The Lord-Lieutenant of Herefordshire, Mr. Edward Harley CBE, was honoured to open Armed Forces Week in Herefordshire with a speech at the Armed Forces Flag Raising on Monday 19th June.  The Lord-Lieutenant was joined by the Chair of Herefordshire Council, Councillor Roger Phillips JP, Mayor of Hereford, Councillor Jacqui Carwardine, and representatives from all three Armed Forces. Invited guests ranged from senior community figures, military charities, the Armed Forces and the veteran community. 

Onlookers were treated to special tributes by pupils from Riverside Primary School and Lord Scudamore Primary Academy.

Afterwards, in Hereford Town Hall, they witnessed the signing of The Armed Forces Covenant by Hereford City Council and Hereford Cathedral School. 

The Lord-Lieutenant met WW2 Bomber Pilot Flt Lt Brian Davies DFC, in the Mayor’s Parlour to mark the milestone of his 100th birthday, reached earlier in the year, as well as to honour his bravery and commitment to our country during World War II.

Brian Davies joined the RAF on his 18th birthday in 1941, and after flying training in the USA, he was posted to RAF Shobdon in Herefordshire to train glider pilots. He then transferred to fly Halifax bombers with 10 Squadron flying out of a base in Yorkshire. He completed 33 missions over Germany and occupied Europe, and was awarded the Disinguished Flying Cross (DFC) in 1945, aged just 22. Brian was married to his wife Mary for 75 years, living for many years in Tupsley, Hereford.

On behalf of HM The King, The Lord-Lieutenant thanked Brian for his bravery during his wartime service. He said that subsequent generations had cause to be very grateful to him and his contemporaries for the freedoms we enjoy today. Also in attendance were 2 currently serving officers from 10 Squadron RAF Brize Norton, who presented Brian with a framed photo of a current 10 Squadron aircraft, and a Certificate of Life Membership of the 10 Squadron Association.