2015 Remembrance Sunday: The Cenotaph


2015

Similar Content

Browse content similar to 2015. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more!

Transcript


LineFromTo

Good morning from the heart of London.

:00:17.:00:21.

The familiar landmarks of Westminster Abbey,

:00:22.:00:25.

the Palace of Westminster and Whitehall

:00:26.:00:30.

Around this Portland stone memorial, crowds are gathered,

:00:31.:00:39.

as they have been every year for nearly 100 years,

:00:40.:00:43.

to remember and pay homage to the British and Commonwealth forces

:00:44.:00:46.

killed in two World Wars and all the conflicts since then.

:00:47.:00:53.

This year, after 13 years and over 450 deaths, British combat forces

:00:54.:01:00.

were withdrawn from Afghanistan, but there as elsewhere in the world,

:01:01.:01:05.

members of the Armed Forces remain - often in peril, always at risk.

:01:06.:01:14.

Flight Lieutenants Alan Scott and Geraint Roberts

:01:15.:01:19.

were killed in a helicopter crash in Kabul.

:01:20.:01:22.

And Lance Corporal Michael Campbell died earlier this year

:01:23.:01:29.

after an injury in Afghanistan three years ago.

:01:30.:01:34.

to serve as a memorial for the dead of the First World War,

:01:35.:01:41.

the war which changed the nature of war.

:01:42.:01:43.

100 years on, just as we did last year and will again next year,

:01:44.:01:53.

we have, as a nation, been remembering those times.

:01:54.:01:59.

At the War Graves Cemetery in Brookwood near Woking,

:02:00.:02:04.

a new memorial to those killed in the First World War

:02:05.:02:08.

was unveiled a few days ago by the Duke of Kent,

:02:09.:02:11.

president of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

:02:12.:02:15.

It has brought together the names of 264 men

:02:16.:02:19.

killed the day after Britain declared war on Germany in 1914,

:02:20.:02:30.

who died the very day the Armistice was signed four years later.

:02:31.:02:37.

A place for families to come and remember.

:02:38.:02:54.

Thousands of veterans have gathered in Horse Guards Parade,

:02:55.:02:58.

Beyond the Cenotaph, up towards Trafalgar Square,

:02:59.:03:15.

each contingent laying a wreath as they pass.

:03:16.:03:25.

to share private memories and recall old friends.

:03:26.:03:44.

Many March in memory of a father, mother, grandfather or grandmother

:03:45.:03:52.

in honour of their service during the war. Some people come here for

:03:53.:03:56.

the very first time. Yes, I am here with JJ Chalmers, who

:03:57.:04:08.

served with 42 Commando in Afghanistan, and also Terri Pitts,

:04:09.:04:13.

who served with the royal army nursing Corps, both here for the

:04:14.:04:17.

first time. First to you, you were terribly injured in Afghanistan, you

:04:18.:04:22.

had only been there for two months, what does it mean to you to be here?

:04:23.:04:27.

It is an honour and a privilege, I have never been to the Cenotaph

:04:28.:04:31.

because of commitments, and it is unbelievable to be here, looking at

:04:32.:04:37.

these incredible people. I have similar stories, but we have gone

:04:38.:04:41.

through incredibly different journeys, and mine ended with being

:04:42.:04:45.

wounded in Afghanistan. But I have wonderful memories of my time in the

:04:46.:04:48.

military and painful times, and they all come together to make a real mix

:04:49.:04:54.

of emotions. Since you were injured in 2011, you have had more than 30

:04:55.:04:59.

operations, and you lost two friends. I was incredibly lucky to

:05:00.:05:04.

come out of that incident, I was carried off the battlefield where

:05:05.:05:08.

others were not. Eyelid my life in remembrance of them every single

:05:09.:05:12.

day, but it is amazing to have support from everybody to share that

:05:13.:05:23.

burden. -- I live my life. This is your first time carrying the wreath.

:05:24.:05:32.

I am delighted and privileged to be here today, to be able to lay the

:05:33.:05:40.

wreath on behalf of the Queen Alexandra Royal Army Nursing Corps.

:05:41.:05:43.

. You have worked at Headley Court and said in Afghanistan, today is

:05:44.:05:46.

about remembering those who have died, but also those who have been

:05:47.:05:51.

badly injured, those who make sacrifices. Yes, I have worked at

:05:52.:05:56.

Headley Court, looked after the guys who sustained life changing

:05:57.:05:59.

injuries, it is important we run member them and raise awareness so

:06:00.:06:02.

that we support them and look after them. -- we remember them. As we

:06:03.:06:07.

discovered when you looked after each other, you looked after JJ. I

:06:08.:06:13.

did, you look terrific, the beard, completely different, I am delighted

:06:14.:06:17.

that you are well, great to meet you again. As she said, you were a model

:06:18.:06:24.

patient! The support and help you got in the years after your injuries

:06:25.:06:30.

must have been incredible. It is unbelievable, we have an incredible

:06:31.:06:33.

support and recovery system provided by the MOD and the military, but

:06:34.:06:37.

also the charities that come together to give as a better quality

:06:38.:06:43.

of life. They are angels, incredible people who take unbelievable

:06:44.:06:46.

sacrifice to put as back on our feet to give us the best life we possibly

:06:47.:06:51.

can have. Looking around at the crowds, they have been queueing for

:06:52.:06:55.

a long time to take their places on Whitehall, what does the public

:06:56.:06:58.

support mean to you? It is humbling, it is so ambling. I did this to

:06:59.:07:04.

better our nation, to support these people. My opinion that has not

:07:05.:07:08.

changed whatsoever. I was to serve my country, and so incredible that

:07:09.:07:14.

they will come out and support as in return. You work at the Royal

:07:15.:07:17.

Hospital in Chelsea, you know what it means to the veterans here today

:07:18.:07:23.

but also those who cannot be here. They are watching on television,

:07:24.:07:25.

they know I am being interviewed, they keep reminding me, yes, we will

:07:26.:07:30.

be watching you! It means everything to them, and I feel exactly what

:07:31.:07:34.

they feel. Thank you so much for joining me, I will let you take your

:07:35.:07:38.

place for the march-past. Back to you now, David.

:07:39.:07:45.

The ceremony we will see today differs very little from the

:07:46.:07:51.

familiar scene, Her Majesty the Queen will lay a wreath on behalf of

:07:52.:07:55.

the nation. With her this year, King

:07:56.:07:57.

Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, marking the 70th anniversary of

:07:58.:08:02.

the liberation of Holland in 1945. Other members of the Royal family,

:08:03.:08:20.

not including the Prince of Wales, who is on an official visit to

:08:21.:08:26.

Australia and new, they will lay wreaths in two groups.

:08:27.:08:28.

Others, senior members of the Armed Forces, politicians

:08:29.:08:30.

and High Commissioners from the Commonwealth will lay theirs too.

:08:31.:08:33.

The Massed Bands of the Guards Division, the Pipes and Drums

:08:34.:08:35.

of the Black Watch, the Royal Marines and the Central Band

:08:36.:08:39.

of the RAF will play the traditional music of Remembrance,

:08:40.:08:42.

leading to the two minutes' silence at 11am.

:08:43.:08:53.

And around the Cenotaph, the whole of the Hollow Square, people on all

:08:54.:09:02.

four sites, the initial infantry formation, the Household Cavalry,

:09:03.:09:05.

the Life Guards this year, and next to them the King's Troop Royal Horse

:09:06.:09:11.

Artillery under the command of captain Julie Navarro hammer in

:09:12.:09:15.

charge of the detachment, standing in front. And then the 1st Battalion

:09:16.:09:24.

of the Grenadier Guards, proud of land score James Ashworth, who was

:09:25.:09:30.

awarded the VC for their action in Afghanistan in 2012. -- lance

:09:31.:09:37.

corporal. On the west side, opposite them, the Royal Navy, including the

:09:38.:09:46.

fleet air arm, bearing in mind their great victory 75 years ago when they

:09:47.:09:52.

attacked the battalion. The Royal Marines are here from 43 Commando.

:09:53.:10:07.

And then the Gurkhas 2nd Battalion the Royal Gurkha rifles represented

:10:08.:10:10.

here, the 200th anniversary of the moment when they first took up arms

:10:11.:10:15.

for the British India army, what became the British India army, what

:10:16.:10:19.

was in fact the East India company at the time, remembering 200 years

:10:20.:10:28.

of bold service in the cause of the Crown. And then the royal air force

:10:29.:10:35.

is here. They, of course, have been commemorating the Battle of Britain,

:10:36.:10:40.

and the civilian services, representing everything from the

:10:41.:10:47.

police to the Prison Service. And in a moment, the Massed Bands

:10:48.:10:55.

under the baton of Lieutenant Colonel Kevin Roberts,

:10:56.:10:57.

the senior director of music, and, as always,

:10:58.:10:59.

the music begins with Rule, Britannia!

:11:00.:11:04.

MUSIC: Rule, Britannia! by Thomas Arne

:11:05.:12:03.

The Massed Bands now play Heart of Oak,

:12:04.:12:05.

the Minstrel Boy, and Men of Harlech.

:12:06.:12:09.

MUSIC: Heart of Oak (Royal Navy Official March)

:12:10.:12:19.

As always at the Cenotaph, we remember events past and

:12:20.:12:25.

anniversaries each year, and 100 years ago in September 1915, the

:12:26.:12:30.

Allies were preparing a big offensive against the Germans to the

:12:31.:12:36.

East. The British First Army, 75,000 strong, attacked the German line at

:12:37.:12:43.

the small mining town of Loos in northern France. This lodging the

:12:44.:12:46.

Germans proved much harder than expected, weeks of fighting ended in

:12:47.:12:55.

a stalemate. -- this lodging. One of its heroes is remembered by his

:12:56.:12:59.

great-grandson. My grandfather was Piper Daniel

:13:00.:13:13.

Laidlaw, a season the soldier before the First World War, he re-enlisted

:13:14.:13:18.

in 1914 at the outbreak of the war, part of Kitchener's army. The piper

:13:19.:13:23.

in the battle leads the men over the top, not just over the top, he

:13:24.:13:28.

actually leads them into battle, so he will play across no man's land

:13:29.:13:31.

and lead them right across into the battle. He was an armed. All he had

:13:32.:13:36.

on him was as pipes, no weapons whatsoever. It was at Loos that gas

:13:37.:13:43.

was first used by the British after the Germans had unleashed it a few

:13:44.:13:49.

months earlier. It proved a fickle weapon. A change of wind blew it

:13:50.:13:53.

back into the British trenches that it had been fired from. There was

:13:54.:13:59.

total confusion, so the line only started to move when the Piper

:14:00.:14:04.

struck up his pipes, mounted the parapet and started playing, and

:14:05.:14:09.

then the men went over the top and followed him into the battle. And he

:14:10.:14:14.

actually got over the first or second line of defences, and then he

:14:15.:14:20.

was shot his legs. He managed to hobble back to the trenches, and he

:14:21.:14:25.

was very lucky that he survived. There were 60,000 casualties in the

:14:26.:14:29.

three and a hard weeks of the Battle of Loos, 21,000 dead. Daniel Laidlaw

:14:30.:14:36.

miraculously survived and was awarded the Victoria Cross. And on

:14:37.:14:40.

his return to Britain, he made a point of playing every year in

:14:41.:14:46.

memory of his dead comrades. He did lead marches to the Cenotaph on a

:14:47.:14:50.

member and state. It must have been quite difficult to actually be at

:14:51.:14:53.

the Cenotaph and remember these people. -- on Remembrance Day. It is

:14:54.:14:59.

quite hard to get over the amount of names on the walls here, men who

:15:00.:15:06.

lost their life. For me, it is very mixed emotions, proud of what he

:15:07.:15:13.

did, but very sad to think about all those who, you know, were getting

:15:14.:15:19.

gassed, just in the top of the trench, killed instantly. It is

:15:20.:15:19.

quite hard to take in, really. The Skye Boat Song played by the

:15:20.:15:38.

pipes and drums of the Black Watch. The senior drum Major, Scott

:15:39.:16:35.

Fitzgerald of the Coldstream Guards, brings the parade to attention and

:16:36.:16:46.

the Massed Bands now play Isle of Beauty. The numbers of the dead

:16:47.:16:56.

counted on this Remembrance Sunday is always shocking and of course it

:16:57.:17:00.

is the source of all public grief, but every death is also a place for

:17:01.:17:08.

private grieving. Corporal Liam Riley served with the 3rd Battalion

:17:09.:17:13.

of the Yorkshire Regiment, he died in Afghanistan in 2010. He was

:17:14.:17:19.

killed by an IED, an explosive device planted by the Taliban. If

:17:20.:17:25.

ever you asked him what he was going to be when he grew up, he said I

:17:26.:17:31.

will be a soldier, I will be in the army, and he never wavered. He used

:17:32.:17:37.

to say, I'm going to be a soldier, I'm going to be a soldier. All

:17:38.:17:43.

along, that was what he wanted. My big brother was a tall, friendly guy

:17:44.:17:48.

who was there for everyone and everyone loved him to bits. He was

:17:49.:17:55.

really a high-flying young man in the army but when he came home he

:17:56.:18:01.

just left the army behind him and went into family mode. Liam went to

:18:02.:18:08.

Afghanistan in 2009. He missed going with his regiment because he was

:18:09.:18:12.

doing his Corporal course and the army wouldn't release him to go,

:18:13.:18:19.

which he wasn't happy about. He actually came home and said, how did

:18:20.:18:24.

they expect me to train other young soldiers to go to Afghanistan when

:18:25.:18:29.

I've not been myself? He was that adamant that he wanted to go and I

:18:30.:18:35.

think they let him go under pressure, to be honest. After I had

:18:36.:18:41.

got the news that Liam had died, my initial thoughts were, I've got to

:18:42.:18:46.

go and see my mum. Everyone needs them on. I heard my door go and I

:18:47.:18:54.

heard this screaming. I knew it was Cheryl. I don't how anybody goes on

:18:55.:19:01.

losing a child but it broke my heart losing a grandson. To lose a child,

:19:02.:19:09.

it is terrible. On Remembrance Sunday we go and visit his grave,

:19:10.:19:13.

bring flowers and have a minute of silence to remember him. It is such

:19:14.:19:20.

an emotional day but it is fulfilling for me in the fact you

:19:21.:19:24.

see people remembering obviously not just my son but all those who have

:19:25.:19:30.

given their lives for our country. Remembrance Sunday has changed for

:19:31.:19:37.

me because it is more poignant now, you've got one of your own that

:19:38.:19:41.

you've got to remember and you are thankful that people do remember and

:19:42.:19:46.

I hope they carry on remembering. I felt proper proud of Liam that he

:19:47.:19:52.

wanted to do the army really bad and he wanted to do his best. It makes

:19:53.:19:58.

me very proud to say that he went out there and fought for our

:19:59.:20:03.

country. You've got to have those memories and have good memories,

:20:04.:20:08.

that's how you get through it. I've got a photo of me, Liam and his

:20:09.:20:16.

grandad sitting in our kitchen. I salute him every morning and every

:20:17.:20:17.

night. Love him. The pipes and drums will now play

:20:18.:20:37.

the Scottish lament. The other major event of 1915 was

:20:38.:21:09.

the Gallipoli campaign in early 19 50,000 of Allied troops including

:21:10.:21:13.

Australians try to capture the entrance of the Dardanelles. It

:21:14.:21:23.

ended on this hostile coast in stalemate and retreat, but not until

:21:24.:21:28.

nearly 60,000 Allied forces have lost their lives there. 1915,

:21:29.:21:33.

rightly called the death of innocents.

:21:34.:22:48.

And now Edward Elgar's haunting melody, Nimrod the Hunter.

:22:49.:27:03.

Next, music by Henry Purcell, Dido's Lament.

:27:04.:27:22.

"When I am laid in Earth, remember me - but, oh, forget my fate."

:27:23.:27:26.

and at 11am, after the two-minute silence,

:27:27.:27:29.

the Queen will lay a wreath on behalf of the nation.

:27:30.:27:39.

The music awakens memories, some of them private,

:27:40.:27:41.

but also of heroic campaigns for the Royal Air Force.

:27:42.:27:43.

This year is the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain,

:27:44.:27:49.

fought over the skies of Southern England and which ended in the

:27:50.:27:52.

The clergy procession leaving the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

:27:53.:29:57.

building, and the Bishop of London, the Right Reverend Richard Chartres.

:29:58.:30:03.

Then the Major General, two mounted regiments of Household Cavalry,

:30:04.:30:12.

Major General Edwards Smith Osman and Mike Wilmot. Then the

:30:13.:30:16.

politicians come out led by David Cameron, the Prime Minister. Those

:30:17.:30:21.

familiar faces from the House of Commons, Tony Blair, John Major,

:30:22.:30:27.

Gordon Brown. They take their place to one side, Jeremy Corbyn, the

:30:28.:30:34.

Leader of the Opposition, standing next to the Prime Minister, and

:30:35.:30:37.

Angus Robertson from the Scottish National Party, Jim Fallon of the

:30:38.:30:43.

Liberal Democrats, they will all be laying the wreaths. The chief

:30:44.:30:47.

Defence Staff, Sir Nicholas Horton, the First Sea Lord Chief, Admiral

:30:48.:30:54.

Sir George Zambellas, General Nicholas Carter, and Chief of the

:30:55.:31:06.

air staff, Andrew Pulford. And with them there the ambassador from

:31:07.:31:13.

Ireland. And now the procession of High Commissioners from the

:31:14.:31:19.

Commonwealth, 46 in all, laying wreaths, each of them, on behalf of

:31:20.:31:23.

their countries, most of whom played a part in the first and second world

:31:24.:31:28.

Wars, some of whom were absolutely crucial to victory, the Commonwealth

:31:29.:31:36.

countries, without which the war could not have been won. There are

:31:37.:31:42.

14 religious denominations emerging now from the doorway there,

:31:43.:31:47.

Christian, Hebrew, Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist. A group that has gradually

:31:48.:31:54.

grown over the years. And at the end of the row, His

:31:55.:32:23.

Eminence the Archbishop glorious for the Greek Orthodox Church. On the

:32:24.:32:29.

balcony, the Queen of the Netherlands, Queen Maxima there next

:32:30.:32:37.

to the Duchess of Cambridge. On the left, Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the

:32:38.:32:41.

Princess Royal's husband. The Countess of Wessex on the right.

:32:42.:33:19.

Silence now as we wait for the Royal party to come down and the red steps

:33:20.:33:36.

from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office there with the guard of

:33:37.:33:48.

honour on each side. Her Majesty the Queen with, beside her, the king of

:33:49.:33:55.

the Netherlands, the Duke of Edinburgh.

:33:56.:34:00.

And other members of the Royal family, the Duke of Cambridge,

:34:01.:34:14.

Prince Henry of Wales, the Duke Of York, the jukebox Kent, all of whom

:34:15.:34:19.

will be laying wreaths. -- the Jukes of Kent. It is now just a few

:34:20.:34:24.

moments before Big Ben chimes for the two minutes' silence at 11.

:34:25.:34:37.

Last Post sounded, the gunfire at the end of the two minutes silence,

:34:38.:38:47.

and the Queen lays her wreath on behalf of the nation.

:38:48.:39:13.

And now the king of the Netherlands is handed his wreath by a general of

:39:14.:39:22.

the Royal Netherlands Army, laying this wreath in commemoration of the

:39:23.:39:32.

liberation of Holland. His great-grandmother, will helm, took

:39:33.:39:35.

refuge here during the Second World War. -- Wilhelmina. And now the Duke

:39:36.:39:44.

of Edinburgh, who served with distinction in the Second World War.

:39:45.:40:00.

The other members of the Royal family will lay their wreaths in

:40:01.:40:08.

three groups. The Duke of Cambridge, Prince Henry of Wales and the Duke

:40:09.:40:18.

of York first. All of whom have seen service in the armed forces, the

:40:19.:40:22.

Duke of York in the Falklands, Prince Henry in the Blues and

:40:23.:40:26.

Royals, the Duke of Cambridge in the Household Cavalry, the Royal Air

:40:27.:40:32.

Force, and now involved in search and rescue. Then the next group of

:40:33.:40:36.

three, the Earl of Wessex, the Princess Royal and the Duke of

:40:37.:40:46.

Kent. The Earl of Wessex, an honorary colonel of the Wessex

:40:47.:40:50.

Yeomanry. The Duke of Kent served 21 years.

:40:51.:41:06.

And the parade will be called to stand at ease, and then the Prime

:41:07.:41:16.

Minister will be the first of the politicians to lay his wreath.

:41:17.:41:23.

There has been some discussion about which politicians should lay wreaths

:41:24.:41:36.

and in which order, but it emerges that any politician leading a party

:41:37.:41:40.

with six members in the House of Commons is entitled to lay a wreath

:41:41.:41:50.

here. So the Prime Minister lays his wreath, and he will be followed by

:41:51.:41:57.

Jeremy Corbyn, the new official Leader of the Opposition.

:41:58.:42:17.

After him, Angus Robertson from the Scottish National Party, who lays a

:42:18.:42:31.

wreath on behalf of the SNP and also Plaid Cymru, the Welsh nationalists.

:42:32.:42:39.

Tim Farron for the Liberal Democrats.

:42:40.:43:00.

Nigel Dodds, the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party at

:43:01.:43:04.

Westminster. And the Secretary of State for

:43:05.:43:27.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Philip Hammond, laying this wreath

:43:28.:43:31.

on behalf of 14 overseas territories, Gibraltar, Bermuda, the

:43:32.:43:34.

Pitcairn Islands, the Falkland Islands. This more extravagant

:43:35.:43:43.

wreath with flowers taken from all those territories. And next, the

:43:44.:43:48.

High Commissioners. First, the countries that played a huge part in

:43:49.:43:53.

both world wars, Canada and Australia, New Zealand, South Africa

:43:54.:44:03.

and India. India had over 2.5 million volunteers serving in World

:44:04.:44:09.

War II. Canada lost over 100,000 in both world wars. Australia lost over

:44:10.:44:17.

100,000. New Zealand, South Africa, 30000 and 20,000 dead. India,

:44:18.:44:19.

160,000 killed. The next group is led off by

:44:20.:44:34.

Nigeria, whose 82nd West African Division fought with great

:44:35.:44:41.

distinction in Burma. Cyprus, 30,000 served with the British Army after

:44:42.:44:45.

the German invasion of Greece. Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Jamaica,

:44:46.:44:50.

which provided naval bases, Trinidad and Tobago, which provided bases for

:44:51.:44:55.

the United States after the deal over destroyers, and Kenya, which

:44:56.:45:02.

fought in East Africa and to have some members here for the first time

:45:03.:45:05.

on parades during the march passed today. -- march-past. The next group

:45:06.:45:19.

is led off by Malta, who were awarded the George Cross, whose

:45:20.:45:23.

harbour was so crucial to provide goods during the war in North

:45:24.:45:33.

Africa, and which the Axis bombed and tried to start into submission.

:45:34.:45:38.

Zambia, Singapore, Botswana, Lesotho, Barbados and Mauritius. You

:45:39.:45:54.

will see in each contingent, one person giving the orders as they

:45:55.:46:02.

come out and turn together back to their place. The next group led by

:46:03.:46:08.

Swaziland, whose King gathered together a group of young men to go

:46:09.:46:13.

and fight with Britain in the Second World War. Tonga, Fiji, Bangladesh,

:46:14.:46:18.

the Bahamas governed by the Duke of Windsor, grenade, Papa New Guinea,

:46:19.:46:26.

the Seychelles, the Commonwealth of Dominique and St Lucia. -- Granada.

:46:27.:46:43.

And the final group, Belize, the Maldives, Saint Christopher

:46:44.:46:54.

needless, Namibia, Cameroon, and finally two members of the

:46:55.:47:00.

Commonwealth who had no colonial link, Rwanda and Mozambique.

:47:01.:47:20.

The next wreath will be laid by the Ambassador of Ireland to Great

:47:21.:47:30.

Britain in memory of 200,000 volunteers from Ireland who served

:47:31.:47:35.

in World War I, of whom 35,000 lost their lives.

:47:36.:47:56.

Next, the service chiefs, the Green wreath there laid by the Irish

:47:57.:48:09.

ambassador. Admiral Sir George Zambellas, Sir Nicholas Carter for

:48:10.:48:13.

the army and Sir Andrew Pulford for the Royal Air Force, the Chief of

:48:14.:48:17.

the Defence Staff doesn't lay a wreath, just those three. And the

:48:18.:48:26.

civilian chiefs for low, the Merchant Navy, all important in the

:48:27.:48:31.

battle of the Atlantic, represented by Captain Jim Connolly. The new

:48:32.:48:48.

chair of the national Chief police Council there. As soon as they are

:48:49.:48:50.

packing their place service begins. O, Almighty God, grant we beseech

:48:51.:48:54.

thee that we who here do honour to the memory of those who have died in

:48:55.:48:58.

the service of their country and of the Crown may be so inspired by the

:48:59.:49:04.

spirit of their love and fortitude that, forgetting all selfish

:49:05.:49:10.

and unworthy motives, we may live only to thy glory

:49:11.:49:17.

and to the service of mankind, # Short as the watch

:49:18.:49:22.

that ends the night # Be thou our guide

:49:23.:51:08.

while troubles last Teach us, good Lord, to serve thee

:51:09.:51:37.

as thou deservest, to give and not to count the cost, to fight and not

:51:38.:51:51.

to heed the wounds, to toil and not to seek for rest, to labour and not

:51:52.:51:58.

ask for any reward, save that of knowing that we will do thy will,

:51:59.:52:06.

through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen. Our Father, which art in Heaven,

:52:07.:52:17.

hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be

:52:18.:52:20.

done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread,

:52:21.:52:26.

and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass

:52:27.:52:31.

against us. And lead us not into temptation,

:52:32.:52:35.

but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, the power and

:52:36.:52:40.

the glory, for ever and ever, Amen. Unto God's gracious mercy

:52:41.:52:49.

and protection we commit you. The Lord make his face to shine

:52:50.:52:53.

upon you and be gracious unto you. The Lord lift up the light

:52:54.:53:03.

of his countenance upon you and give The Queen lead to the Royal family

:53:04.:54:56.

-- leading the Royal family away from Whitehall, that part of the

:54:57.:55:02.

ceremonial here over. The brief service and the laying of the

:55:03.:55:12.

wreaths. The Duke of Cambridge will be going on to horse guards and he

:55:13.:55:18.

will take the salute of the 10,500 people waiting further up Whitehall

:55:19.:55:22.

to march past the Cenotaph. They have been watching this service on

:55:23.:55:28.

huge television screens whilst standing there waiting. They haven't

:55:29.:55:32.

been missing, they have been taking part, singing the hymns and saying

:55:33.:55:39.

the prayers. And the clergy, the choir of the Chapel Royal whose

:55:40.:55:44.

history goes back to the seventh century, and they say two of their

:55:45.:55:53.

senior members wrote a song in 1415. The choir is led by Jason, who

:55:54.:56:10.

has a scholarship. The person who carries the cross has always been a

:56:11.:56:20.

member of the choir before. And the Sergeant of the Vestry, the Forces

:56:21.:56:23.

Chaplain and the Sub-Dean of the Chapel Royal, and of course the

:56:24.:56:29.

Bishop of London, Doctor Richard Chartres. And after the clergy, the

:56:30.:56:55.

politicians. The Speaker of the House of Commons on the bottom right

:56:56.:57:01.

of your screen, John Bercow. Tony Blair on the left, Sir John Major,

:57:02.:57:07.

Gordon Brown, the Defence Secretary Michael Fallon, Boris Johnson, the

:57:08.:57:14.

Mayor of London. The politicians move off and after them, the High

:57:15.:57:20.

Commissioners, and shortly there will be space created for the march

:57:21.:57:24.

passed to begin but in the meantime let's rejoin Sophie Raworth. I'm

:57:25.:57:32.

here with Lisa and her family. Your son was killed five years ago in

:57:33.:57:36.

Afghanistan. He was 19 years old and he died trying to protect a

:57:37.:57:44.

comrade. Yes, he did, he was doing covering fire when they got the

:57:45.:57:48.

injured soldier out and that's when he got shot as well. What does it

:57:49.:57:53.

mean for you to be here today? It means a lot because it shows the

:57:54.:57:57.

support everybody gives to fallen soldiers and it is a mark of respect

:57:58.:58:02.

really. I read some of the citations about your son written after he

:58:03.:58:07.

died, and by all accounts, a wonderful, funny, everyone talks

:58:08.:58:12.

about his mischievous grin and a wonderful laugh. Yes, the cheeky

:58:13.:58:17.

chappie all the way. He would rather be making people smile than see them

:58:18.:58:23.

cry. George, it was your idea to come here in the first place. You

:58:24.:58:27.

have come here every year for four years. Why did you come here? I

:58:28.:58:35.

wanted to show how proud he was and of all the other soldiers as well.

:58:36.:58:40.

And standing here now, the public support, how does it make you feel?

:58:41.:58:46.

It makes me feel proud of the respect everybody has for the

:58:47.:58:51.

soldiers. You are marching with the rifles regimental association, how

:58:52.:58:56.

much help of you had from them? They are always hear from me, even today.

:58:57.:59:02.

I have messages from Martin's comrades and friends in the army. If

:59:03.:59:08.

I have any queries, I turn to be Rifles and they help me. Hugely

:59:09.:59:12.

important for you. Yes, very important. I have also been

:59:13.:59:20.

introduced to other bereaved families who understand how I feel,

:59:21.:59:24.

which is hard because a lot of people don't understand how I feel.

:59:25.:59:28.

There are a lot of people you can talk to today who know what you feel

:59:29.:59:34.

like and what you go through. Yes, people listen to you, but unless

:59:35.:59:37.

you've been in the situation it is hard to understand how you feel.

:59:38.:59:44.

With Sapphire and the Rifles, they help you a lot. You can take your

:59:45.:59:53.

place. Thank you very much. Trumpet voluntary plays and the

:59:54.:59:58.

president of the British Legion approaches the Cenotaph with the

:59:59.:00:02.

wreath to be laid on behalf of the Royal British Legion. The oldest

:00:03.:00:08.

among the largest charity supporting the British forces, who organise the

:00:09.:00:12.

march-past. You can see the chalk circles on the

:00:13.:00:33.

base of the Cenotaph where the wreaths are laid, they need to make

:00:34.:00:36.

sure everyone is laid in the right spot, so they do not crowd to one

:00:37.:00:40.

end of the other. The next wreaths will be laid on behalf of London

:00:41.:00:48.

Transport. Air Vice-Marshal David Whitaker, the area president of

:00:49.:00:52.

Scotland and Northern Ireland, for the Royal Air Force association. And

:00:53.:00:58.

the national chairman of the Royal Naval Association. Patrick Mitford

:00:59.:01:03.

Slade of the Royal Commonwealth Pool Ex Services League. And the Royal

:01:04.:01:07.

British Legion Scotland represented by Janet Harvey, and the Women's

:01:08.:01:13.

Section, the national chairman, Marilyn Humphrey. The Royal Naval

:01:14.:01:24.

Association with the distinctive wreath in the form of an anchor in

:01:25.:01:28.

the centre there. It is now coming up towards half

:01:29.:02:17.

past 11. In a few moments' time,

:02:18.:02:20.

the march-past will start, and thousands will pay

:02:21.:02:23.

their respects at the Cenotaph. Among them are veterans

:02:24.:02:26.

of the Second World War, marking the 70th anniversary

:02:27.:02:29.

of the end of this conflict. Four of those who served in that

:02:30.:02:35.

war recall those difficult times. Everybody around me

:02:36.:02:44.

was being called up, and I couldn't see myself

:02:45.:02:47.

as a soldier. because I was young and fit

:02:48.:02:52.

and ready for anything, really. I went into the ATS in 1942

:02:53.:02:58.

and I worked on ack-ack. As a 14-year-old boy, I joined

:02:59.:03:03.

the British Army as a boy soldier. The war started

:03:04.:03:14.

during my boy service. And at 17 and a half,

:03:15.:03:17.

they were desperate for paratroops, I got my wings in February 1943

:03:18.:03:20.

and was posted to 656 Squadron, the only squadron to be posted

:03:21.:03:31.

to the Far East. We were on the banks of the Humber,

:03:32.:03:37.

and we were defending Hull. You could be in bed,

:03:38.:03:43.

and the alarm would go. You'd jump into your boots

:03:44.:03:46.

and grab your greatcoat. Your steel helmet would be there,

:03:47.:03:49.

and you'd go. Sometimes we were called out

:03:50.:03:51.

three and four times in the night. Hull was the worst-bombed place

:03:52.:03:54.

in Britain that I ever saw. They wanted us to be ready

:03:55.:03:59.

for the invasion of Germany, You get to your drop zone

:04:00.:04:07.

and you're at the door and out! And you go out of that aeroplane one

:04:08.:04:14.

at a time, bang-bang-bang-bang-bang. When you jump out of an aeroplane,

:04:15.:04:19.

the slipstream gets you, you know. We went to Normandy.

:04:20.:04:23.

We landed at Gold Beach. And one got killed right

:04:24.:04:30.

by the side of me, and I thought,

:04:31.:04:38.

"Oh, it's dangerous here." We were street-fighting,

:04:39.:04:40.

forest clearing, and that's when I got injured, and

:04:41.:04:48.

I lost two of my close colleagues. This leg, which was hanging on

:04:49.:04:52.

by a piece of skin, I put on top of this leg

:04:53.:04:57.

and crawled into a culvert. And that's when I injected myself

:04:58.:05:01.

with the morphine, because I knew the pain would come

:05:02.:05:06.

sooner or later. The night the war ended,

:05:07.:05:12.

I felt a sort of vacuum. Because I knew

:05:13.:05:16.

that was the beginning And it changed my whole attitude

:05:17.:05:19.

to ever so many things It changes your attitude

:05:20.:05:24.

to all kinds of things. When the Second World War

:05:25.:05:31.

came along, everybody grew up. Or a woman,

:05:32.:05:34.

whichever the case may be. And I think to myself,

:05:35.:05:40.

whatever the Second World War was, They say "War to end all wars",

:05:41.:05:43.

but it never works. And I look back and I think,

:05:44.:05:52.

"Will this world ever be peaceful?" I hope it will be,

:05:53.:05:57.

because it's a wonderful world and everybody could

:05:58.:06:00.

and should enjoy it. I always think of

:06:01.:06:05.

a nameless soldier who had been washed down the Irrawaddy,

:06:06.:06:09.

and his body was lying on the sand. For nearly a couple of weeks,

:06:10.:06:17.

I flew out over him. I mean, there's an awful lot

:06:18.:06:22.

of chaps out there we left behind, And really they do...

:06:23.:06:29.

they do need special remembrance. So many left behind, and they do

:06:30.:07:00.

need special remembrance. I am joined by World War II veteran

:07:01.:07:05.

Donald Smith, who fought with the Seaforth Highlanders, captured in

:07:06.:07:10.

France in June 1940. Who do you remember when you come here today?

:07:11.:07:21.

Well, five friends, who joined the Seaforth, and we promised, whoever

:07:22.:07:24.

was left, we would come back to remember those lads. These young men

:07:25.:07:33.

were 18, 19, 20 years old. I spent my 19th birthday in hospital,

:07:34.:07:39.

wounded. It is because of these lads, I am very fortunate to

:07:40.:07:43.

survive, but they are left behind, like many more. You are 95 years old

:07:44.:07:50.

now, you only came here for the first time three years ago, what

:07:51.:07:54.

prompted you to come then? To keep the promise to those men, those

:07:55.:07:59.

young lads, my friends that I left behind there, to keep that promise,

:08:00.:08:07.

remember them. So it was a touching ceremony, and I am proud to do it.

:08:08.:08:13.

It is a long time ago now, but still clearly, for you, incredibly

:08:14.:08:18.

emotional. These days, when you remember the two minutes' silence,

:08:19.:08:26.

it comes back. So many of these lads are still out there, proud to

:08:27.:08:34.

remember them. There is also a wonderful camaraderie here, all the

:08:35.:08:39.

veterans who are here. They are so kind. It is wonderful. It is a

:08:40.:08:48.

moving day, I am proud to be here. Extra special for you to be here, 70

:08:49.:08:52.

years ago that you were liberated from a German prisoner of war camp.

:08:53.:08:58.

Yes, that is true. By the American third Army, General Clark, but what

:08:59.:09:05.

a wonderful thing it was to be free again, to get home, back to our

:09:06.:09:11.

families. Well, Donald Smith, wonderful to talk to you here on

:09:12.:09:16.

Whitehall. I will let you take your place in the march-past, thank you

:09:17.:09:24.

so much. Thank you. Thank you. 250 groups marching here this

:09:25.:09:35.

morning at Whitehall, 10,500 people. And many of them, when you

:09:36.:09:41.

talk to them, are now, of course, young people who did not fight in

:09:42.:09:47.

the war, the Second World War, but there are many people, when you talk

:09:48.:09:51.

to them, they are here because they said to their fathers that they

:09:52.:09:57.

would come. And they represent their regiments, their ships, their

:09:58.:10:06.

squadrons of the Royal Air Force. And the mood changing slightly now

:10:07.:10:12.

as, the service over, people relax a bit. As before the service, they are

:10:13.:10:17.

getting together, as in the days before, meeting up with friends. The

:10:18.:10:26.

music ends, and now we're ready for the beginning of the. This year, the

:10:27.:10:37.

Reconnaissance Corps is leading off the march-past. They were, as they

:10:38.:10:42.

put it, they only had the enemy in front, every other beggar behind,

:10:43.:10:48.

because when they went into action, they lead off. The youngest veteran

:10:49.:10:51.

marching today is 89 years old. And here they come, the

:10:52.:11:14.

Reconnaissance Corps, with their distinctive cap badges, a spearhead

:11:15.:11:20.

issuing shafts of light. Set up when the Light Cavalry had to be

:11:21.:11:24.

replaced, the new reconnaissance force created.

:11:25.:11:31.

Or five of the veterans on parades today served in northern France and

:11:32.:11:35.

saw action at D-Day. -- all five. And as every contingent, they will

:11:36.:11:56.

lay their wreath, which will be placed at the foot of the Cenotaph.

:11:57.:12:05.

They are followed by the Royal Horse Artillery, the Royal Artillery

:12:06.:12:18.

Association, the Royal Engineers, and their bomb disposal Association,

:12:19.:12:23.

celebrating their 75th anniversary, served in all recent campaigns, in

:12:24.:12:31.

Iraq and Afghanistan, but they were in the service at St Paul's

:12:32.:12:33.

Cathedral this year. They date back to the days of the Blitz, 1940. They

:12:34.:12:42.

are followed by the Airborne Engineers, Royal Signals, and the

:12:43.:12:47.

Army Air Corps. The Army Air Corps Association

:12:48.:13:21.

wearing their black berets, behind them the Royal Army Service Corps.

:13:22.:13:52.

The Royal Pioneer Corps, wearing their navy blue ties, commemorating

:13:53.:14:03.

the sinking of the Lancastrian, when they lost many of their men. The

:14:04.:14:15.

Light Engineers, the Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, their job, of

:14:16.:14:20.

course, to keep things working. Before them, the Army Catering

:14:21.:14:30.

Corps, all-important, an army marches on its stomach, according to

:14:31.:14:33.

Frederick the Great or Napoleon, whichever you prefer. The

:14:34.:14:44.

Educational Services Training the Royal Army Pay Corps, the Royal

:14:45.:14:57.

Military Police, bright red berets, unlike the maroon of the paratroops.

:14:58.:15:02.

They were formed in 1946 after the war. Queen Alexander does Royal Army

:15:03.:15:20.

Nursing Corps. We saw Terry talking to Sophie Raworth. They were most

:15:21.:15:27.

recently deployed in Sierra Leone, where they had a facility to look

:15:28.:15:30.

after people trying to treat those with

:15:31.:15:33.

Download Subtitles

SRT

ASS