The Queen and the Prime Minister have led national recognition of the role of the services in Britain's first Armed Forces Day.
Around 200 events from parades to concerts took place around the country as people displayed their support for the nation's servicemen and women.
The day was also marked by British forces in war-torn Afghanistan and in Kuwait, where troops are organising the completion of withdrawal from neighbouring Iraq.
Both the Queen and the Prince of Wales released messages highlighting the UK's "deep and enduring gratitude" to its past and present soldiers, sailors and airmen.
The Queen met members of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards at Redford Barracks in Edinburgh. As well as inspecting a guard of honour and two Challenger 2 tanks, she was shown a number of displays including those highlighting life in the barracks and field operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. She awarded operational medals at a reception for 300 personnel and their families.
Around 30,000 people turned out at the Historic Dockyard in Chatham, Kent, for a national event marking the day.
The official party included Prime Minster Gordon Brown and his wife Sarah, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the head of the Armed Forces, Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, and Defence Minister Kevan Jones.
Mr Brown paid tribute to the professionalism, dedication and courage of the Armed Forces.
He said: "Churchill said that courage was the greatest quality of all, because courage was a quality on which everything else depended. If people have intentions to do the right thing, unless they have the courage and bravery to see it through, then all will lead to nothing.
"I think the courage of our forces in Afghanistan and the courage, if we look back to other wars, particularly the courage shown by the veterans here today and the people who served in our Armed Forces in so many different ways on the home front as well as on the battlefield, is something of which we are extremely proud. Their service will never be forgotten."
