Dear friends,
To mark Veteran’s Day/Armistice Day and as a small change from the “just move along, nothing to see here” of the electoral drama I thought I’d share a video of what I’m very much missing today.
It’s odd, “mostly peaceful” riots about the death of a drug addled petty criminal, nearly 4,000 miles away, that left the Cenotaph desecrated were tolerated, but across the country Acts of Remembrance have been cancelled by the authorities. The main national ceremony on Sunday was severely curtailed.
Here is our Act of Remembrance from Hampton Court Palace, five years ago. It’s put together from clips filmed by an American visitor who stays at holiday apartments at the palace each year.
If you’re not keen on bagpipes you might want to start with the sound low. The chap in red who calls the parade to fall in is me, channelling my inner sergeant major. This is the first time in a decade that I’ve not been standing in that courtyard, stopwatch in hand and butterflies in stomach, counting down to 11 am.
It’s our own ceremony and it differs from the council run ceremonies, we read the names on the Chapel war memorial of the men connected with the palace who died. We also lay a wreath in memory of the 100,000+ Indian soldiers who died in the two world wars, comrades of the soldiers who camped at Hampton court for the coronation and peace celebrations in 1902, 1911, 1919 and 1937.
I post it here in memory of all those who fell, under the Union Jack, Stars and Stripes, Maple Leaf or the Southern Cross to ensure that freedom shall not perish from the earth.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CHaf_uHHfKV/
4 replies on “Veterans’ Day/Armistice Day”
I had never witnessed the service at Hampton Court before, nor had I even heard of it. But it was so very moving. The “roll call” with their ages was completely touching, and the solemnity was nearly palpable. And I must say that you “channeled your inner sergeant major” completely. Well done, sir!
With thanks “from the colonies.”
I should point out that although I am told I play one quite well, and despite my parade ground voice, I am not an NCO, and I’ve never been in Her Majesty’s armed forces.
As Dr Johnson said “Every man thinks meanly of himself for not having been a soldier…”
I’m happy to say that I enjoyed today’s 2 minutes of silence with the full support of my employer who advised us to tell our many online and phone customers to hold their queries while we observed it.
Thank you, Sir, for your service and sacrifice, and for your uplifting article. May you be blessed in all you do.