27 June 2002: The Queen pays tribute to the vital role of the Armed Forces during a day in Portsmouth

The Armed Forces celebrated The Queen's Golden Jubilee on Thursday, 27 June with a day of spectacular displays involving 6,000 personnel from all three Services. The special events took place at Portsmouth in the presence of The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh and Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon.

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, wearing his naval uniform, arrived at 11am at HMS Excellent on Whale Island, Portsmouth, in a helicopter of 32 (The Royal) Squadron, based at RAF Northolt. They were welcomed by Sir Michael Boyce, Chief of the Defence Staff, Admiral Sir Nigel Essenhigh, First Sea Lord, General Sir Michael Walker, Chief of the General Staff, and Air Marshal Sir Peter Squire, Chief of the Air Staff 

Events got underway on the parade ground with a formal tri-services guard of honour formed by British Army personnel from the 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards; a contingent of Royal Navy personnel; and the Queen's Colour Squadron of the RAF Regiment. Music was provided by the Royal Marine Band, the Band of the Coldstream Guards, and the Central Band of the Royal Air Force.

All eyes turned skywards as 31 Tucano aircraft from the Royal Air Force flew overhead in a special formation making up The Queen's cypher, EIIR. The Tucano T1 came into service in 1988 replacing the Jet Provost as the RAF's basic training aircraft. The aircraft are based at RAF Linton-On-Ouse, in Yorkshire.

The Queen met nine 'unsung heroes' who had achieved remarkable goals in their military careers, before entering an arena to view military demonstrations. The demonstrations depicted three different operational scenarios experienced by the Armed Services: entry into theatre, combat and peace support. The displays including a 'live engagement scene' with some of the latest military hardware, such as Challenger II tanks, Warrior armoured vehicles, and Rapier ground-to-air defence systems.

The peace support display included help from Buster, a six-year-old Springer Spaniel, whose role is to search for arms explosives. Like all dogs used by the forces, Buster came from a rescue centre as an unwanted pet. The 'civilians' being helped in the peace support display came largely from theatre groups in and around Portsmouth, many of them with links to the Royal Navy.

After the display there was opportunity for the Royal party to meet some of the participants. The Queen and Prince Philip then took lunch with 150 Service personnel from the rank and file of all three services, plus veterans from the past 50 years, Reserves Forces and the Cadets.

The Chief of the Defence Staff, Sir Michael Boyce, presented The Queen with a pair of gates for Sandringham as a Jubilee gift. The Queen made a speech in reply, expressing her gratitude to the support given by the Services throughout her reign. "I owe a particular debt of gratitude to the many members of the Armed Forces, who have given me, and my family, their personal support in so many different ways during the last fifty years."

The Queen also praised the outstanding contribution of all involved in the Services, active personnel, families, and support organisations. "Britain is grateful to you, whether here in Portsmouth, in bases across the United Kingdom, or across the world. You do this country proud." 

After lunch, the focus moved to the main naval base in Portsmouth. There the Royal party went aboard aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal. The fifth vessel to bear the name, HMS Ark Royal was launched by HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and accepted into service in July 1985. Aboard Ark Royal, The Queen viewed a dynamic display in the harbour which demonstrated the three operational scenarios seen earlier, showing how all three Services operate together.

The display was set in the fictional lands of Whalonia and Mexiarm, two nations in conflict for years before the intervention of the United Nations. The display enacted the possible involvement of UK forces in humanitarian operations, including the aiding of 3,000 British citizens and a VIP trapped by the fighting in an intensive air and sea operation on the coast of Whalonia. During the operation rebels from Whalonia were defeated by UK troops. 

The display featured some of the latest technology, including helicopters, landing craft, aircraft and hovercraft, tanks and a missile launcher. Many of the aircraft and personnel had taken part in operations going back over 20 years. A Gazelle helicopter flying from Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Sir Bedivere took part in an operation to rescue the stranded VIP. Sir Bedivere had a lucky escape in the Falklands War when an Argentine bomb passed through the yard arm and exploded in the sea. It has since been rebuilt.

The enactment included pyrotechnics and video footage shown on giant screens, plus all the sounds of military operations - the crackle of gunfire and an artillery barrage. The mock battle ended in spectacular fashion, when the rescued VIP, played by Leading Aircrewman Darren Jones, jumped into the sea from a helicopter.

He then presented The Queen with a bunch of flowers in appreciation of the prompt action of Her Majesty's Forces. It was a touch reminiscent of the actions of fictional British special agent James Bond. Kate Adie, the veteran BBC reporter, reported the news of the British victory, giving the enactment a final touch of authenticity.

Following the display, The Queen and Prince Philip boarded the mine-hunter HMS Bangor to sail down Portsmouth harbour to inspect five frontline naval ships and a dozen smaller craft. A 21-gun salute was fired by HMS Cornwall, which was involved in operations off Sierra Leone in 1998.

For the first time, sailors were joined on the ships by soldiers and airmen and women to give three cheers for the Queen as she sailed past; the practice of "man and cheer" is usually the exclusive preserve of the Royal Navy.  

The day ended in grand style with a fly-past by fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft from the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm, and Army Air Corps. The Red Arrows concluded the fly-past trailing red, white and blue smoke.

Before leaving Portsmouth, The Queen was presented with the keys to the City of Portsmouth, and unveiled a Golden Jubilee statue. The Queen and Prince Philip were also presented with pictures painted by young winners of a local newspaper art competition before departing by helicopter for Windsor Castle. 

Read the full text of The Queen's speech in Portsmouth (pdf, 144kB)
Read the full text of The Queen's Jubilee message to the Armed Forces (pdf, 144kB)

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