WE OWE OUR VETERANS A GREAT DEAL OF GRATITUDE - KEETCH

11.06.12am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 27th Jun 2006

Paul Keetch, MP for Hereford has today welcomed the first ever National Veterans' Day.

A series of events are to be held across the UK to mark National Veterans' Day. The day will be a permanent extension of Veterans' Awareness Week, which was held for the first time last year.

Commenting Mr Keetch said:

"I welcome the decision by the Government to commemorate our armed service veterans. I am immensely proud of their selfless contribution to this country.

"We owe them a great deal of gratitude. They have showed both in conflict and peacetime that they have been ready to expose themselves to danger, hardship and death to defend our national and international interests."

The Veterans Agency said 27 June was chosen for National Veterans' Day as it came the day after the anniversary of the first investiture of the Victoria Cross, which happened in Hyde Park, London, in 1857.