World War Two veteran Jack Hinchliffe has told GB News about his joy in celebrating Armed Forces Day after admitting he is "surprised" to see so many locals turn up.
In the seaside town of Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, Britons marked the occasion with a carnival parade and Red Arrows display.
Hinchliffe, who is 103 years old, expressed his joy at the celebrations in Cleethorpes, telling GB News reporter Jack Carson: "It's great to see so many people here today.
"It surprised me that so many people have come forward to celebrate the Armed Forces Fay."
Veteran Jack Hinchliffe expressed his joy at celebrating Armed Forces Day
GB News
Hinchliffe, once a part of the Royal Engineers, told the People's Channel of his time serving in World War Two: "1945, I was in Norway, 1943, I was in Egypt, two different countries.
"I was preparing for the second front. I was in the Royal Engineers, driving Bailey bridges about. We crossed every river in the south of England."
Reflecting on those veterans that have died and lost their lives in battle, Hinchliffe remembered his friend Billy Harrison, who served alongside him.
Hinchliffe recalled: "There were friends of mine, including Billy Harrison, both gone. They were my schoolmates, and I can't see them anymore.
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Armed Forces Day in Cleethorpes was celebrated with a parade of military personnel
GB News
"They were shot down. Billy Harrison went across in the first thousand bomber raids and waited to give permission to land to refill it, and he crashed. So therefore, he did his job, but couldn't get any fuel to carry on."
Cleethorpes locals witnessed a fantastic parade of motorcyclists, all of them of which are veterans, waving Air Force and Union flags on their bikes as they rode by and took the salute.
The celebrations also saw old armoured vehicles, tanks, and music from the band of the Coldstream Guards, as well as veterans marching with cadets and current serving personnel.
Cleethorpes is the home of the national Armed Forces Day event, with other 200 events for armed forces taking place across the country.
Hinchliffe told GB News of his service in World War 2
GB News
The Cleethorpes event has been attended by 200,000 Britons, alongside the likes of the Defence Secretary John Healey, all in celebration of the armed forces. Veterans who served in the Falklands War are also in attendance, as well as the Red Arrows, who put on a spectacular display for the event.
Wing Commander Adam Collins from the Red Arrows told GB News he is "incredibly proud" to be a part of the team.
Collins said: "I'm incredibly proud and incredibly privileged to be doing this job. And there's nothing better than seeing the red, white and blue down the Mall in a state occasion, the Coronation or the King's birthday fly past.
"We're representing the RAF, the UK military, and then when we go overseas, we're representing the UK on a global stage. So we can take that red, white and blue, paint in the skies all over the world and promote the best of British wherever we go, so we're really privileged to be doing that."
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