The first Armed Foces Day at Chatham Dockyard in 2009

People around Kent will show their support for the armed forces today, with a gala day of ceremonial pomp, celebration and remembrance.

Medway will mark Armed Forces Day along with the rest of the country when 400 participants parade through Rochester to pay respect to servicemen and women killed, injured or still active for their country.

The parade will be led by HM band of the Royal Marines (Collingwood) – including veterans with their standards, serving members of the Armed Forces and 1 RSME Regiment – celebrating the bicentenary of their establishment at Brompton.

The parade will start in Crow Lane, at 10.45am, and march past the War Memorial in Rochester High Street before proceeding into the Rochester Castle Gardens for a traditional military Drumhead service conducted by the Rev Canon Paul Kerr, in the presence of the Lord Lt of Kent.

Displays and activities will take place in Rochester Castle Gardens from 10.30am to 4pm, featuring the Rochester-based volunteers of the RE Bomb Disposal Squadron and the infantry of the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment.

Joining them will be medical personnel of the 4th Medical Regiment, based in Ditton, the Chatham Royal Naval Reserve unit, the RAF recruiters and the Army with a huge inflatable assault course.

Completing the line-up will be the have-a-go mini-diggers from Diggerland and some children’s rides.

The afternoon will include music by singing duo the Swingtime Sweethearts.

Also appearing will be the Royal Marines Band, the Rochester Pipe Band and the Fabulous Fezheads.

Other events around the county include The Gurkha Brigade Band honouring British troops.

Folkestone’s event will take place from noon at the Leas Bandstand.

Joining them will be The Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas and the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment’s parachute display team.

In Deal, the day will be marked with a service at 11am on the green opposite Deal Castle, followed by a parade of standards to the pier at about 11.30am.

The Rev Peggy Fishlock will be leading the service and the Sir Roger Manwood’s band will be taking part.

Veterans and men and women serving in the armed forces, who would like to take part, are asked to gather at the castle by 10.30am. All are welcome.