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The annual Remembrance service in London’s Whitehall brought together thousands of men and women to pay their respects to those who had bravely fought for their countries in past wars. Among the marchers were six surviving veterans of D-Day, and behind them in a line, eight former prime ministers, including Sir Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch who were laying wreaths for the first time as prime minister and opposition leader.
The solemn event was a stark reminder of how time and death are inextricably intertwined, and that while the living carry on, history slowly becomes a memory. As the six remaining representatives of D-Day rolled past in wheelchairs, they had a collective age of 595 years – a poignant moment marking the end of an era. Among the marchers, there was a group of bereaved children of armed forces personnel, a reminder that the cost of war is always profoundly painful for the families left behind.
The Cenotaph, in the middle of Whitehall, was the focal point of the event, a monument that has become a national shrine where people can pay their respects to with time-honoured traditions. It stands plain and simple, with no ornamentation or religious imagery, and is a symbol not just of national mourning, but of hope and renewal. For the veterans, the politicians, the royals, and the crowds that came out to support them, the Cenotaph carries a powerful message of just how fragile peace and freedom can be.
Perhaps that’s why it’s important for people to remember. For a few moments, the crowds put down their mobile phones, the band kept time and the marchers kept step. The two-minute silence was respected, and Big Ben rang out across Whitehall. Behind the stoic faces of politicians and royals, there were thoughts of those who had fought and died in past wars, but also of those who are still fighting to make the world a safer, kinder place. It’s a reminder that while wars may end, the human cost is incalculable, and we must do all we can to preserve the peace.
In a different way from the veterans, the youngest contingent brought their own emotional moment. There were children and young people, from nine years old and upwards who had lost a parent in the armed forces, brought together by the Scotty’s Little Soldiers charity. All those years of missing a loved one still to come – a sense of loss that is deeply moving on a day dedicated to remembering those who served and sacrificed so much
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