2011 Highlights Remembrance Sunday: The Cenotaph

It is striking how a simple ceremony like that which takes

place here this morning in the heart of London can exert such a

hold on the nation's imagination. For over 90 years the Armistice of

November 11th 1918, which ended the First World War, has been

commemorated at the Cenotaph. The Queen will come here today to

observe two minutes silence at 11am along with members of the Armed

Forces, veterans of many conflicts and members of the public and not

just here, but all across Britain and around the world people will be

gathering at war memorials perhaps contemplating the enormity of the

sacrifices made in the two world wars, or perhaps thinking of those

still dying today in Afghanistan. Nearly 400 British servicemen and

women have been killed, over 500 seriously injured in the ten years

of our operations there. And those on parade will often have more

intimate memories of friends, of comrades, who fought alongside them.

Already on either side of the Cenotaph, the detachments

representing the Armed Forces and the other services who will be on

parade here are assembling. The Household Cavalry are here, the

Life Guards. Among them Corporal of Horse, Ben Lewis, who recently

recovered from injuries he suffered in Afghanistan when his armoured

vehicle was hit by an IED. The Royal Marines are here and are

commanded by Major Chris Hall. Along with other members of the

unit on parade here, has returned on further tours. 17 members of 40

Commando have been killed in recent years. And then there is the 1st

Battalion cold stream garksds during the battalion's second tour

of Afghanistan, they returned last May, five soldiers were killed, 47

were wounded. It is a beautiful morning here in

London and a good thing too for the thousands of veterans who have

assembled here, many of whom are now veterans of the Second World

War are quite elderly. No one left from World War I. People who

assemble each year with old comrades, under the auspices of the

royal British region or in groups or by ship or by which part of the

Royal Air Force they were in, Bomber Command or Fighter Command,

people representing charities, people representing places they

they have been to, battles they have fought, not just, of course,

in the Second World War, but in all the wars since in Korea, veterans

from there, from the Falklands, from Iraq, from Afghanistan and and

and they treat this as not just a moment to remember the dead, but to

remake, rejoin friends who they fought with.

We're going to have, of course, the traditional music from the Massed

Bands. The Massed Bands of the Guards Division and the pipes and

drums of the 1st Battalion Scots Guards are going to be playing the

music that's both stirring and sad which leads us up to 11 o'clock.

Then under the baton of Colonel Graham Jones this morning, and they

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 121 seconds

MUSIC: "Rule Britannia" Now the Massed Bands brought to

attention. And the band will now play Isle of

Beauty. We saw 48 commando on parade a

moment ago. Last year Paul wap Paul Warren was fatally injured in

Afghanistan, but left his family in Lancashire bereft. He was just like

every other boy. He was getting Accident-prone, always in the wrong

He'd always have a smile on his face. I could never tell him off.

I think he was around eight years old when he said,

"I would like to be a soldier."

He didn't know what part of the military he wanted to be in,

but he just knew that that's what he wanted to be.

Paul joined the Marines in 2006.

Getting his green beret was outstanding.

As a family, we were so proud.

Not just me and his mum - his brothers, cousins, uncles.

A lot of them came to the passing out, and they were so proud.

But we knew where he would be going,- and that was Afghanistan.

When he came back the first time, we thought,

"That's it. It's out of his system.

"He's done what he was going to do,

"he'll go and do other things within the Marines."

Then he decided that he would like to go back.

It was...on 21st June, Monday, the day after Father's Day.

And Paul had just rang us up on the Sunday.

He sounded really happy. Monday, me and my wife were sat on the settee.

I just happened to look out

and I saw a gentlemanwith a black robe on, and I thought,

"That's strange. Why's there a priest on the estate?"

And then...I don't know why, I just automatically thought...

"No."

I just said "no" to myself, and as I said "no",

two Marines got out of the vehicle.

Before they said anything, I knew Paul had been killed.

The base was attacked and IEDs were thrown over the wall.

And Paul was just walking towards a bomb,

and one exploded in the air right next to him.

And the helicopter come and took him- on board, but...

he died on the helicopter before they got to Bastion.

I feel him. I feel him here.

He wouldn't like what we're doing, he wouldn't like all the attention.

He wouldn't like the flowers on his grave.

He just... He just liked to be under the radar all the time.

That was Paul.

His green beret is one of the most cherished things I have,

cos that's what he was wearing when he was out there.

I just have a feeling that if we've got it,

we've definitely got part of Paul with us.

BAND PLAYS

BIG BEN CHIMES THE HOUR

BAND PLAYS

As

As the

As the pipes

As the pipes play the la lament Of The Forest and moment to remember

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 121 seconds

those who have died since last The Massed Bands will now play one

of the most most haunting of mel of MUSIC: "Nimrod" from the Enigma

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 121 seconds

And now Dido's lament, when I'm laid in earth, remember me,

MUSIC: "Dido's Lament" The sight of the many cemeteries

around the world with row upon row of tombstones is the most poignant

reminder, along with War Memorials in towns and villages of the price

we pay for war. These words were written by a poet contemplating the

names on the memorial in his local park, "We are your silent

neighbours. Those who you may read about, but never see. The war dead

listed in the park upon the granite memorial, the now ever-silent

Led by the Crossbearer, the Children and Gentlemen of the

Chapel Royal come out to take their place by the Cenotaph with the

Serjeant of the Vestry, the Chaplain General of Her Majesty's

Land Forces and the Sub-Dean of Her Majesty's Chapel Royal, William

Scott. The Major-General commanding the Household Division,, Major-

General George Norton and the Aide- de-Camp to the Major-General,

Captain Folarin Kuku. The Prime Minister, David Cameron leads them

out. They turn to their left and line up with their wreaths. The

foreign and Commonwealth officer there, Gordon Brown seen there,

other ministers and the Speaker of the House of Commons among them.

Tony Blair among the former Prime Ministers with Gordon Brown and Sir

John Major. And then the chiefs of staff, General Sir David Richards,

Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope, First Sea Lord, the

Chief of the General Staff, again Sir Peter wall and the Merchant and

Civilian Services. They are followed by nearly 50 High

Commissioners of various Commonwealth countries, ranging

from the very largest countries - Australia and India and Canada - to

the smallest - Fiji and Tonga and Malta. And most of them took a part,

some of them a very large part, in both World Wars and, indeed, in the

wars since then. And they will be followed by the religious

denominations, though this Cenotaph memorial is deliberately not a

religious memorial, a large number of religious groups come here.

Apart from the Church of England, which is represented by the Bishop

of London, there are representatives of the Roman

Catholic faith, the Jewish, the Hindus, Sikhs, Greek Orthodox and

other Christian churches - the Methodist, the Free Churches, the

United Reform Church and the Salvation Army are all here. On the

left there, the Duchess of Cornwall and on the right, the new Duchess

of Cambridge, Catherine Middleton, who, this year, married Prince

William. The Countess of Wessex beside her. And Timothy Laurence,

married to the Princess Royal. They The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh,

the Prince of Wales, Princess Royal, the Duke of York, the Earl of

Wessex are there and the Duke of Kent. And they take up a special

position right in front of the Cenotaph from where, after the two-

minute silence, they will lay their As 11.00 strikes, the Royal Horse

Artillery will fire one round of a gun at the beginning and then at

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 121 seconds

Her Majesty the Queen will now lay her wreath, the first of those laid

And the Duke of Edinburgh next. On his 90th birthday this year he was

given the title of Lord High Admiral. Used to command the Navy.

70 years ago, the Duke was mentioned for an action aboard HMS

Valian off the Greek coast. He is followed by the Prince of Wales in

the uniform of a General in the Army. Has been much involved this

year in visiting injured soldiers and acting as a patron of a number

of service charities as well. His wreath with the Prince of Wales'

And next Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge. A Search and Rescue

Pilot in Wales at the moment. Due to go to the Falklands next year on

And he is followed by Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, who was a

helicopter pilot. He served in the Falklands War. He is Colonel-in-

And the Earl of Wessex in the uniform of an Honorary Colonel of

He will be followed by the Princess Royal in the uniform of a Vice

Admiral. She is Colonel-in-Chief of a number of regiments. Last month

she was at the ceremony where Wootton Bassett was renamed Royal

Wootton Bassett. And last in the Royal Party, the Duke of Kent, who

visited Afghanistan this September. He served 21 years in the Royal

Scots Greys. His father was killed on active service in the Second

After the Royal wreaths have been laid in silence, the band now plays

Funeral March and the politicians will take their turn laying wreaths

at the foot of the Cenotaph, led by The Deputy Prime Minister, the

leader of the Liberal Democrats, The Leader of the Opposition, and

leader of the Labour Party, Ed From Northern Ireland, the deputy

leader of the Democratic Unionist And next representing, the Scottish

national Party and Plaid Cymru at Westminster, ang glus Robert --

Angus Robertson. And finally, of the political party,

the Secretary of State for foreign and Commonwealth affairs, William

Hague. He lays a special wreath on behalf of the overseas territories,

made not not of poppies, but of exotic flowers. It is specially

made up at Kew. And next, the turn of the High

Commissioners. Starting with the old senior members of the

Commonwealth, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India,

Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Ghana and Malaysia are there. Canada fought

in World War I and II. Australians who are active in Afghanistan now,

lost over 60,000 in World War II. Suffered the highest casualty rate

of any nation in World War I. The Indian subcontinent sent 2.5

million volunteers to World War II. So those wreaths are laid on behalf

of all those countries. And then followed from the south-

side by the High Commissioners of Nigeria and Cyprus, Sierra Leone

and Tanzania, Jamaica, Trinidad & In the next group, Malta,.George

Cross island, awarding the George Cross for its courage in resisting

German bombing during the Second World War and Zambia, The Gambia,

Singapore where many people here were held prisoners after the fall

of that great city by the Japanese. Guyana, Botswana, Lesotho, Barbados

And now swatsy now Swaziland and Tonga, Papua New Guinea, the

Seychelles and the little island of As the last group prepares to come

forward, there is one country missing - the citizens fought in

both world wars and that is Zimbabwe. Now expelled from the

Commonwealth, the former southern Rhodesia, many people here will

remember the service that they gave particularly in the second world.

Many in the Royal Air Force. Here St Vincen and the Grenadines,

Barbuda, the Maldives, Bruni, Namibia, Cameroon, Mozambique and

Rwanda. Once the High Commissioners have returned to their place, it is

the turn of the defence groups. General Sir Peter Wall in the

centre there for the Army and Sir And they are followed by

representatives of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets, the Air

Transport Auxiliary Service and the civilian services. David Hill from

the Merchant Navy and David Smith for the Air Transport Auxiliary

Service and Sir Denis O'Connor, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of

Constabulary for the civilian services and next the short service

O Almighty God, that we who here do honour

in the service of their country and of the Crown

may be so inspired by the spirit of their love and fortitude

that, forgetting all selfish and unworthy motives,

we may live only to Thy glory and to the service of mankind,

through Jesus Christ our Lord,

Amen.

# O God, our help in ages past

# Our hope for years to come

# Our shelter from the stormy blast

# And our eternal home

# Under the shadow of thy throne

# Thy saints have dwelt secure

# Sufficient is thine arm alone

# And our defence is sure

# Before the hills in order stood

# Or earth received her frame

# From everlasting thou art God

# To endless years the same

# A thousand ages in thy sight

# Are like an evening gone

# Short as the watch that ends the night

# Before the rising sun

# O God, our help in ages past

# Our hope for years to come

# Be thou our guard while troubles last

# And our eternal home. #

Teach us good Lord to serve thee as thou deservest;

to give and not to count the cost;

to fight and not to heed the wounds'

to toil and not to seek for rest;

to labour and not ask for any reward,

save that knowing that we will do thy will

through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name,

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread, And forgive us our trespasses

As we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For Thine is the kingdom And the power and the glory,

For ever and ever.

Amen.

Unto God's gracious mercy and protection we commit you.

The Lord bless you and keep you,

the Lord make his face to shine upon you

and be gracious unto you,

the Lord lift up the light of His countenance upon you,

and give you His peace this day and always.

Amen.

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# God save our gracious Queen

# Long live our noble Queen

# God save the Queen

# Send her victorious

# Happy and glorious

# Long to reign over us

# God save the Queen. #

The

The service

The service over,

The service over, the Royal Party led once again by The Queen leaves

Whitehall. Prince Charles there among them,

will go through to Horse Guards and take a salute of those veterans who

are taking part in the march-past down Whitehall that goes round to

Horse Guards afterwards so they go past the Cenotaph and he takes

Now the clergy leave. The ten children of the Chapel Royal

dressed in the gold and scarlet state coats which were designed at

the time of the Restoration of the Monarchy under Charles II. The

choir dates back much further than that, though, a thousand years or

so when it used to attend on the monarch. They are all-boy

choristers who have a scholarship at the City of London School as

The brass cross with the red poppies which has been at a service

briefly in the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace before it came out

here to Whitehall. The politicians leave next. The Prime Minister,

Nick Clegg, Ed Miliband and other members of the Cabinet. The Speaker

of the House of Commons is there. Tony Blair and Sir John Major.

Gordon Brown, Mrs Thatcher, or Lady Thatcher not here this year.

Representatives of the House of Lords, the Speaker of the House of

Lords, the leader of the Conservatives in the House of Lords.

At the back, the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson. Well, we are now

reaching the beginning of the march-past, which is led by the

Board of Trustees of the Royal British Legion. Every year,

different people lead off. They are applauded as they go by other

members. The range is quite extraordinary. Even now, there are

new groups this year joining in. The Fellowship of the Services

leads off this year. It has that honour, formed in the trenches in

1916 for people who had no work or were too disabled to earn a living.

They are followed by the Burma Star Association. They were still

fighting in Burma after the victory in Europe had been declared. They

call themselves "the forgotten army". The Malaya and Borneo

APPLAUSE Italy Star Association. People who

APPLAUSE He would normal I will have been in

the Parade, I think. There he is watching - a Royal Hospital Chelsea

Pensioner. BLESMA helps people recover. Behind them the Ex-

Services Wheelchair Sports Association, some of whom are

hoping to take part in the Paralympics next year and are

already in training. BEWSA they are called. They were formed in 197.

The Royal Hospital, Chelsea follows them. They are led by Colonel Baker.

Joined as Captain of Invalids, as it's called. They give up their

pension to live in the hospital which is run on military lines. It

is like being in a barracks, but a very friendly atmosphere. They are

hugely admired and applauded wherever they go. The parachute

Regimental Association in their maroon berets, a large contingent

here. Eight Parachute Regiment members have died since last

Remembrance Sunday. They were not surprisingly known by the German

The Black Watch Association now. Then in the Second World War were

The Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Association. There is a

father and son marching here with And the garden is growing, or the

Field of Remembrance one should Queen Alexandra's Royal Army

Nursing Corps Association. The head of the column is now reaching Horse

Guards. This is where we are now. The march-past doesn't end at the

Cenotaph, it goes down the bottom of Whitehall and comes out here

where the Prince of Wales is now taking the salute on Horse Guards.

And back here in Whitehall, the Gurkha Brigade Association. 200,000

Gurkhas fought in the two World Wars. There's still huge

competition in Nepal. 28,000 people apply for 200 jobs each year.

Famous of course because they have the slogan, "better to die than be

a coward" and they terrify the enemy with their 18-inch-long

kukris - the curved knife. There are few people more admired and

braver than those who have to dispose of the high threat IEDs.

This are the Association of Ammunition Technicians. Clearly

with some children of fathers who have been killed in this work in

Afghanistan. Some of the most dangerous work there is. They are

part of the Royal Logistic Corps. Then the 656 Squadron Association.

The Army's first operational Apache attack helicopter unit which Prince

Harry is working with at the moment. It's seen three tours in Helmand

Province. With the armbands behind, the Home Guard Association. The 1.5

million who volunteered to served in the Home Guard in the event of a

German invasion. John Nichol, one of the three Gulf War ex-POWs who

was shot down in his Tornado and held prisoner and tortured, he

leads the Royal Air Force Ex- Prisoners of War Association. The

majority of members were prisoners in Germany where 10,000 airmen were

The Royal Observer Corps. The RAFLING Association. 500,000 Poles

fought under British command in World War Two and the Polish Air

Squadron revered for downing more aircraft than any other squadron.

Nine of its pilots were designated "aces". They fought also with great

The Royal Naval Association. Jim Patterson has been the Standard

Bearer down in Plymouth for 20 years. They have 20,000 serving and

ex-serving members with branches all over the UK and abroad. They

are followed by the Merchant Navy Association, carrying that white

anchor. Vivian Foster, the National President. Her father was missing

for two years. 32,000 men and women of the

Merchant Navy were lost in the war. They have known no graves, of

course, but the sea. Now a memorial And with their famous wreath with

the word "Gibraltar" the Royal Marines Association, in their Green

Berets. A blue beret with a red patch who aren't commando-trained

but most of these clearly are. The United States Marine Corps - there

they are in red jackets and caps. The United States Marine Corps

marching here because they march and serve alongside the Royal

Marines in Afghanistan. The Salvation Army. They're offering

their spiritual support and, perhaps just as important, their

famous cup of tea! Here on Whitehall, we have been watching a

ceremony that isn't a victory parade, though many of those here

have helped win important victories which, of course, have changed our

world. But there's been no hint of triumfhalism here. This is about

remembering all those who fought for their country and lost their

lives. And still, today, in our complex world with wars being

fought that are sometimes contentious, no-one doubts the

courage of those who obey their orders, go to the most dangerous