Wearing your poppy with pride on Whitehall
Today is Remembrance Sunday, the day set aside to remember all those who have given their lives fighting for their country in the numerous wars. As I was in London, I decided that this year I would pay my respect by attending the ceremony that takes place each year at the Cenotaph on Whitehall. Unfortunately (and not at all surprisingly), thousands of other people had the same idea... Then followed a long parade of war veterans, army officers, naval officers, the home guard, the numerous medical associations, and even a few Japanese Prisoner of Wars, that filed past where I was standing out into Parliament Square.
If I leave London only having learnt one new thing, it will be that you should NEVER trust Sunday public transport. In fact, I'm not even sure why they publish timetables for the trains and buses on Sundays as they never run to those schedules. Anyway, after aborting my plan of catching the train to Charing Cross, it was the Jubilee Line to Westminster that got me there where I joined the masses stood in the middle of Whitehall not far from the Cenotaph itself.
Big Ben behind me chimed for 11am and the whole of Central London fell silent (for once) for the two-minute silence. Then all the wreaths were laid and following a short service the parties dissembled.
It was surely the longest round of applause I have given as the parade last no less than 45 minutes and stretched back as far as the eye could see (and obviously further) back along Whitehall. The applause grew loudest when the troops of Gurkhas, who only a few weeks ago, won the right (and quite deservedly) to reside in the UK following their service (BBC article here)*.
Once the crowd dispelled I managed to grab a glance over the wreaths laid at the base of the Cenotaph and read the Royal messages. It was such a poignant occasion and a great tribute to all those who lost their lives fighting for this country. Being amongst a large crowd of other veterans and those who experienced war-time England, it was a great feeling joining the masses in singing the national anthem. I may not have had a great view over the proceedings but my view of the parade was excellent as was the whole occasion (bar the public transport...).
We will remember them.
PS. As for whether I managed to spot the Queen: I did see her royal black hat... I guess that will have to do for now!
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