Armed Forces Day will replace Veterans Day

London: A new Armed Forces Day will be held on June 27 each year to honour all members of the services, past and present, ministers announced.

The event - to take place on the current Veterans Day - is supposed to enhance respect for the Army, Navy and Air Force and will include parades across the country.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "It is not just aimed at veterans, nor is it primarily for recruiting. It is an occasion for the nation to celebrate the forces and show their appreciation for what they do. We want to show respect for those who have served, past and present."

The scheme was announced yesterday by Kevan Jones, MP, the parliamentary under-secretary of defence in charge of veterans' affairs. He unveiled the plans from the decks of HMS Gannet in Chatham.

The move is in line with a call for more public recognition and appreciation of the army, made by General Sir Richard Dannatt when he took over as head of the service in 2006. He expressed a wish to see more soldiers wearing their uniforms in public - something which had been restricted ever since IRA attacks started showing an alarming increase in 1969.

The idea of a national Armed Forces Day was one of the main proposals from an inquiry into support for the services, headed by Quentin Davies, a former Tory MP and now minister for procurement at the MoD. The report was commissioned by Gordon Brown in his first few days as prime minister.

The day will see commemorations and events across the country with displays by all three services. It was hinted that Premier League football clubs could be involved, after a parade of honour around Aston Villa's pitch last year evoked a positive response. Events could also include announcements in school assemblies and military open days.