Defence People chief breaks ground on NAAFI tribute

A new tribute to NAAFI (Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes) personnel is to be created at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.

NAAFI was established by the British Government in 1920, to run the recreational establishments needed by the Armed Forces, and to provide goods to servicemen and their families.

The new memorial will commemorate the NAAFI personnel who died during the Second World War and recognises the ongoing contribution of the organisation to the UK 's armed forces.

Lt Gen James Swift, chief of Defence People, performed a groundbreaking ceremony at the Arboretum to prepare for the installation of the memorial.

At the outbreak of the Second World War, NAAFI managed some 10,000 trading outlets and saw its workforce grow to 110,000.

After the war, the organisation was scaled back but has continued to support British Armed Forces at home and abroad, including during the conflicts in The Falklands, the two Gulf Wars and Afghanistan amongst many others.

Today NAAFI operates in fewer locations than it used to but is present in Germany, Gibraltar, Brunei, the South Atlantic Islands and onboard Navy ships, providing convenience and a 'taste of home ' to Armed Forces personnel and their families overseas.

The memorial at the Arboretum will be part of the organisation 's centenary celebrations, and its chairman, Lt Gen (Rtd) Nugee, said: "For the last hundred years the NAAFI has been an integral part of the Armed Forces.

“It has entered the language, defines activities and exudes an aura of home and comfortable relaxation.

“Today, the ground breaking for a memorial to those NAAFI employees who have lost their lives in their service, is a vivid example of how NAAFI, through the dedication of its employees, supports the Armed Forces, whenever and wherever they 're needed. ”

The idea for the memorial came from the Naval Canteen Service (NCS)/Expeditionary Force Institutes (EFI) Association (NEA), who have worked on the design with stonemason Graeme Mitcheson.

The memorial will be installed at the Arboretum ahead of a planned dedication ceremony in October.

Pictured: Lt Gen James Swift performs the groundbreaking ceremony for the NAAFI memorial, watched by Lt Gen (rtd) Richard Nugee