Salute to the Services

Salute to the Services — A moving tribute to those who serve and protect our communities.

Poole Military Tattoo staged beneath the proud skies of Dorset, we gather here… a place where history was forged by courage, by innovation, and by sacrifice.

From the calm waters of Poole Harbour, agents of the Special Operations Executive once slipped away on missions of silence and bravery.

And in 1944, those same waters thundered with life — as over 300 vessels, British and American alike, set sail for Omaha Beach.

Poole… the third largest D-Day port — a gateway to freedom.

Beyond the harbour, Holton Heath beat with the rhythm of war — producing the explosives and anti-aircraft guns that guarded our skies.

And at Christchurch Airfield, Britain's ingenuity took flight — building the Horsa gliders and Mosquito aircraft, before the USAAF Ninth Air Force launched their missions for Normandy.

Here too, the Royal Engineers crafted the legendary Bailey Bridge — swift to build, strong under fire — the bridge that helped win the war.

Across this proud county, the airfields of Hurn, Sopley, Warmwell, Compton Abbas and Tarrant Rushton roared with aircraft bound for freedom's fight.

And from Hurn, the pioneering spirit of Flight Refuelling took wing — transforming aviation for generations to come.

This is Dorset's legacy — a land that served, a people that stood steadfast.

And at Poole Military Tattoo, Salute to the Services, we honour that spirit.

As the music swells and the flags rise high — we welcome the Service bands, the cadet forces, the services that help every day, now and into the future, the Police, Fire Brigade, Ambulance Service, Coast Guard, RNLI, NHS, and the stirring Pipes and Drums and of course our Amazing Armed Forces — together in unity, tradition, and pride.

Their music echoes through history…

A salute to all who served, and all who still serve today — from the shores of Poole to every corner of the world.

And today, with Royal Marines Hamworthy and the Royal Tank Regiment at Bovington, plus the many Defence Companies that support the Forces, we continue to lead the world.