Reserves Day takes place on the fourth Wednesday in June each year, celebrating the dedication and contributions of reserve forces.
Reserves Day honours the men and women who serve in the reserve forces, balancing civilian careers with military commitments. Established to recognise their vital role, this day highlights the importance of reserve forces in supporting regular military personnel, providing essential skills, and ensuring national security. Reserves Day is an opportunity to show appreciation for their service, commitment, and the sacrifices they make to protect our nation.
Reservists give up their spare time to serve in the Reserve Forces, balancing their civilian life with a military career to ensure that should their country require them, they would be ready to serve as part of the military. Reservists are currently supporting operations worldwide.
The Reserve Forces make up approximately one sixth of our Armed Forces personnel and as such are integral to protecting the nation’s security at home and overseas, particularly providing capability in specialist areas such as medical and cyber.
However, the contribution they make to our Armed Forces often goes unrecognised. As such an annual Reserves Day was created to highlight and recognise the valuable contribution Reservists make to our Armed Forces.
On Reserves Day, Reservists wear their uniform in their civilian life.
In Swindon, we have had a strong connection to the Armed Forces with a long history. In WW1, the Milton Road Swimming Baths was used as a military hospital for the soldiers wounded on the front line.
In WW2, Swindon was used as a base for many of the US soldiers that took part in the D-Day Landings, including the 101st Airborne, including Easy Company, who trained in Aldbourne and had a command post there. Easy Company was made famous in the book and TV series ‘Band of Brothers’. Lydiard Park was also heavily used during World War Two as a station hospital for the American 101st Airborne Division, treating casualties from the D-Day Landings, and also used as a German Prisoner of War Camp, housing German prisoners.
Swindon was also a strategic target, and experienced numerous bombing raids by the German Luftwaffe due to the town being a major transport hub due to the Great Western Railway, which was also converted into a war factory, making munitions and military equipment like landing craft used on D-Day. In South Marston, the Vickers factory would be used to build the Spitfire, GWR Park was used primarily for military drill practice and the construction of trenches and shelters.
The trenches and shelters were situated on the northern edge of the park, likely for defensive purposes. During World War II, GWR Park in Swindon was primarily used for military drill practice and the construction of trenches and shelters.
A drill hall was constructed in the parks north west corner of the park for 190 men of the 11th (Wilts) New Swindon Rifle Corps.
The park was also used to provide entertainment for children, where fairground families were permitted to set up fairground rides during wartime restrictions, which was a common practice during the war due to travel being restricted.
Today Swindon is home to a number of Reserve Force units important to the defence of our nation, and an interracial part of our nations armed forces. The variety of reserve units based in give people of Swindon a huge variety of jobs/trades to suit anyone interested in serving their country as a reservist.
Swindon’s Current Reserve Units:
B Company 7th Battalion The Rifles, which was formerly B Company 1 Wessex, which was where I started my military career in 1990, before joining the Regular Army with The Royal Green Jackets, who in 2007 were amalgamated with other Light Infantry Regiments to form The Rifles.
158 Theatre Support Company Detached Platoon REME (Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers), This Company trains vehicle mechanics, metalsmiths, armourers and vehicle recovery specialists to repair and recovery Army equipment in the NATO Allied Rapid Reaction Corps.
280 Movement Control Squadron, 162 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps, is part of 104 Logistic Support Brigade. It is the Army Reserve’s centre of gravity for movement control capability. The Regiment is spread across the UK, with its headquarters in Nottingham.
The Royal Wessex Yeomanry is the only Army Reserve Unit to operate the Challenge 2, the British Army’s Main Battle Tank. Our role is to provide fully trained Crews in support of the Regular Armoured Regiments for Training, Exercises and on Operations around the world.
For more information, and contact details on the above Swindon based Army Reserve Units, click HERE.
To bring a touch of pride to Reserves Day on your social media and digital channels, here are some content ideas:
- Share stories of reserve members and their experiences balancing civilian and military life.
- Post a thank you message to reserve forces for their service and dedication.
- Create a video interview with a reservist, discussing their role and achievements.
- Host a live Q&A session with members of the reserve forces.
- Share infographics about the different roles and responsibilities of reserve forces.
- Feature user-generated content from families and friends of reservists showing their support.
- Post historical facts and milestones about reserve forces.
- Highlight local events or ceremonies taking place in honour of Reserves Day.
- Share inspirational quotes from reserve members about their service.
Life in the Reserves
The Reserve forces play a crucial role in national security from countering security threats, peacekeeping and humanitarian efforts abroad to supporting communities at home.
One week you could be at your desk, the next, deploying thousands of miles across the world to uphold global peace and security.
Benefits of becoming a Reservist:
- paid for your time and a tax free bounty
- special paid leave
- pension
- training and qualifications that enhance your performance in the workplace
- sports and adventure training
- overseas travel
- armed forces railcard
Find out more about Reserve duty in each service:
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