The Devon Branch of the Canal Zoners visited the National Memorial Arboretum on June 3rd&4th 2008.
The coach departed Brixham at 7.30.A.M on the 3rd June, picked up some 30 members en route, including a few Members of the British Legion, and drove directly to Alrewas Staffordshire, with one pit stop, arriving at the Arboretum by Mid-day
Our reasoning to drive directly to the National Memorial Arboretum, on the first day of our visit was to accommodate each of us with different persuasions to visit our own sites, remember our own particular comrades, be it Army, Navy or Air Force, and then return the next day, attend a Church service in the Millennium Chapel and as a group, meet at the Suez Veterans Monument for a short service of Remembrance
Of particular interest was the new Armed Forces Memorial,erected specifically to honour the 16 000 servicemen and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice since 1948.
The site is so large and growing fast, it would take over 3 days to cover it all.
Our main purpose was to come to this special place,say a few prayers and make the solemn promise to our fallen comrades that
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.