Thousands join celebrations to mark Bangor's 1,500th anniversary
Bangor city centre was a sea of flags and cheers as thousands of residents and visitors lined the streets to witness a grand military parade. It was a highlight of the city's 1,500th anniversary celebrations.
The event gathered service personnel, veterans, cadets, and community groups, showcasing a vibrant display of civic pride and heritage. Led proudly by Shenkin IV, the iconic goat mascot of the 1st Battalion, The Royal Welsh, the parade showcased an impressive array of regimental units.
Guest of honour was Betty Roberts, aged 101, who played a vital role in the RAF communications in WWII. Others in Thursday's parade included troops from The Royal Welsh, the Welsh Guards, RAF Valley, and 106 Squadron medical reservists.
They were joined by the renowned British Army Band from Catterick, who gave a rousing performance as the parade marched through the streets of Bangor. Veterans and more than 100 cadets, some travelling from as far as Birkenhead and South Shropshire, participated in the impressive procession, demonstrating the broad support for the city's historic milestone.
Dr Martin Hanks, Bangor City Director, expressed his gratitude to the community: 'We were thrilled to see such an incredible turnout for the military parade. It was a powerful reminder of Bangor's enduring spirit and the pride we all share in our city's remarkable history.
"Thank you to everyone who came out to support this event. This is just one of many events planned throughout 2025 to mark our 1,500th anniversary.
"We encourage everyone to join us in the coming months as we continue to celebrate Bangor's rich heritage and vibrant community.'
The parade is part of a year-long programme of events organised by Bangor City Council in collaboration with local organisations, schools, and community groups.
Betty Roberts, who celebrated her 101st birthday this month, represents a living link to the city's wartime past. Enlisting in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) in 1943, Betty served as a teleprinter operator at RAF Blackbrook during the Second World War, where she played a vital role in the RAF's communications network.
After the war, she married High-Speed Telegraphist Joe Roberts and settled in Bangor, where she has remained a cherished member of the community ever since.
Betty recently reflected on VE Day and her wartime service, saying: 'I never imagined the messages I typed would have such importance. We were just doing our duty.'
Her quiet bravery and long-standing ties to Bangor made her the perfect guest of honour.
* Other events to mark Bangor's 1,500th anniversary this year will include the Bangor Summer Festival, History Festival, artistic performances, and a spectacular firework display, all designed to honour the city's past, present and future.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
RAF Chinook: Families of victims to launch legal action against MoD
Families of those killed in an RAF Chinook helicopter crash in 1994 have said they are launching legal action against the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for not ordering a public inquiry. Four crew and 25 passengers were killed when the helicopter went down in foggy conditions over the Mull of Kintyre in helicopter was carrying leading security personnel from RAF Aldergrove in Northern Ireland to a conference at Fort George near families of the victims want a High Court judge to review information which they say was not included in previous investigations. They believe it will offer new information on the airworthiness of the helicopter. All 25 passengers - made up of personnel from MI5, the Royal Ulster Constabulary and the British Army - were killed, along with the helicopter's four crew families of the victims, who have formed the Chinook Justice Campaign, said failing to order a public inquiry is a breach of the UK government's human rights a letter to the government, the group said: "The investigations conducted to date, whether considered individually or in combination, have failed to discharge the investigative duty."Thirty-one years after, the group have also called for the release of documents that were sealed at the time of the crash for 100 years, as revealed in a BBC documentary last year. 'Should never have taken off' The solicitor representing the families said there is enough evidence to convince the families that there was "a failure by the MoD to apply appropriate safeguards in order to protect the passengers and crew". Solicitor Mark Stephens added: "In fact, they were put on board an aircraft that was known to be positively dangerous and should never have taken off."That is why we are seeking a judicial review into the government's failure to hold a public inquiry - which the families have sought for more than a year."After the crash, pilots Richard Cook and Jonathan Tapper, were accused of gross negligence, but this verdict was overturned by the UK government 17 years later.A subsequent review by Lord Philip set out "numerous concerns" raised by those who worked on the MoD's testing centre at Boscombe Down in Wiltshire declared the Chinook Mk2 helicopters "unairworthy" prior to the crash. 'What is being hidden?' Esme Sparks, who was seven years old when her father Major Gary Sparks lost his life, said: "We don't want to have to take legal action against the government and MoD but we do want and need answers surrounding the circumstance of this crash."We want to know who or what is being protected? Who made the decision to let this helicopter take off? What is being hidden? In our view, a public inquiry is key."The MoD said that records held in The National Archives contain personal information and early release of those documents would breach their data protection MoD spokesperson said: "The Mull of Kintyre crash was a tragic accident and our thoughts and sympathies remain with the families, friends and colleagues of all those who died."
Sky News
9 hours ago
- Sky News
Man describes rescuing boy from Thames at Gravesend - after body found in search for missing girl
A man has described how he rescued a boy from the River Thames - after a body was found in the search for a girl who went missing during the same incident. George Karnovski says he pulled what he said was an "11-year-old" boy out of the river after he got into difficulty near the Royal Terrace Pier in Gravesend in Kent. He said once he had the child on a buoy, he was "just screaming" as he struggled in the water. Kent Police and the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) recovered the body of the missing girl at around 11.40am on Saturday. Witnesses suggest she was the boy's younger sister. Formal identification by the girl's next of kin has taken place, and the death is not being treated as suspicious, police said. Emergency services were called on Friday afternoon after concerns were raised for the two children who had entered the river at nearby Royal Pier Road. Mr Karnvoski said: "At the same time as pulling him out, I was looking around, like, where is she, where is she? "I'm shouting, saying 'there's one more, there's one more'. I'm looking around, [but] for love nor money, I cannot see the little girl." Mr Karnovski, 37, who is a member of the RAF, had been visiting his family who live in the town. He said they had been out on a walk when they heard that children were in trouble in the water, which he said had "a strong current". His brother Jack, who lives in the area, said he had seen his wife "scream, and point at the river. I assumed it was my children. I went running and shouted to my brother". The pair discovered there was only one life ring, and so only George, who said he had previously had lifeguard training, could enter the water for safety reasons. Jack said that when George jumped in, he "said he never felt the bottom. We had to run down the jetty because the tide was running up". "The jetty is quite long. By the time you ran down it, it was deep water," he added. George said the conditions in the water at the time were "tough", even for an experienced adult swimmer. By the time he entered the water, he says the children were about 40 to 50 metres (131 to 164 feet) away, and it took him about two minutes to get to them. "I started swimming. I went quite hard to begin with, but then started running out of steam," he said. Jack, who was on the pier directing George in his efforts to rescue the children, said the children were travelling quickly with the strength of the water. "In terms of the current, they'd fallen off the jetty. They were about 50 metres away, going towards London. By the time my brother had caught up with them, I'd say he was 150 to 200 metres (492 to 656 feet) away. So that gives you an idea. In a couple of minutes, they'd gone 100m (328 feet) or more down the Thames," he said. The brothers said other organisations helped the rescue efforts, including the RNLI and the London Port Authority (LPA). The LPA said in a statement they "are continuing to support police with their inquiries into exactly what happened, and where and how the children entered the water. It is so sad and the thoughts of the whole of the LPA are with their loved ones".
BBC News
11 hours ago
- BBC News
In pictures: Crowds enjoy Midlands Air Festival
Thousands of people have enjoyed seeing hot air balloons and air displays at the Midlands Air Festival in Warwickshire. The three-day event is held at Ragley Hall in Alcester from 30 RAF aerobatic display team, the Red Arrows, featured on each day of the festival. Classic and military jets, along with other display teams could be seen at the event, which organisers say is the largest gathering of hot air balloons in Europe. Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
