VETERANS of military conflicts should go on sharing their experiences with the younger generation, the Bishop of Truro, the Right Reverend Tim Thornton, told a service in the cathedral on Sunday.

The service was part of an Armed Forces day which is planned to be held each year and which, with veterans of the Second World War getting fewer and fewer as the years go by, will be different from those in the past and will be aimed at engaging members of various cadet forces and other young people.

Five bands played at Sunday's event which was also the County Rally of the Cornwall Royal British Legion. It took the form of a village fete with stalls on Lemon Quay, a service in Truro Cathedral, and a parade of standards marching from the Cathedral to Lemon Quay.

The parade was led by the Band of the Royal Marines, Plymouth, who later performed the ceremony of Beat the Retreat in front of a large gathering on Lemon Quay.

A new Royal British Legion County Standard was dedicated by the Bishop during the cathedral service.

The standard, which symbolises unity, chivalry and loyalty to the Sovereign, community and nation, replaces the old one which had seen a great deal of use.

Group Captain Simon Coy, RBL county president, said the standard had to be perfect.

The Bishop told the veterans in the congregation in the cathedral that a key element of such events was them sharing their stories.

"You must go on sharing your stories and experiences. Today we give thanks for all those who have served and continue to serve, and we thank you for all you do.

"Being in the midst of real danger, of distress, being frightened, it is important for us all to hear those experiences and understand both the past and the future through them."

The service was introduced by the Very Reverend Dr Christopher Hardwick, Dean of Truro, and a prayer said by the county chaplain, the Rev Perran Gay.

Safeguard

The Exhortation was spoken by the county RBL chairman, Clive Rawson, and the Kohimah Epitaph spoken by the County Women's Section chairman Mrs Barbara Morrison. The readings were by the county president Simon Coy and the women's section president Mrs Rosalind Coy.

Bugler Bill Bishop filled the cathedral with the Last Post and Reveille.

Deputy Lieutenant, Colonel Simon Bolitho, said the new Armed Forces Day was not celebrating war: "The armed forces provide the ultimate safeguard to our country, our way of life and our ability to live in peace and prosperity in a democratic country."

Various awards were made, including Veterans' badges to Bill Aish, 94, from Sticker, near St Austell, who served in North Africa and Italy in the Second World War, Bill Stoneman, of St Columb, who served as a rear gunner in the RAF in that war, and Fred Pascoe, Helston, who recently retired as a legion welfare worker.

County RBL manager Keith Naylor said that although he would have liked to see more people at the event he felt it had been an excellent day which had encouraged the younger generation to get involved.