One of Hampshire’s largest summer events is coinciding with The Queen's Platinum Jubilee month and Armed Forces Day.
Billed as a day of celebration, a convoy of classic military vehicles will travel from Southwick House, near Fareham to Milestones Living History Museum in Basingstoke.
The thirty-seven-mile route, including a stopover at Lasham Airfield, near Alton, will take approximately two hours, travelling through communities including Droxford, Privett, and Farringdon.
Building on the success of a similar event in 2019 to recognise the 75th Anniversary of D-Day, this year’s convoy will feature a Salute to the Veterans. The event organisers have hired a vintage coach and are offering seats to veterans who would like to travel with the convoy. Arrangements are being made for salutes to be taken by local dignitaries at Wickham, West Meon, Alton, and Basingstoke.
The convoy will be flagged off from Southwick House, near Fareham at 10am on the morning of June 25 by the Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire. With safety vehicles in place and supported by riders of the Royal British Legion Riders Branch it will make its way via the B2177. A32, A31, B3349 and finally the A339 to its destination, arriving at midday.
A free family event, which is open to visitors between 9am and 5pm, is being organised by the Military Vehicle Trust to welcome the convoy on the showground adjacent Milestones Museum. The trust is planning various displays and activities plus music from the Gordon School Pipes and Drums, the Odiham Military Wives Choir and the Osprey Road Show.
The veterans will have a guided tour of the Museum and refreshments courtesy of Hampshire Cultural Trust.
There will be fundraising on the day for the Royal British Legion Riders Branch
A spokesperson said: “This will be a day of celebration and reflection, the opportunity for communities to come together to cheer the veterans and to enjoy the unique spectacle of the convoy vehicles on the road and then on display in Basingstoke. We want to thank our supporters Think Ford and Southern Coop for their considerable help in making this event happen.”
The event details can be seen at facebook.com/ArmedForcesDayConvoy2022.
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