2013 Highlights Remembrance Sunday: The Cenotaph

Good morning from the heart of London on a bright, sunny morning.

Yesterday's rain has cleared away and we can see the whole skyline,

from the new Shard, the River Thames, the London Eye on the left.

The trees out in early autumn. The sun shining on the Palace of

Westminster. They Whitehall. You can just glimpse the

little white shape of the Cenotaph, this end of Whitehall, where today's

ceremonial is focused. At the moment, the preparations are still

going on for the beginning of the ceremony, on the great parade ground

of Horseguards. Over 10,000 men and women have been assembling for the

last two hours. Veterans from all services. Some in uniform, with

their medals newly polished. Proudly worn on their chest. Others with

bowler hats and umbrellas. All of them, people that have been

involved, either directly in the war or the descendants of people killed

in World War I and World War II. or the descendants of people killed

their old comrades. In every way, today is a reminder of the scale of

slaughter and the sacrifice in war. The First World War in particular,

were these ceremonies date from, they cut like a scythe through a

whole generation. There is barely a family that escaped the loss of a

family member or a friend. But some seem to have more than their fair

share of sorrow. Robin Scott Elliott discovered how a generation of his

family was wiped out. It began with his great-grandfather, birdie,

killed in 1918. My great-grandfather, Bertie Anderson,

received The Victoria Cross for what he did that day. He never saw this

medal, he he did that day. He never saw this

prosperous Glasgow family. Willie and Laura Anderson had four sons.

Charlie was the first to go to war, the second youngest and a

professional soldier. To begin with, there was an eagerness about going

to war. This is what they have been training for. They were looking

forward to it. He wrote a letter home to his mother that said, we are

all going to be in this together. After just eight days in the

trenches, Charlie was declared missing in action. Nora had to wait

eight months until his death was officially confirmed. Eight months

of clinging to some sort of hoped that he may be alive. Even when that

official confirmation came, you still knew that you could not have

your children home to bury them. Ronnie,

your children home to bury them. get killed, don't say it is so like

Ron's careless ways. His words tragically came true. A month later,

he was shot dead, picked off by a German sniper. Nora lost two sons in

the space of a year. She made an album of the family. There is

picture in picture of Teddy, the youngest. There are a few of

Bertie, the eldest. There were very few of Charlie or Ronnie. Perhaps

that is how she coped, trying to bury the memory of what she had

lost. Teddy joined straight from school. You look at the pictures and

he is full of boyish enthusiasm, there is a zest for life that is

obvious. Teddy loved flying, obviously. He used to write long

letters home to his mother and father. He

letters home to his mother and guns. He said he was so bucked that

he sang all the way home. He survived, returning to become a

flight instructor in Hampshire. He was trained in a Dutch killed in a

training accident. Eight days later, his great-grandfather was also

killed. Their mother, Nora, had lost all four children to the war. A

cousin of Nora wrote this, which sums up the brief of the Anderson

family and that of families across the country. Their families will

never hear their merry feet, no more meals around the family table, no

more letters to write, no more meals around the family table, no

Whitehall, the bands waiting, in a moment, to play, as always, the

traditional music. It begins with rule Britannia. Bands are under the

command of the senior director of music. They are made up of the

Grenadiers, the Irish, the Welsh and the Coldstream Guards. The pipes,

the drums. Find them, the Royal Marines band and the Royal Air Force

band. Just one, among the many servicemen

and women being mourned today by their families is Lieutenant Daniel

Clack, who served in the First Battalion, the Rifles, and was

killed at the age of 24. From a mother's point of view, he was

obviously a perfect son. His wardrobe would be the bedroom

floor. He was a typical teenage, early 20s son. It will be OK, the

fairies will come and pick that up or put it away. None of our family

are in the army. It was or put it away. None of our family

Rifles, as a platoon commander and was immediately deployed to Shaparak

in Afghanistan. There were three villages close to Dan's checkpoint.

They would patrol around that area every day. He was trying to learn

some of the local dialect. Although they had interpreters, anyway they

could learn and speak to the locals was very good. On the 12th of

August, 2011, he was on routine patrol when he was killed by an

improvised explosive device. His men carried him onto the plane. Which I

thought was extremely difficult for them. And then they had to walk away

and get on with their job, because they knew that is what Dan would

have wanted. through. There were hundreds of

people there. It is about 40 miles, from there to the hospital. In every

lay-by, every roundabout, people. It was really incredible. Hundreds and

hundreds of people that we did not know. And they had been standing all

afternoon, in pouring rain, just waiting... Just to pay their

respects. As one of Dan's 21st presents, I did a photo memory box

for him. We had photos of him as a child, the baby photos, sport

photos, silly photos. Then I left three sections empty, which would

have been the wedding three sections empty, which would

friends get married, when they all started taking that next step

forward. You can't help but think, that should have been done. -- Dan.

The pipes play The Flowers Of The Forest, written to commemorate the

Battle of Flodden field. The flowers on the forest are withered away. It

is a moment to remember, perhaps, those who have fallen since last

Remembrance Sunday a year ago. The Massed Bands play Edward Elgr's

Enigma variations, nimrod. The Mighty Hunter. King of mess poe

Tynia. six gentlemen in ordinary, the

Sergeant of the vest tri, the Chaplain of the fleet. The sub-Dean

of Her Majesty's Chapel Royal and at the rear, the Dean of the Chapel

Royal, the Bishop of London, the Right Reverend Dr Richard Chartres.

He is followed by the Major General of the procession. He commands the

Household Division. He is actually in command of the armed services on

parade here. He comes out with the Chief of Staff and his aide.

David Cameron, Nick Clegg on his right, carrying their wreath. The

Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, leader of the Liberal

And now the chiefs of staff, the Opposition, Ed Miliband .

And now the chiefs of staff, the Chief of Defence Staff, Sir Nicholas

hue ton, and the cyst Sea a Lord Dobb and the First Sea Lord.

And the Air Chief Marshal and behind them the merchant and Civil Service

represents from the Merchant Navy and fishing fleets. The Chief

Inspector of Constabulary and then the long line of High Commissioners

or other representatives of 46 different Commonwealth countries.

And they will be followed by 14 representatives of different

religious denominations. The Roman Catholic Right Reverend Richard

Moth, the Rabbi. The Buddhist

Moth, the Rabbi. Salvation Army and the Greek Or the

docks Church all there. From the -- orthodox and from the balcony up

there, other members of the Royal Family will be watching as the royal

party itself, led by Her Majesty the Queen, comes out.

They come out on to Whitehall. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.

Prince Henry of Wales, who is standing in for his father, the Duke

of Cambridge. And we are nearing the moment when

Big Ben will start chiming for 11.00am. And for the two minutes'

silence being observed throughout this country, not just here at the

Cenotaph in Whitehall. Her Majesty the Queen, the head of

all the Armed Forces lays the first wreath.

been much in evidence this week. 92. He was at the Field of Remembrance.

He has been at various other commemorations and tomorrow is going

to be -- he is going to be in Belgium at the menin gate.

Prince Henry of Wales, better known as Harry, is laying a wreath on

behalf of his father, the Prince of Wales, who is on official business

in India. In January he came back from a tour

in India. In January he came back Wales was his speciality but he is

stepping down now from that role. The Earl of Wessex. The uniform of

an honorary colonel of the Royal Wessex yeoman. He will be followed

by the Princess Royal, in the uniform of Chief Commandant for

women. An Admiral's uniform. She is also Commodore chief in Portsmouth.

Today, she will be taking the salute of the March after the Cenotaph on

Finally, amongst the Royal group, Horseguards,

Finally, amongst the Royal group, the Duke of Kent. President of the

Commonwealth War Graves commission. Hundreds of Graves throughout the

world, to remember those who died. The parade stands at ease. Funeral

March Number One In B Flat Minor is played,

He is followed by the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, leader of the

Liberal Democrats. Ed Miliband, leader of the official

opposition. The leader, of course, of the Labour Party.

And now Nigel Dodds, deputy leader of the Democratic Unionist

Angus Robertson of the Scottish National Party, at Westminster. He

lays a wreath on behalf of applied -- Wales.

George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer, taking the place of

William Hague, who is away on business in Geneva, laying a wreath

on behalf of the overseas territories. A splendid wreath of

Juniper, sage, live and mangrove, made up especially in Kew. Nowadays

the turn of the High Commissioner 's. The

the turn of the High Commissioner these countries goes back to World

War I. Australia, for instance, had one in five of those killed. They

fought in Gallipoli and Passchendaele. At Juno Beach, they

landed 14,000 Canadian troops. The next group, from Nigeria and Cyprus.

Sierra Leone, Tanzania. That was a German territory at the time of the

First World War. Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, Kenya and

Malawi. The next group, led by Malta, the island which was awarded

The George Cross for the courage of all of its

What we are seeing here is a way of remembering not all of our allies in

the two world wars. The Americans, for instance, are not here. The

Russians, from the Second World War, are not here. These are countries

seen as having particularly close links with Britain, mostly former

members of the Empire. Seen almost as a family of nations. Swaziland,

Tonga, Fiji, Bangladesh, the Bahamas, grenade, Papa New Guinea,

Seychelles, the Commonwealth of Dominica and the island of St Lucia.

That brings us to the last of the Commissioner's groups.

That brings us to the last of the Brunei, Namibia, a member of the

Commonwealth now but a German territory at the end of the Second

World War. Cameroon, Mozambique, a new member of the Commonwealth.

Rwanda, or here, paying their respects for the service done to

democracy in those two world wars. Chiefs of staff, next. General Sir

Peter Wall, Chief Marshal Sir Andrew Pulver.

The chief of the defence staff, behind there, does not lay a

wreath, because the other three server for all three services.

Following them, the civilians. The merchant Navy and fishing fleets.

Anthony Wright, from the Isle of Man. The

Anthony Wright, from the Isle of step back, -- Chief Inspector of

Constabulary. Mighty God, grant we beseech thee,

that we do here do honour to the memory of those that have died, 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.

# Our hope for years to come # Our shelter from the stormy blast

# And our eternal home. # Under the shadow of Thy throne

# Still may we dwell 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

# Or earth received her frame # 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 # Our shelter from the stormy blast

# And our eternal home. trespasses, as we forgive them that

trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from

evil, for thine is the kingdom, the power and the Glory, for ever and

ever, amen. To 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 upon to you. The Lord

lift up the light of his countenance upon you. And give you his piece,

this day and always. Amen. # God save our gracious Queen

# Long live our noble Queen # God save our Queen! #

# Sent her victorious # Happy and

# Sent her victorious Whitehall.

They go through the ranks of the Queen's Scouts, who traditionally

hold this staircase on the way back into the Foreign Commonwealth

Office. The choir, in those wonderful scarlet coats that date

back to the restoration under Charles II. The Chapel Royal used to

accompany the sovereign. They say it dates back 1000 years.

The speaker, John Bercow, from the House of Commons. Tony Blair, on the

left. John Major. Gordon Brown. The President of the British Legion

approaches the Cenotaph and lays the Royal British Legion wreath. The

Royal British Legion being the largest of all the military

charities and one of the oldest and the organiser of this march past

here today. No mean task to get people from all round Britain and

abroad to come here and form up their seven columns on Whitehall,

abroad to come here and form up Transport, the Royal Air Forces

Association. The Royal Naval Association. The Royal Commonwealth

Ex Services League. The Royal British Legion Scotland and the

Royal British Legion Women's Section.

The march past will start soon and it goes past the memorial to women,

the black monument commemorating women at war, with their hats and

coats hung on pegs. It's easy to forget and perhaps surprising that

over 7 million women in Britain were mobilised during the Second World

War. mobilised during the Second World

the Trustees of the Royal British Legion. It begins this year with the

War Widows' Association. The War Widows, led by Baroness Janet. Among

them Alex Williams who is marching with her children today in memory of

her husband, a pilot who was shot down in Iraq in 2003. We will see

occasionally mothers or fathers and small children in the march past.

It's followed by the British Gurkha Welfare Society.

The not forgotten association. Their wreath-layer, John Brunel Cohen, a

veteran of Normandy. Be and behind them this year, for

veteran of Normandy. Be and behind Surrey. The Soldiers Sailors, and

Airmen Association. 7,000 trained volunteers they have, who work right

through the United Kingdom, helping 50,000 people a year. And the

Association of Jewish ex-servicemen and Women. 60,000 Jewish men and

women served in World War Two. 2,500 of them were killed fighting.

BLESMA. The British Legion's ex- ex-service -- British Limbless

ex-servicemen's association. the royal oar till tricompany. --

royal Royal Artillery company, he was shot at almain he is here today.

The royal Star and Garter Home, follow on. They provide, ever since

the middle of the First World War, care for people who have been

severely injured. Walking with the Wounded. A new charity, founded in

2010. And the idea was, among other things, to lead a team of 12 wounded

from the United Kingdom, America and the Commonwealth, to race to the

South Pole. The next column the Commonwealth, to race to the

their very easily-recognisable green berets. These tough men come and

march. A Major is marching with his son Duncan who served with the Royal

Marines. It was formed as the Admiral's Regiment but they have

been Britain's commandos since 1942. The Type 42 Destroyers' Association.

The wreath layer is an Able Seaman aboard HMS Chef Field when she was

struck in the Falklands conflict. 20 men died.

struck in the Falklands conflict. June this year, just after he had

been given the new Arctic Star at his home in Portsmouth. They wear

these white caps. The terrible work they had to do, going around through

the ice and the snow and fog, to take supplies and food to Russia.

They still keep connections with Russia, with the places they want

to. The Broad Sword Association now, being led by the ship's captain

during the Falklands conflict. Captain Canning. Broad Sword was

able it rescue 170 crew members from HMS Coventry when she was bombed in

the talk lands. -- Falklands.

It's a very significant year, this, for this column of marchers,

It's a very significant year, this, London on the embankment to

commemorate those who fought in Korea. Over 1,000 British killed.

Over 1,000 taken prisoner of War. Members of the Italy Star

Association follow the Normandy Veterans and the malaia and Borneo

Veterans Association. Italy Star commemorating those who fought in

Sicily, from the beginning of July 1943. And entered Rome just before

the invasion in Normandy and Monte Casino. That horrific battle that

was fought and eventually ended in May 1944 when the Germans withdrew

from the ruins there which was blocking the way to roam.

-- Rome. blocking the way to roam.

trenches in 1916. The Burma Star follow them, the green berets, with

the Burma Star badge. The wreath bearer, Ron Meads served as an

armour in the Royal Air Force during the re-taking of Burma. That was the

beginning in 1952 of a long campaign that was finally successful - the

people who referred to themselves ironically as the Forgotten Army.

They still have 3,500 members. They remember that horrific time battling

through the jungles of Burma against the Japanese. The Black and White

Club. Propaganda - The skaf rifles Regiment Association

here. -- Rifles Regiment. Among them Sue Clack. The mother of

Daniel Clack who spoke so movingly about her son. One of many mothers,

wives, sisters who march here today. They march in memory of their

families. And then the Reconnaissance Corps. Their motto is

- only the enemy in front, and every other beggar behind. Their job was

to be the cat's whiskers. They were mechanised. They tramsmitted that

they were whiskers like a cat, us issing out what was going on ahead

they were whiskers like a cat, us was opened. The Attrition Rate

Bomber Command was horrific. 55,000 died. Most of them around 20, 21,

22. The youngsters come through. The Sea Cadets. This time from Northern

Ireland, Scotland and the north-east of England. They are all over the

UK. Followed by the Combined Cadet Force. They are from a it school in

Peter borough. The Army Cadet Force from Staffordshire in the West

Midlands. Experience leading youth there, giving the marching orders -

eyes left. And at the there, giving the marching orders -

the Cenotaph. At moments of national remembrance like today, we, of

course are remembered by the scale of human suffering and the pain

caused by war. To do that, we repeat the numbers of those killed in

conflict, as though numbers alone could help us understand the scale

and horror of war. It's not easy, though, perhaps it is not even

possible to mourn numbers. Too impersonal. Too many faces we have

never seen. Too many stories we've never heard. And it's not the raw

numbers that those gathered here remember. Nor that the families who

have been bereaved by war remember. It's one particular death,

have been bereaved by war remember. so little to offer for everything

they gave. From Whitehall,