2017 Remembrance Sunday: The Cenotaph

Good morning from London.

On this Remembrance Sunday,

thousands of veterans

and their families come to the heart

of this city to pay tribute

to those who have died in war.

The setting - the iconic buildings.

Westminster Abbey, on the left,

the Houses of Parliament

and beyond, the Elizabeth Tower,

in which hangs Big Ben.

Its familiar sound used to mark

the hours, but for the past few

months, it has been silent

as repairs are made to the Tower.

Today it has been briefly

reprieved to ring out

11 o'clock and the start

of the Two Minutes' Silence.

The ceremony this morning takes

place around the Cenotaph

in the middle of Whitehall.

Since 8am, people have been passing

through security barriers to find

a place to watch the ceremony.

They come from all over the United

Kingdom and abroad. Some, many, in

the front row for the first time.

They stand ten deep here, some bring

young children, some are here

because their parents or

grandparents are too old to come any

more but they want the date to be

remembered. At the heart of the

ceremony, The Cenotaph built in

1920, to commemorate the dead in the

First World War.

1914-1918.

This November 100 years ago,

the battle of Passchendaele ended.

"Mud, mud, everywhere.

Filthy, oozing mud,"

one soldier wrote.

And the Chief of Staff later said,

"Did we really send

men to fight in that?"

In three months, half a million

men lost their lives.

The First World War was a war

so brutal that it was hoped it

would end the use of war

as a political weapon.

The truth was otherwise.

From the Second World War

in 1939-1945, there has barely been

a year without more deaths

to commemorate, more

seriously wounded to restore

to some kind of life,

and more families to console.

So here in London, and in churches

and war memorials across the country

and abroad, there is much to reflect

on this November weekend.

Beyond the Cenotaph on Whitehall,

several thousand ex-servicemen

and women have been gathering

on Horse Guards Parade,

ready for the march past

and the laying of wreaths.

Many come year after year

to remember lost comrades.

The war they fought in is different

from now, the techniques of warfare

have changed but the courage needed

to carry out some of the most

dangerous missions does not. Two men

who served generations apart in very

different wards are united by their

similar experience of battle.

My name is George Foggo.

I joined the army in 1942

and I was a member of the

Bomb Disposal.

In 1940, 41, life expectancy

of bomb disposal was only

about a month to six weeks.

My name is Tom Flanagan,

I worked as a bomb disposal

officer, in Afghanistan.

My experiences were very ordinary.

If I were to compare it to other

servicemen or women,

deployed in Afghanistan,

but certainly very

extraordinary in my life.

It's great to meet a man

from the same area in warfare.

Entirely different,

but yet it's the same.

Yeah, I completely agree.

I think the only thing that

separates it is 70 odd years.

The first call out,

if you like, that you had,

can you remember that?

Yes, oh yes.

I was terrified.

Absolutely terrified.

And anybody who says

that they went to dig out a bomb,

or into a minefield,

and say they weren't afraid,

I'm sure they're damned liars.

After the task's

complete then there's

a feeling of euphoria,

I guess, especially your first task.

You've got that done.

I can do this.

The training's all been leading up

to this and it's gone well.

And what was your role in France?

Six weeks solid lifting mines.

Wow.

And that was the worst six

weeks of my Army life.

Lifting mines was more

exhausting than the bombs,

because your concentration

is so high there.

So the mines were laid in a pattern?

They were always laid

in a pattern, yes.

But the Germans put in rogues here

and there to try and catch us out.

To try and catch you out.

These were buried

beneath the surface.

Yes, oh, aye.

And how did you find those mines?

Just with a mine detector.

OK.

You used to only use

the detector about 20 minutes.

Why?

Because you were that tense,

that you began to get mixed up.

Mm-hm.

We were there out on the field

all day long and you were under

tension the whole time.

IEDs would be discovered

in a number of ways -

whether you were doing a planned op

and you used your search team

with your searchers out the front

using their metal detectors,

if you like.

A lot of the devices

were very basic.

Really?

Yeah, absolutely.

Aye.

We didn't lose anybody

in the mines, in our platoon,

but another platoon lost five

in one go.

There were five men

just blown to bits.

And did you lose any men

when you were there?

No.

I was very lucky in that

my team were all OK.

We had a few friends

who were injured permanently.

And I remember that

affecting me a little

bit at the time.

Yes, it would do.

But you just have to get on with it.

Aye.

I enjoyed my tour, I found it

very rewarding, I felt

like I was making a difference.

But you have to

remember that there's

lots of people who've given

the ultimate sacrifice.

Over a decade ago, a new war

memorial was unveiled on Whitehall -

the bronze memorial to Women

of World War II.

The role of women in society has

changed dramatically

since the First World War,

when women undertook

all kinds of work as long

as it was not fighting.

By the Second World War,

their role had changed and today,

they serve alongside men

in the front line, at sea,

on land and in the air.

Sophie Raworth has with her

serving women of today.

Serving members of the Armed Forces

cannot take part in the march-past

today but I'm joined by three women

who are all here, they have come to

watch and also come here to mark the

centenary. I'm joined by Leading

Hand Tina Keel, Corporal Cassie

Collins and Sergeant Rita Rana.

Cassie Collins, the women in your

family very much embody how women's

roles have changed over the past 100

years.

Yes, I have a total of over

100 years of family service history,

my grandmother served in the

catering Corps, my mother was a

Royal Air Force supplier and I am a

personal support clerk.

And you are

going to be sent next year to

Afghanistan?

Yes, I will be leaving

behind my two -year-old little girl.

Tina, you have seen how it all

changed because you joined as a Wren

in the 1990s, didn't you?

Yes, there

weren't too many opportunities to

follow the aircraft at the time but

since then we have had all of the

front line jobs available to us and

there's nothing really we cannot do

in the Royal Navy now.

Do you feel

when you serve you stand shoulder to

shoulder with the men or is there a

difference?

No, there's no

difference, I very much feel I stand

shoulder to shoulder with the men I

work with.

Rita, you joined more

recently but your father was a

Gurkha?

Yes, that's right, I joined

in 2009, my father did 27 years of

service in the Gurkha rifles and

prior to that my grandfather served

as well so he went to Malay war and

Borneo war, my father went to

Falklands in 1982.

And as a woman

joining the forces, do you feel you

are shoulder to shoulder with the

men, you can do what the men do now?

Yes, on a daily basis we do what

they do so we are doing the physical

side the same as the guys, so yes, I

feel we are standing shoulder to

shoulder, absolutely.

Because when

you think, 100 years ago, before

1917, women could be nurses and that

was it, then everything changed and

nowadays it is the close combat

roles being opened up.

Yes, we are

really fortunate, the first service

to open up the combat roles in the

Royal Air Force Regiment. Women have

been serving in close combat roles

supporting infantry 's and regiments

for a number of years now whether

that is medics, pilots, loadmasters,

there a multiple... A multitude of

roles women have been doing for

years now.

How important is it for

you to be here today on this

centenary?

Very important, a time of

reflection, to think about my

ancestors who have served before me,

in recent years people going to

conflicts.

When you joined the Royal

Navy, as a woman you couldn't even

go to the front line, could you?

No,

I worked on is quadrant but I

couldn't go front line so there

wasn't anywhere for me to go apart

from a training area which didn't

seem fair at the time but that's the

way it was.

And what does it mean

for both of you to be here today?

I

think it's a good opportunity to

give thanks to all of our colleagues

we serve alongside now and the

millions of people we will never get

to meet that served for us.

And

Rita, your father is here, he has

been before but you haven't?

Yes,

she comes here with his friends

every year for the Remembrance

parade and it is a special occasion

for me today as well, remembering my

grandfather who is no longer with

us, and all of the fallen heroes.

Thank you for talking to us, and a

special day for all of you, thank

you.

What a remarkable change. 100 years

since the first women served in the

Armed Forces.

There is one major change

in the ceremonial here today.

Her Majesty the Queen,

who has laid a wreath on behalf

of the nation almost every year

since she came to the throne,

will this year no longer fulfill

that duty, but will watch

from a balcony as Prince Charles

lays a wreath on her behalf.

Buckingham Palace says this

is because she wants to be

beside the Duke of Edinburgh.

He has given up his official duties.

She will be looking down on the

veterans waiting to march-past

later, and on the hollow square, the

formal part of the parade that

surrounds The Cenotaph. The Royal

Navy contingents, the Clyde from 40

commando from the Royal Fleet

artillery. The Household Cavalry,

the Life Guards. Mounting it today,

25 of them under the command of

Captain Vaughan. And the King's

Troop of the Royal Horse Artillery

to their left. They fire the salute

at the start and end of the

two-minute silence. Then the Royal

Air Force. Among them, 22 women from

different stations, and the queens

colour Squadron of the Royal Air

Force. Then also here, the

engineers, the reserve forces, 101

Engineer Regiment. And with the

first Engineer Regiment, you may be

able to see later on the colonel

commanding it. Also the Red Cross,

many of them were involved in the

Grenfell Tower disaster, and on

other major events here too on this

hollow square.

This morning of Remembrance begins

with the Massed Bands of the

Household Division and what is

called the traditional music.

Under the direction of Liutenant

Colonel Kevin Roberts,

the Senior Director of Music,

appearing here for the last time.

He starts with Rule Britannia.

MUSIC: Rule Britannia - Arne.

The official march

of the Royal Navy,

Heart of Oak.

MUSIC: Heart Of Oak - Boyce.

The Minstrel Boy.

The minstrel boy to

the war is gone, in the

ranks of death you'll find him.

MUSIC: Minstrel Boy - trad arr.

Now the Welsh anthem,

Men of Harlech.

MUSIC: Men of Harlech - trad arr.

Massed Bands...

Stand at ease.

Visinia drum Major Scott Fitzgerald

of the Coldstream Guards and the

music is taken up by the Pipes and

Drums of the 4th Battalion the Royal

Regiment of Scotland.

The Skye Boat Song.

MUSIC: Skye Boat Song - McLeod.

Massed Bands...

And now the Massed

Bands play Isle of

Beauty, David Of The

White Rock and Oft in

the Stilly Night.

MUSIC: Isle of Beauty - trad arr.

Everyone who has come to march

past the Cenotaph today

has a story to tell.

Thousands of stories

of physical and mental pain,

of stress and of the misery of loss.

Let's hear three of those stories.

I was shot by sniper rifle.

A large bullet had gone

through my neck and it had taken

most of my spinal cord.

I heard a bang, and that's

when the other guy who was with me

said, "Mark, I think

you've been shot."

They said, you know,

with the extent of my injuries

they've come to the conclusion that

I'm never going to be

able to walk again.

My whole world had

just ended really.

I think if someone had

come and said right,

I would have asked them

to finish the job off really.

I've done some extremely hard

courses in my Army career,

but that was probably the hardest

thing I've done, my rehabilitation.

I ended up walking out

on a walking stick.

I was assessed to have severe

post-traumatic stress disorder

caused by my time in the Falklands.

I was having night terrors.

I became very combative,

argumentative

with my children

and with my wife.

My wife was coming to the end

of her tether, and she said that

I had to go for help.

And she actually came with me

to the doctor's surgery.

I started to talk,

but I just broke down.

I went on the six-week

course recommended to me

by my psychologist.

I met people who were going through

exactly the same thing as I was.

Since having treatment,

I've been able to cope a lot better.

Charlie Henry Wood was my

husband and he was killed

in Afghanistan on 28th

December 2010.

He told me that he loved me,

but if anything happened he'd

want me to continue with my life.

I told him to go out there, stay

safe, and don't try and be a hero.

That he just needed to make sure

that he came home in one piece,

and to bring all his

soldiers with him.

I still think to this day

that he knew that he was never

going to come home.

Obviously the normal situation

would be that they would come

to the house to tell me,

but obviously they couldn't track me

down because it was Christmas.

I was away from home.

A gentleman came on the phone and he

asked if I was Mrs Heather Wood,

and I knew straightaway.

And suddenly within a split

second my whole life had gone.

I'd lost everything.

The day that Charlie died

there was 9,000 troops

in Afghanistan at that time,

and Charlie was the one

that got killed.

Yeah - why?

Massed Bands. Stand at ease.

MUSIC: David Of The White

Rock - trad arr.

The Pipes and Drums playing now have

a reputation for showing quite

extraordinary courage in battle,

leading the troops over the top of

the trenches. 500 pipers were killed

in World War I. They play now the

lament the Flowers Of The Forest.

MUSIC: Flowers Of

The Forest - trad arr.

Massed Bands...

Massed Bands...

Attention!

Now the haunting notes of the most

reflective of Edward Elgar's

Enigma Variations,

Nimrod.

MUSIC: Nimrod - Elgar.

Dido's Lament by Henry Purcell.

"When I am laid in earth,

remember me but forget my fate".

It plays as we wait

for the procession of clergy

and choir who will lead

the service of Remembrance.

A Crossbearer, Edward

Fanshawe, Leeds the children and

gentlemen of the Chapel Royal. The

Sub-Dean of the Chapel Royal and

former Bishop of London, Doctor

Richard Chartres, who will be

conducting the service.

And they will be followed by the

Major-General commanding the

Household Division 's procession,

traditionally the personal guard of

the sovereign. Doctor charters no

longer Bishop of London but still

holds this post of dean of the

Chapel Royal. -- Dr Chartres.

The Major-General 's procession for

unknown reasons has not come out

onto Whitehall, they may have

changed the arrangement is a bit

because here, led by Theresa May the

Prime Minister, and Jeremy Corbyn,

the Leader of the Opposition, come

the politicians. Leader of the SNP

on the left, former Prime Minister

behind, Sir John Major, Tony Blair.

Here is the Major-General 's

procession. Led by the Chief of the

Defence staff, Sir Stuart Piech, the

First Sea Lord the chief of the

General staff, the Chief of the Air

Staff. And the long line of High

Commissioners, 45 High Commissioner

's, what you might call the

ambassadors the Commonwealth

countries. They are joined by the

new Irish ambassador, laying the

green wreath.

And as they line up, we are waiting

for the 15 different religious

denominations, who come here to take

part in the service.

The Roman Catholic Church, the free

churches, the Buddhist faith, the

Methodists, the Islamic adviser and

the imam of the Armed Forces, the

Hindu chaplain to the Armed Forces,

the president of the Baptist union,

the network of Sikh organisations,

reform Judaism, the Salvation Army,

the Greek Orthodox Church and the

Church of Scotland represented here.

Behind you just saw the

Major-Generals parade, the Household

Division, coming on parade to take

their place. And for the first time,

the two speakers in the centre

there, John Bercow, Speaker of the

House of Commons, and Lord Fowler on

the right, the Speaker of the House

of Lords, will be laying wreaths. So

we are now waiting for the members

of the Royal family after the guard

has been brought to attention to

come on parade.

The Prince of Wales leads out seven

members of the Royal family. He will

be laying of wreath, that is

normally laid by Her Majesty the

Queen on behalf of the nation. The

Duke of Cambridge, Prince Henry of

Wales, the Duke of York, the Earl of

Wessex.

The Princess Royal and Duke of Kent

are there and their equerry is.

And on the balcony, the Duke of

Edinburgh and the Queen, watching.

As we approach the 11 o'clock and

the two minute silence.

Big Ben CHIMES THE HOUR

MUSIC: Last Post

The Prince of Wales first lays the

wreath on behalf of the Queen. And

he will later lay one on his own

behalf.

The Queen, watching from the balcony

with the Duke of Edinburgh beside

her. And now, on behalf of the Duke

of Edinburgh, the equerry lays his

wreath.

And now the Prince of Wales lays his

own wreath. The Prince of Wales, his

colonel in chief who commanded in

the Royal Navy and was a helicopter

pilot, as many members of the Royal

family have seen their career in the

services. He is followed by the Duke

of Cambridge. The Duke of Cambridge

comes with Prince Henry of Wales,

his brother, and the Duke of York.

All three of them have served. The

Duke of Cambridge, seven and a half

years of military service, Prince

Henry, two tours of Afghanistan, the

Duke of York in the Royal Navy and

Sea King helicopters in the

Falklands. Watched from the balcony

by Princess Alexandra and the

Duchess of Cambridge in the middle

and the Countess of Wessex. The

Princess Royal, Duke of Kent, the

Earl of Wessex, lay their wreaths.

The Princess Royal is Admiral and

Chief Commandant for women in the

Royal Navy.

Stand at ease.

The politicians' turn

now led by the Prime Minister

Theresa May.

The Leader of the Opposition, Jeremy

Corbyn.

MUSIC: The Supreme

Sacrifice - Harris.

Ian Blackford on behalf of the

Scottish National Party, their

leader in the House of Commons, and

on behalf also of Plaid Cymru, the

Welsh National party.

He is followed by Vince Cable, the

new leader of the Liberal Democrats.

Nigel Dodds, the leader of the

Democratic Unionist Party in the

House of Commons for Northern

Ireland.

And now in an addition to this

ceremony at the Speaker of the House

of Commons John Bercow.

And the Speaker of the House of

Lords Lord Fowler.

After him, the Foreign Secretary

Boris Johnson who lays flowers on

behalf of the overseas territories,

places like the nude, Cayman Islands

and Falklands and Gibraltar and St

-- places like Bermuda, Cayman

Islands and Falklands and Gibraltar

and St Helena.

Now the first of the High

Commissioner is, they normally come

at the end, but they are the oldest

members of the Commonwealth, Canada,

Australia, New Zealand, South Africa

and India, all of whom had thousands

and thousands of people serving both

in the first and Second World War.

Indeed, India's Acting Commissioner

is here and was said to have nearly

2.5 million people by August 1945

underarms.

They are followed by the High

Commissioners, or Deputy High

Commissioners, of Pakistan, Sri

Lanka, Ghana, Malaysia, Nigeria,

Cyprus, Sierra Leone, Tanzania,

Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago and

Uganda.

Following them, Kenya, Malawi,

Malta, George Cross, Zambia,

Singapore, Guyana, Botswana and

Lesotho.

And now Barbados, Mauritius,

Swaziland, Tonga, Fiji, Bangladesh,

The Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New

Guinea and the Seychelles.

And the final group of High

Commissioners from the Commonwealth

of Dominique, St Lucia, St Vincent &

The Grenadines -- Dominica, Belize

and Antigua & Barbuda, St

Christopher & Nevis, Brunei

Darussalam, Namibia, Cameroon,

Mozambique and Rwanda. The last two

recent members of the Commonwealth

who were not actually involved in

the fighting in the first and second

world wars but they are here because

they are members of the Commonwealth

and have an entitlement to lay their

wreaths. They are followed by the

Ambassador of Ireland to Great

Britain Adrian O'Neill.

The Irish regiments who serve way

back, the Irish Guards established

under Queen Victoria fought in both

world wars.

The Service Chiefs come next, the

Chief of the Defence Staff, Sir

Stuart Peach, doesn't himself lay a

wreath, but for the Royal Navy Sir

Philip Jones, for the Army General

Sir Nicholas Carter and for the

Royal Air Force, Sir Stephen

Hillier.

They are followed by the Civilian

Chiefs for the Merchant Navy and

Fishing Fleets Captain Martin Reed

from the Air Transport Auxiliary

Association, Adrian Lead for the

Civilian Services Sara Thornton who

chairs the National Police Chief's

Council.

And the wreaths laid around The

Cenotaph, the service led by Doctor

Chartres begins. Almighty God, Grant

we beseech thee that we who here do

honour to the memory of those who

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.

# O God our help in ages past

# Our hope for years to come

# Our shelter from the stormy blast

# And our eternal home

# Beneath 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 in years to come

# Be though 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 of 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,

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.

Parade...

Parade...

Attention.

MUSIC: Rouse.

# 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 Queen bowels and leaves the

balcony and the members of the Royal

family leave Whitehall led by Prince

Charles, who laid that wreath on

behalf of the Queen.

Now the clergy will leave next. They

line up, led by Doctor charters, the

dean of the Chapel Royal -- Dr

Chartres, and the children of the

Chapel Royal. The choir used to

follow the sovereign around the

country in Tudor times singing, and

now sings here in London every week

in the Chapel Royal or the Queens

Chapel, that was built by James the

first. Six gentlemen in ordinary and

ten children of the royal Chapel.

And then the politicians, those

serving today, and behind them the

second group former prime ministers,

John Major is here, Tony Blair,

Gordon Brown, David Cameron. The new

Secretary of State for Defence,

Govan Williamson -- Gavin Williamson

there, who will go out onto Horse

Guard to take the salute of those

who pass The Cenotaph. And then

other members of the House of

Commons and the House of Lords and

the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, at

the end. And so we are waiting now,

and there's quite a long pause,

before we come to the start of the

march-past. But we will be talking

to people here, why they've come

here and what they remember so let's

join Sophie Raworth.

There are people of all ages taking

part in the march-past today but I'm

here with the oldest veteran who's

taking part, he is 99 years old,

he's called Ernie Searling and it's

your first time here, a former Royal

Marine. What does it mean to you to

be here?

I feel very humble, seeing

so many hundreds of men and women on

parade today. So very, very humble.

I'm thinking of those that are not

with us on parade today. Some fine

people I served with and we lost

them. All I hope is that the future

generations can see this parade, see

some solidarity in it and see that

the betterment of mankind in

England, especially Great Britain,

should be at its highest level. We

don't want street fights, we don't

want arguments, we don't want racial

injustice. All of those things are

horrible.

And it is very humbling to

be here today in Whitehall, why has

it taken you so Long, because you

have wanted to come?

After the war,

I seem to have contracted various

diseases and illnesses, and every

year I sort of said well I will go

up Whitehall and something has

cropped up. This year, a marine came

to see me, Ollie came to see me, and

he said to me, "What about going on

that parade? " And I said, "It will

probably be my last one. I have been

to parades before, big ones, but

I've never been on The Cenotaph

one". I feel very honoured to be

here and to be able to talk to you

about good things of life.

Ernie, it

is fantastic to see you here and

it's an honour to talk to you here

at The Cenotaph. I'm just going to

talk to the man that brought you

here, a former Royal Marine as well.

Wonderful for you as well.

Indeed,

it took a lot of planning, and since

I heard he has not been down here,

you have got to do it at some stage.

It will be a very emotional moment

for you shortly, thank you so much.

What a wonderful description of what

the Second World War was fought for

in his mind. His hopes for the

future, as the president of The

Royal British Legion Air Marshal

David Walker lays at The Cenotaph

his wreath on behalf of The Royal

British Legion, and then other

members of The Royal British Legion

who organised this march-past will

follow.

The rather formal exchange of all

our -- bowler hats. Followed by the

chairman of The Royal British

Legion, Patricia Chrimes, and

Charlie Brown, the ex-services

league, chief of defence staff,

former chief of defence staff

General Sir David Richards, the

Royal Naval Association, Carol

Gibbon. 100 years since the Wrens

were first formed. Gary Best for

Transport for London.

So the first half of today's act of

Remembrance, the more formal part,

is over now and in a few minutes the

second, in many ways to some people

perhaps the most moving part begins

with the march-past of veterans and

sometimes of their families too.

What actually brings people here to

The Cenotaph, it is always worth

hearing. Four of those taking part

explain.

I was a pilot in the Fleet Air Arm,

flying aircraft off

of aircraft carriers.

We were flying strikes

over mainland Japan.

We came in over the hedge

and were strafing any

aircraft we could see.

I could see Wally because we were

only about 50 yards apart.

His aircraft started to drop.

The aircraft slowly

went into the ground.

It was quite hard to take really.

I was deployed to Afghanistan.

The morning of July 8th, 2010,

we set out on our patrol.

The sun was just about coming up,

and that was the last

sunrise I'd ever see.

Our team got contacted by an IED.

I lost my left eye straightaway.

I had other serious head injuries.

By the time I got back to the UK,

I was informed that my right eye

would have to be removed as well.

In 1943 I joined the First

Aid Nursing Yeomanry,

I was told you're going to be

a wireless operator.

We worked to what I now know

was people in Europe,

but, of course, at the time

we didn't know that.

Certainly by that time we knew

we were working for SOE.

They were stirring up trouble behind

the lines in Europe.

Years later when everything

was exposed, one learns

that the people that we were talking

to, as it were, was a group

of Norwegians who were

on the heavy water plant.

Which we blew up very

successfully and was,

in fact, one of the biggest,

I think, successes of the SOE reach.

I wanted to do something useful

so I volunteered for Korea.

I was on hill 217.

We were vastly outnumbered.

We were losing men,

and we made up our minds

we were going to stay there,

and that's all we did.

Because you just can't fight

for a hill and then lose it,

because you've got to go back

and retake it again,

and that's when you lose the men.

We managed to really

stabilise our part of Korea.

And we're very proud of that.

We remember the guy

who fought with us.

The guy who volunteered.

The guy that were enlisted,

the national servicemen

- they gave their lives

and we all fought side by side.

When I went back to Japan five

years ago I made a point

of going to the cemetery

where Wally's remains are and laid

a wreath at his stone.

When I read the engraving on it,

and his age 22, it really brought

home to me the opening

lines of the exultation.

They shall grow not

old as we that are left grow old.

A lot of us went out to Europe

and were the wireless operators.

And indeed 13 of them were killed.

And it's certainly them that I think

of when I go past the Cenotaph.

And then I think about the modern

wars, which are horrendous too.

People from my regiment

came down to see me.

They informed me that Sam Robinson

had been killed in the incident.

That hit me a lot worse

than the news of losing my sight.

It's important to me that

I still go and show my respect

for what people have sacrificed.

I've lost my sight, but what we're

going to show there,

what the point of

being there is to show

respect for the people

who have given everything.

There are a lot of people who come

here year after year to pay their

respects and honour of the war dead.

Lots of familiar faces as well

including this lady who is always

here with the words lest we forget,

Vivien Foster, the national

President of the Merchant Navy

Association, an association you

helped to form in 1987. Explain why.

I form the association with

colleagues who have now passed,

obviously, because the Merchant Navy

were forgotten. Personally, my

family had so much to do with the

Merchant Navy in the last war, my

Father, he was bombed on an oil

tanker and got the medal and MBE for

surviving with 13 other personnel

and carrying them to safety. Another

uncle, Stanley, was torpedoed in his

second trip across the Atlantic in a

convoy. And my uncle Colin who was

the great hero, his story was one of

the greatest survival stories of

World War II. His ship was torpedoed

off the west African coast, the

lifeboats were rammed by the

submarine and he and 14 managed to

climb onto a raft and survived 14

days. And fortunately only two

survived the 14 days --

unfortunately. Shark followed them

for some of the time being fed.

Tens

of thousands, more than 30,000 in

World War II and 10,000 in World War

I and this year you are marking a

centenary.

We are indeed because

this year is the start of the convoy

system, which was the saving grace

for England because in the First

World War, had the convoy system not

been introduced 100 years ago just

before the end of the war England

had six weeks of food left and if

they didn't get supplies then in

fact we would have had to surrender

and Germany would have won.

The

convoys of World War I and World War

II what absolutely vital, huge

convoys across the Atlantic.

We had

32,000 men died in the convoys

crossing the Atlantic in World War

II. And, of course, it was

horrendous. Without the supply to

all of the forces we would have had

no RAF if it wasn't for the Merchant

Navy, apart from the fact that

England too would have starved, I

don't think many people remember

rationing but that was the reason.

You have been here so many times a

year after year, what does it mean

to you to be here?

Every year I am

so proud to be representing what I

represent. But as you interviewed

Eddie, humbling beyond belief, it

really is.

Who do you think on when

you pass The Cenotaph?

My Father,

God bless him. The red Ensign is on

The Cenotaph and it is the only

civilian flag on The Cenotaph and it

was there many years before the

RAF's flag on The Cenotaph, and yet

the Merchant Navy have not had the

recognition that they deserve for

many, many years.

Vivien Foster,

thank you very much for talking to

us.

My pleasure, thank you.

There are 262 contingents marching

today, nearly 9000 people marching,

and they come here not as part of a

service operation, not marshalled by

their regiments, but because they

have joined together in groups

representing either one part of the

services or another, or friends who

are together, or people who fought

together in one place. So that it

has a kind of haphazard feel to it.

The honour of leading off the

parade, for instance, this year is

left by the -- led by the Burma Star

Association from all parts of the

army who served in Burma, the

so-called forgotten army. The war

against the Japanese, which led to

the battles of her

which actually stop the Japanese.

They are taking of taking pride of

place today.

The order is given for the

march-past. The band leads off and

the music changes to more popular

tunes, you will recognise some of

them, no doubt. It's A Long Way To

Tipperary and other famous marching

songs will play to keep them

cheerful as they march, in all

something like a mile and a half,

which for many of them is a long

way. The complete circuit of

Whitehall from horse guards, right

up to the top of Whitehall and down

past The Cenotaph, and each

contingent will lay a wreath, or

hand a wreath to the assistants at

The Cenotaph who will take them and

place them on the steps alongside

laid by the names of the Royal

family, the Queen, the politicians

and High Commissioners, until there

is a complete garden of poppies

around The Cenotaph.

The London Scottish Regimental

Association is there, commemorating

the actions of the 2nd Battalion in

the Palestinian campaign 100 years

ago.

They were preceded by the

Montecassino society. And the Gurkha

association, led by the General Sir

David Dill, 95-year-old Captain

Smylie is marching with them. They

have served on the British crown

since 1815, famous of course, for

their courage in warfare. They have

won 26 Victoria Crosses.

And as is the way of things, with

262 contingents marching, we can't

identify each one, because we would

never stop talking. The ageing

veterans Association marching past

now, who fought in Aden, part of

Yemen, celebrating the 50th

anniversary of the emergency in

Aden, followed by the Special Forces

Club. Anne Van Gruisen is among

them, we heard her talking earlier

on this morning about why she was

marching and her experiences in the

SOE, Special Forces Club and special

operations executive. Anne Van

Gruisen on the right of your screen

being pushed in a wheelchair in the

middle of that group. And I is right

as she passes The Cenotaph. People

of extraordinary courage. Help For

Heroes, which is a new charity,

well, ten years old, not new any

longer, which is celebrating its

tenth birthday is on parade today,

launched particularly to help those

who were badly injured. It has

already helped 17,000 sick and

wounded veterans. In more recent

conflicts, funding rehabilitation.

The Association of Czech Slovak

legionnaires, the majority of

members joined the resistance

movement against Nazism and Ford in

Czech Slovak units abroad, formed in

the Middle East and in Great

Britain.

The Royal Hospital Chelsea, Bill

Speakman, VC, talking earlier about

Anne Van Gruisen and Lance Sergeant

Johnson Beharry, also VC pushing his

wheelchair. Bill Speakman is holding

the wreath.

89 years old, Bill Speakman.

And now, combat stress, we heard

from Paul Smith earlier, who is not

actually marching, but he is a

member of the combat stress because

there is a much greater openness,

and thank goodness for it, that

mental health issues which used to

be covered up and swept under the

carpet. All of the people marching

with combat stress have been treated

for mental health conditions. The

oldest is a veteran of Cyprus and

the youngest of Afghanistan.

The British ex-services wheelchair

sports Association there. You see

how you may get the feeling that

people are passing twice. It's

because one of our cameras is at the

top end of Whitehall and catches

them as they come down towards The

Cenotaph and the other picks them up

as they passed The Cenotaph but we

saw the British ex-services sports

Association. Visits, distinct red

beret of the Parachute Regiment led

by Dair Farrar-Hockley, who fought

at Goose Green and the battle for

Fort Stanley and the Falklands. A

long tradition of courage, 1945, the

sixth division carried out their

airborne crossing of the Rhine,

which led towards Victory in Europe

in 1945. The Black Watch

Association, five battalions. There

is Joe Hubble, Sergeant Major, being

pushed in his wheelchair by his Son,

Neale. The Black Watch Association,

five battalions, fought at the

Battle of Passchendaele, which we

were seeing before. The wreath laid

by Corporal Barty, after leaving The

Black Watch, became Queen Elizabeth,

the Queen Mother's driver, until she

died.

They are followed by the Gordon

Highlanders London Association, the

Queen's Highlanders regimental

Association, the Royal Scots

regimental Association.

The Light Infantry Association. This

is the first time they have marched

past The Cenotaph in their olive

green blazers, light infantry,

amalgamated like so many infantry

regiments to form The Rifles in

2007. They go on parade today, from

all over Britain, Shropshire, the

north-east, and many from the West

Country.

The Guards Parachute Association.

These soldiers are highly trained

special forces Pathfinder groups who

developed what sounds like a

terrifying high altitude freefalling

technique to get behind enemy lines.

The guards Parachute company was

formed later in 1946 from members of

the Brigade of Guards. The green

Howards in their khaki berets follow

there. The green Howards Association

in their ties and khaki berets, now

known as the 2nd Battalion the

Yorkshire Regiment, one of four

Victoria Crosses won during the

Battle of the Somme. Not in uniform

but wearing green and white ties,

and some of them in the khaki beret

of the green Howards.

The Cheshire Regiment Association,

the 25th anniversary of a more

recent deployment of the Cheshires,

1st Battalion served in Bosnia. They

have also emerged, like many other

regiments as the army shrinks in

size to become part of the new

Mercian Regiment. The Durham Light

Infantry Association. 16 battalions

fought in the Battle of the Somme in

the First World War 2500 fell in

action there.

The Fusiliers Association from

Lancashire and their distinctive red

and white hackles on their cups, the

Royal Regiment of Fusiliers which

have served in every conflict the UK

has participated in in recent years.

They are marking the 50th

anniversary. The Scottish rifles.

The Association formed ten years

ago. They went to the 100th

anniversary commemoration of the

Battle of Passchendaele. As you can

imagine there are a host of memories

here, so many regiments remembering

battles, and some of them family

members proudly carrying the medals

of their relatives, either fathers

or grandfathers won in wars before.

The reconnaissance core there

following the Women's Royal Army

Corps Association, celebrating 100

years of women in conflict, which we

were hearing about with Sophie. At

the end of the Second World War

there were more than a quarter of a

million women. The reconnaissance

core followed them. The Army Air

Corps veteran Association, the Army

Air Corps which looks after its own

fleet of aircraft, carries out

observation and liaison

reconnaissance work. Claire Green is

marching there, the widow of

Corporal artists who died in

operations in Bosnia in 1999. --

Corporal Addis.

Heather Wood. The widow of Charlie

Wood. She spoke to us so movingly

this morning. Charlie Wood, who was

killed in Afghanistan. The pioneers

became in 1993 the Royal Logistics

Corps but they are crucial to any

operation. In D-Day for instance

there were 7000 Pioneers laden fuel,

guarding prisoners, moving stores,

doing all of that kind of work under

fire that has to keep the battle

going.

The scarlet, and genuinely Scarlets,

bright red berets that Mark the

Royal Military Police. Women in more

joined the military police

Association in 1999 and used to

patrol ports on key sites, for

instance they had a Dover patrol,

kept an eye on Dover and Folkestone

and the ships there.

And on Horse Guards, standing side

by side, the Earl of Wessex and the

new Secretary of State for Defence.

So everybody who parades passed The

Cenotaph continues on parade until

they have come onto horse guards and

across and the salute has been taken

by the Earl of Wessex. So as the

bands go on playing and the

contingents go on marching, let's

for a moment rejoined Sophie Raworth

in Whitehall. I'm with a gentleman

about to take his place in nine

Squadron Association for the

march-past. This is Harry Irons, 94

years old now, you were 17 years old

when you flew Lancaster Bomber is

over Germany in World War II. It

must've been terrifying experience.

It was terrifying. The first raid

was in Dusseldorf and strictly

speaking I turned the turret round

and I had the fright of my life. The

actual gunfire was absolutely

horrendous and we had to fly through

it. On the first trip, the skipper

said make sure there's nobody above

you with the bomb bay open, which

happened. I said to the skipper,

there is, so he started dive port,

which we did do, and we straightened

out and the bomb aim said, skipper,

at that time we didn't have radar,

it was all visual, and the skipper

said to the pilot... I beg your

pardon, the bomb aim are said to the

skipper, I have lost the aiming

point, we have to go around again.

And you were a rear gunner in

Lancaster which was one of the most

dangerous jobs at that time, you

survived 60 sorties, didn't you?

Yes, I came back every time, which

was very unusual.

And you have been

here many times, you are about to

take your place in the march-past.

Who do you remember as you go past

The Cenotaph, because you lost a lot

of friends, didn't you?

Especially

my own crews. The first crew I lost

they went on pathfinding and all got

shot down. I went for a rest and

came back on the Halifax and rear

gunner. It was the same thing, the

losses were horrendous. I mean when

I say horrendous, they were

terrible.

It was such a long time

ago now but how vividly do you

remember what you saw from the back

of the Lancaster?

The gunfire was

absolutely horrendous, hundreds of

guns firing at you as you went in.

Actually used to call the royal

valet happy Valley because they gave

very good reception going, and a

better reception going out. And the

gunfire was absolutely horrendous,

but the deadliest thing all was the

night finder.

Hurry, I know you have

to take your place now in the

march-past but thank you for talking

to us this morning. -- Harry.

So, one column ends, a band between

them, and the lying veterans,

formerly Saint Dunstan 's, are

passing The Cenotaph now.

There are over 200. In the middle,

you will recognise somebody who

spoke to us last year, Simon Ward,

who lost both eyes in Afghanistan.

We heard from Rob Long talking about

the last Sunrise that he would ever

see. The Royal Air Force

Association, which is one of those

Association is like many that are

here who visit people who have been

bereaved, visit people who need

help. They actually go and read

bedtime stories to children whose

parents are away on operations and

they are followed by the RAF

Regiment Association, who provide

close defence for airfields. And the

RAF ex-prisoners of war Association.

The ex-prisoners of war Association'

John Nichol, is always here, he was

shot down in a tornado when Saddam

Hussein took Kuwait. On the very

first day of that war shot down and

taken prisoner, released several

months later. There's also there, --

Air Commodore Charles Clarke,

captured. 7 Squadron Association of

Bomber Command, today operating

tunic helicopters but remembering

those, over 1007 Squadron killed in

the Second World War. -- over 1000 7

Squadron. The rate of survival was

only four sorties. The RAF 8

Squadron, the Royal Air Force

Mountain Rescue Association, all of

these members of the Royal Air

Force, and the women's Royal Air

Force formed in the summer of 1939,

the auxiliary air force. Women at

that stage will put in charge of

repairing and maintaining aircraft

and vehicles, women having first

been recruited into the Royal Air

Force in 1918.

The air sea rescue and Marine

aircraft there, wearing white

rollneck sweaters under their club

blazers. Standard during the war.

They run high-speed launchers to

rescue pilots who crashed into the

channel. The Royal Air Force Police

Association, in their white service

caps, known as the snowdrops.

the First World War 2500 fell in

action there.

Keith Quilter who won the

distinguished service medal. The

Royal Air Force survival equipment,

Squippers Association. Wearing

spectacles on the bottom left of the

screen coming into the middle with

his medals on his left chest, you

will recognise him, Keith Quilter,

who talked about why he was marching

past. The Royal Air Force, Bomber

Command and squadrons, Parachute

jumping instructors go past. And now

the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry into

another column, column D of the

procession. The FANYs who still

operate in civilian life, working in

recent tragedies at Westminster and

the Manchester bombing, London

Bridge, Grenfell Tower, they are

there still doing their work from

way back in 1907.

Its 35 years since the Falklands War

and the South Atlantic medal

Association is parading here.

The South Atlantic Medal Association

goes past. There are many, many more

contingents still to come but at

this point let's just briefly

rejoined Sophie Raworth on horse

guards.

I am here with a man who has been

here many times, Ken Fraser who

served with the Kings Own Scottish

or is, it means a lot to you to come

here year after year, explain why.

Remembering all those who didn't

come back, in Remembrance, and just

thinking about them.

It is something

you are determined to do, isn't it?

Yes, and I love coming down here, it

is a Great Get Together, we all meet

up once a year and it is fabulous,

fabulous weekend and this is the

culmination of it all, the

Remembrance.

You joined the Army at

the end of World War II, you served

all over the world and fought in

Korea?

Yes. In the Korean War, yes.

That was quite an experience. The

North Koreans invaded South Korea.

That was in June 1950. They were

pushed right the way back to the

38th parallel. The big battles

commenced and towards the end of 51

we were up to the 38th parallel but

there was nobody giving in and it

kind of reverted to trench warfare,

where we would face the enemy 1000

yards ahead of us and the only time

you could operate was during the

night time, during the day you had

to keep your head down but the

Chinese on the other side had come

through their hills and we had to go

over them. It was the Chinese

fighting, not the North Koreans.

You

stayed in the Army and served for

nearly 40 years. You retired 25

years ago, I say you retired, the

Army is your life, you haven't

really retired, have you?

I haven't,

I go into the barracks every day as

a volunteer and to do our jobs,

anything going, counting medals,

cleaning uniforms, anything at all.

It is just my life. I hope to be

doing it for plenty more years, I am

90 next month.

There is a wonderful

camaraderie today.

It is wonderful,

really marvellous, and I want to

continue doing it.

Let's hope you

do, lovely to meet you. Thanks very

much indeed.

Thank you.

The Merchant Navy Association, we

talked to Vivien Foster, the

National President, carrying that

white anchor. They say the Merchant

Navy was forgotten, like people who

fought in Burma say they were the

forgotten army but now in reality we

know they played absolutely crucial

role in supplying Britain in two

world wars.

They are followed by the naval

contingents, including the flower

class, one of the smallest warships

which went with the convoys, 100

years since the first convoy, and

rolled in the season, the most

amazing ferocious waves, the people

that served in them swore by them,

almost inappropriate for going to

war with a ship called Bluebell walk

the others but there were many of

them. Among the other ships, the

Argonaut, the Ganges, the Glasgow,

Hermes Association. HMS Hermes the

first ship ever designed as and

aircraft carrier in 1942. There was

another Hermes carrier in the

Falklands War. Several of the

veterans of Hermes went back to

India for the decommissioning of the

ship and it was sold to the

government. The ships named after

villages ending with tonne like the

one that Prince Charles commended in

1976. The illustrious Association is

here, HMS Pinilla P Association the

mother ship torpedoed by German

U-boats, the type 42 frigates,

Glasgow, Sheffield and Coventry are

all served in the Falklands. The sub

Mariners and 92-year-old veteran in

a wheelchair pushed by his son who

has come from Australia.

The Association of Royal Yachtsmen.

During the in the mid-60s the Royal

yacht Britannia was the only ship

allowed to enter the harbour in Aden

to evacuate British citizens. The

Royal Naval benevolent trust led by

its Chief Executive who served 32

years in the Gulf, established to

help people serving, or who have

served in the Navy and Royal Marines

and their families, one of many

charities. The Royal British Legion

and Help For Heroes are only two of

many charities, some of whom are

represented here, who help in one

way or another with different

aspects of the services. And now

what is called the flying Navy

federation, a whole number of

organisations marching under the

umbrella of Fly Navy setup in 2009

to celebrate 100 years of naval

aviation. They say, which is

interesting, the Navy has been

flying more years than the air

force, who celebrate the centenary

in 2018. Among them the fleet air

are morose, Fleet Air Arm

Association, the Buccaneer

Association, Fleet Air Arm Field Gun

Association, and at the very back,

from the cloud observers

Association, Arthur Charles, the

cloud observers were men and women

of all ranks who served in the

meteorological branch of the Royal

Navy.

And now we move to the last column

led by the Commonwealth War Graves

Commission, Transport for London,

well remembered because London buses

carried the troops to the front in

the First World War and leading the

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

jailhouse's grandfather was a

stonemason who worked on The

Cenotaph when it was built, the War

Graves commission look after Graves

in 154 countries across the world

and they will identify Graves. If

you have a relative who is missing

they will try and find the grave

where they are buried. They have an

organisation devoted to doing that.

The Children of the Far East

Prisoners of War followed Transport

for London, 60 of them. And so they

go on round horse guards. We start

having not military but other

members of services, people devoted

to ambulance work, to the Red Cross

marching here. But let's rejoined

Sophie were with on horse guards.

I am here with three people who just

took part in the march-past,

veterans from the Battle of Monte

Cassino in Italy in January - May

1940 four, one of the bloodiest

battles of World War II. There were

supposed to be three veterans

marching here today, but Rosemary

Hayward, your father died just weeks

ago.

Yes, he died in September, he

planned to be here today so it is

with immense pride that I stand here

with his medals on. Having been part

of the parade in his memory, but

also the memory of so many veterans,

the surviving ones and also more

recent conflicts. To be part of this

has been an immense privilege and I

am very proud to be part of this.

I

remember speaking to him a few years

ago, he led the contingent last year

and he was determined to come here

year after year. It must be in

credibly emotional for you walking

past The Cenotaph.

Very much so and

to be members of the Monte Cassino

society, to meet veterans, family

and friends, has been immensely

important both to him and to carry

on his memory today especially.

Jim

Knox, you fought at the Battle of

Monte Cassino, you are so young when

you did, it was a terrific battle,

wasn't it?

Yes, I did. I arrived

with the second New Zealand for four

months and we ended up in Monte

Cassino, the 29th of April. It was

rather alarming. As we approached it

the sky was lighting up, Vesuvius

was erupting, so that was a relief.

Anyway, we got into Monte Cassino

station and we were there for just

over two weeks and we moved from

there and we were able to have a

shower and we were deloused.

It was

the losses in four months, more than

55,000 Allied forces died or were

wounded, lost their lives, just four

months.

Yes.

Who do you remember,

who do you think about when you pass

The Cenotaph?

I was thinking about

how lucky I was to get out first of

all, and then you think of some of

the friends that you had that you

will never see again. White worrying

times.

Ronald Evans as well, 96

years old, you are here for your

first time. What was that like?

It's very cold today.

Very cold.

Very thoughtful, you are immediately

thinking about all of your pals who

were with you at Cassino.

Amazing

that you are here today. Amazing to

see you today, thank you for talking

to us, thank you, all.

It certainly is an arduous march and

very cold. Of the older veterans who

are marching here. So we have

younger members now, the Scout

Association has been here, the Army

cadets, the Royal National Lifeboat

Institution, the girl guides, the

Boys' Brigade, here are the Kent

Police marching for the first time.

St John's ambulance, cadets,

marching for the first time. Wrongly

called St John's ambulance, they

always complain. They are St John

Ambulance. They work at public

events and that emergency events all

over the UK. The firefighters

Memorial trust is there, the

Metropolitan Police Service, the

post office Remembrance, the church

lads and girls' brigade.

The post office Fellowship of

Remembrance in there, the

Metropolitan Police Service. This is

at the back-end of the column. You

saw the Scouts Association, and the

girl going through. -- girl guides

going through. And the Boys'

Brigade. And at a time of war, the

Second World War in particular, the

guides and the stouts played an

important part after the bombing

raids providing help and assistance.

-- the Scouts. That is the very end

of the final column going past,

coming out onto horse guards. Sophie

is on Horse Guards, where all of the

veterans have been arriving after

they passed The Cenotaph.

Yes, almost 9000 veterans and

civilians returning here to Horse

Guards Parade. I have two of them

here, from the Royal Pioneer Corp,

drum Major Desmond Bryant and Glen

Lath. What kind of year did you

have, you come here year after year,

don't you?

Very uplifting.

And you

really feel the camaraderie in

Whitehall and the way the mood

shifts through the morning.

You

cannot beat it.

Why are you so

determined to come?

I come to pay

respects to those who gave their

life for me. The veteran signs a

blank check for the country and is

willing to pay that check up to and

including his life and that's why I

come every year.

And who was it you

think about when you march-past

every year?

Obviously all of the

colleagues we have lost, my father

and grandfather who served in both

wars and the camaraderie is

unbelievable.

There is a real bond,

isn't there?

We are one big family,

all brothers and sisters in the same

house and it is absolutely excellent

and I love it every year.

Lovely to

talk to you, thank you very much.

Nearly 9000 people have marched down

horse guards and now the final

contingents are coming out for the

march-past, the parade taking the

salute. The Earl of Wessex and the

new Secretary of State for Defence.

And I think it should also be said

perhaps that this isn't the end of

the event for many of these people,

because these groups who come here

to London come down from Scotland,

come up from Wales and the West

Country and actually be, once they

have been through this formality,

they probably had a meeting earlier

in the week and then they go away

and celebrate. The pubs round here

are crammed full of people

reminiscing. The formality and

memories one side, and the

friendship and bonds of friendship

are strong. Sophie has got two more

people who have been marching.

I have ended, I am talking to

Joan-De-Vall and Neil Trotter. Joan,

tell me what you did in World War

II.

You get the height when the planes

come in, you shout whatever it is,

to the men on the guns and the guns

elevate, then we go to fire.

You

have come here many times, haven't

you? What was today like for you?

Wonderful, every day is wonderful.

As soon as you get in here,

everybody seems to drop a few years

younger and remember when, and it is

wonderful, Rada reef.

And Neil

Trotter, I must ask you, what does

it mean to you as you pass The

Cenotaph?

It's a wonderful day of

Remembrance. Luckily we didn't lose

anyone but I still remember the

hardships they went through and the

families as well.

Thank you both

very much for talking to us.

In a moment we must leave Whitehall

after this annual Remembrance, the

laying of wreaths. A seven-year-old

and 99-year-old paying their

tribute. We have heard of the pride

of those who face the fear of war

its horrors they come through. We

have been reminded of the pain of

war, the suffering of the injured,

the loneliness of those who have

lost family, friends or lovers. And

we have perhaps given an answer to

that poets who wrote of the dark

months of the First World War, "Have

you forgotten yet? Look up and

square by the -- swear by the green

of the spring you will never forget.

"