arena displays. The action unfolded on the seafront and on The Green, beginning with the parade along the promenade from East Beach Café.

The band of TS Sussex Sea Cadets led the way, followed by the standard bearers of the Royal British Legion and other service organisations, veterans of the Second World War and other conflicts and community leaders. NTC unit TS Implacable’s band was followed by Littlehampton-based air, sea and army cadets and the Arundel and Littlehampton District Scout Band was at the head of a group of Scouts, Cubs and Beavers from across the district, together with the town’s carnival royalty. The procession, watched by daytrippers from the beach, as well as by residents, made its way on to the arena on The Green, where the drumhead service was conducted by Fr Roger Caswell, of St Mary’s, Littlehampton. Prayers were said for those currently serving in the forces and for the victims of war.

Arena attractions following the service included the Royal British Legion Sussex Band, the Alpha Guard Dog team and displays by the 47 Regiment. There was also a KitKar competition between army, air and sea cadets, to build a kit car in the fastest time. All three teams completed the task, including assembling the car and driving it through cones, in under 2min 40sec, but none approached the record of 1min 34sec set five years previously by a Sussex Army Cadet team led by Adam McCourty.

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