Flag Raising Ceremony at Guildford’s Guildhall To Honour UK Armed Forces

Published on: 21 Jun, 2023
Updated on: 21 Jun, 2023

By Joseph Bickle

On Monday, June 19, Guildford held its annual flag-raising ceremony honouring the UK’s Armed Forces.

The ceremony at the Guildhall on Monday, June 19 at the start of the UK’s Armed Forces Week, 2023.

The event was held on the balcony of the Guildhall on the High Street at midday.

The ceremony was attended by many Armed Forces veterans as well as many local officials including the Mayor of Guildford, Masuk Miah; Colonel Patrick Crowley MBE; Brigadier Roger Hood; and the Revd Andy Latifa, among many others.

The event began inside the Guildhall with a welcome from mayor, and a speech which mostly focused on the appreciation for the UK’s Armed Forces as well as its increasing relevancy in the ever-changing geopolitical landscape.

And stressing that the conflict in Ukraine has only further highlighted the significance of our Armed Forces in protecting our way of life.

Once these speeches had concluded, the crowd gathered in front of the Guildhall in preparation for the flag-raising ceremony.

The military chaplain began the ceremony with a prayer, to which the crowd bowed their heads.

People gathered in Guildford High Street to watch the UK Armed Forces flag-raising ceremony, 2023.

As the sound of the bugle beckoned across the High Street and the flag began to raise, many passers-by stopped next to the crowd to watch the flag rise from the rooftop parapets of the Guildhall.

Once the flag had been raised, the crowd let out a celebratory cheer.