22nd December 2004
Although the timescale is tight, we wish to offer the following opportunity as widely as possible in the time available. Any help you can give to circulating this opportunity would be much appreciated.
Derek Twine
Chief Executive
SCOUTING WORLD WAR TWO VETERANS 10 July 2005: An Opportunity
The Government has decided to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War next year on 10 July 2005 with a National event in London to mark both VE and VJ days.
Due to the restricted space available, numbers will be somewhat limited and attendance to any of the main events will be by invitation only. We would now like you to nominate World War Two Veterans from Scouting to attend one of the three main events taking place on 10 July 2005.
1. Service in Westminster Abbey
A religious commemorative Service will be held in Westminster Abbey on the morning of 10 July 2005. The Service will be conducted before a gathering of invited veterans, representatives of all major faiths and senior dignitaries. Her Majesty The Queen and members of the Royal Family will be invited to attend. Due to the other events taking place later in the day, it will be necessary for attendees to be seated by 10:00. For this reason, it is recommended that only those veterans who are able to arrive in London in good time, should be nominated.
2. Lunch
A limited number of veterans and some VIPs will be invited to a privately sponsored lunch probably to be held in a marquee in the gardens of Buckingham Palace, on 10 July 2005. Music will be provided by a military band prior to lunch and the RAF Squadronaires will play during the meal itself. There will also be a televised link providing coverage of subsequent events which will take place on Horse Guards Parade. Her Majesty The Queen will be invited to attend. It should be noted that due to space constraints in the gardens which have still to be resolved, it is possible that not all of those nominated will be able to attend. Successful applicants will be formally invited in due course.
3. Horse Guards Parade Event
The main Commemoration event will take place on the afternoon of 10 July 2005 and will comprise a series of nostalgic, reflective and commemorative events in front of an audience of approximately 10,000 veterans, relatives and VIPs. The Foreign and Commonwealth nations will be represented by diplomatic missions in London and veterans domiciled in the UK. Her Majesty The Queen and members of the Royal Family will be invited to attend. Upon completion of the event there will be a parade of association/organisation standards up The Mall to Buckingham Palace. After this there will be a flypast over Buckingham Palace, which will include a number of World War Two aircraft.
Ticket Allocation
Individuals may only be nominated for one of these main events. Each ticket permits entry, free of charge, to the nominee and one guest, who may be a spouse or other individual, including a relation or fellow veteran who has not be allocated a ticket. However, if the nominated veteran requires a carer, then the guest must be able to act as such.
The Scout Association is being offered a small number of tickets for each of these events (the Service, the Lunch and Parade).
If anyone wishes to make a nomination or application for someone who is or was in Scouting and who is a World War Two veteran, please register interest by Tuesday 4 January 2005 at the latest.
The following information will be required for each nomination/application:-
- Event being applied for (if two or three, list order of preference) *
- Surname *
- Forenames *
- Civilian title *
- Wartime Rank *
- Which Wartime Service (specify which Army Regt/RN Ship/Station/RAF Squadron)
- Theatre of War (eg NW Europe, Burma, N.Africa)
- Decoration (excluding Campaign Medals)
- Date of Birth
- Correspondence address *
- Telephone number (s) *
- Email (if available) *
- Access requirements
- Any other relevant information
(For any guest/carer, only the information marked with an asterisk * is required)
Applications/nominations may be made as follows-
- Mail:
- Chief Executive's Office
The Scout Association
Gilwell Park
Chingford
London E4 7QW - Email:
- chief.executive@scout.org.uk
- Fax:
- 020 8433 7108
In the event that any of the available tickets are over-subscribed, a ballot will be held. All enquirers will be responded to, and further details provided, soon after the closing date.
