The King leads nation in silence on Remembrance Sunday

His Majesty The King will lead the nation in a two-minute silence to remember those who died in conflict

Members of The Royal Family and senior politicians will lay wreaths at the National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph in London
10,000 veterans will march past the Cenotaph in tribute as part of The Royal British Legion’s Veteran Parade

His Majesty The King will lead the UK in the annual two-minute silence to remember those who have fallen and suffered in conflict at the National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph.

The King will be joined by members of The Royal Family, the Prime Minister, senior politicians and faith representatives to mark the Armistice of the First World War and all other conflicts involving British and Commonwealth forces.

First Minister John Swinney MSP will join Robert Aldridge the Rt Hon Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh, as well as veterans, and military personnel to remember the fallen on Remembrance Sunday in Edinburgh.

Approximately 10,000 members of the public are expected to line Whitehall in London to take part in the annual two-minute silence at the Cenotaph and to watch The Royal British Legion’s veterans parade.

Of the 10,000 individuals marching this year, 326 different Armed Forces and civilian organisations will be represented. People of all ages will be among those marching – from the bereaved children of Scotty’s Little Soldiers through to the D-Day veterans of the Spirit of Normandy Trust.

Defence Minister Al Carns OBE MC, whose portfolio encompasses veterans and the wider Armed Forces community, will parade past the Cenotaph as part of the Royal Marines Association. The Afghanistan veteran completed his military service in May.

2024 marks the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in the Second World War, the 25th anniversary of the end of the war in Kosovo, as well as the 75th anniversary of NATO and the 120th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale.

Next year will mark the 80th anniversaries of VE Day and the Allied victory in Europe and VJ Day, marking the end of the Second World War in the Far East.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “This weekend, we come together to honour those who laid down their lives to keep our country safe. The freedoms we enjoy today – our democracy, our values, our way of life – have been hard won over generations. We are forever in debt to those brave souls who fought to defend this country, and who made the ultimate sacrifice.

“We honour them today and always. We remember them today and always.

“And as we do, we also think of those who are serving our country now, often far away from home, putting themselves in harm’s way so that we may sleep soundly in our beds.

“It is that service, and the courage and sacrifice of so many over the generations, that brings the country together this weekend, in a spirit of the most profound gratitude and respect.”

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: “On Remembrance Sunday, we pause as a nation to honour the lives of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. We remember all those whose courage in the face of unimaginable hardship shaped the world we live in today.

“Every generation owes a debt to those who fought and fell, and it is our duty to ensure their sacrifices are never forgotten.

“It is a privilege and personal honour to represent Wigan, a constituency with so many veterans and their families, who truly represent the best of us. Today, we stand together across communities, in grief and in gratitude and remember that the values of freedom, justice, and equality—are not just the legacy of the past. They are the challenges we face in the present, and the work we continue to build for the future.

Defence Secretary John Healey MP said: “On Remembrance Sunday, we unite behind our Armed Forces community and honour those who gave their lives for our freedom.

“We think of those who fell liberating Europe on D-Day 80 years ago. And we remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country in the conflicts before and since.

“Across Remembrance weekend we will hear powerful memories from our veterans and their families. We have a duty to educate future generations about their courage and commitment to defending Britain.

“To all those serving, those who have served, and their families, we say thank you. And for those we have lost, we will remember them.”

Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said: “Remembrance Sunday is both a national commemoration and a deeply personal moment of reflection as we contemplate the sacrifice of those who gave their lives so that we today might be free.

“Beyond the Cenotaph, it will be marked in communities across the United Kingdom, and wherever in the world our soldiers, sailors and aviators find themselves serving their country. We shall remember them.”

Philippa Rawlinson, Director of Remembrance at the Royal British Legion said: “In a year that marks the 80th anniversary of the battles of 1944, 25 years since the end of the war in Kosovo, and 10 years since UK forces ended operations in Afghanistan, Remembrance continues to unite people across all backgrounds, communities and generations to recognise the sacrifices of the Armed Forces community, past and present.

“From risking their lives in war zones to spending time away from their families, and providing support during emergencies and humanitarian disasters, we owe those who choose to serve in the Armed Forces our gratitude and this weekend we encourage people to take a moment to reflect and remember their service.”

More than 800 sailors, soldiers and aviators will be on duty on Remembrance Sunday, representing their services at the Cenotaph and at commemorative services at Westminster Abbey and Westminster Cathedral.

The UK Armed Forces continue to honour the legacy of their predecessors by working year-round to safeguard UK security and global stability. As the nation remembers its fallen, British forces around the world will be protecting NATO’s eastern flank from threats, disrupting threats to international shipping in the world’s busiest shipping lanes and training hundreds more Ukrainian personnel in the battlefield skills needed to defend their country.

Additional personnel also remain on standby in Cyprus to support with de-escalating tensions in the Middle East. In all, close to 6,000 personnel will be deployed on operations and overseas bases around the world on Remembrance Sunday.

For those unable to travel to London for the National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph or to their local Remembrance Sunday service, the national event will be broadcast live on the BBC, and Sky News.

Freemasons partner with Royal British Legion to mark Remembrance Sunday

To mark this November’s Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday, the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) has created an exclusive poppy pin badge in partnership with the Royal British Legion (RBL) to support their annual Poppy Appeal fundraising campaign.

In addition to donating all the proceeds from this exclusive poppy, the Shop at Freemasons’ Hall is selling Brothers in Alms books for £5, with a portion of the proceeds going to the RBL.

For the third year in a row, there will also be a display projected onto Freemasons’ Hall from 11:00pm on 10 November to 11:59pm on 13 November, featuring falling poppies and the commemorative RBL/Freemasons’ pin badge.

Inside Freemasons’ Hall, the ‘Brothers in Alms – Peace through sacrifice’ exhibition showcases rare photographs spanning the period from the second Boer War through to the end of World War Two, and features those who led as well as those who served on land, sea and in the air.

It portrays the great landscape of the conflicts across all continents and the diversity of the participants.

The exhibition includes images of Freemasons who held a large range of military positions, including Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener who was Secretary of State for War at the start of the Great War and is depicted on the famous ‘Your country needs you’ recruitment poster of 1914.

It also highlights the great charitable work by Freemasons both during and after the wars, in building and supporting hospitals and rehabilitation housing, and providing pensions for ex-servicemen.

When visiting Freemasons’ Hall, which was originally built as the Masonic Peace Memorial in 1933, members of the public will be able to see a bronze poppy that is permanently situated in the Vestibules as a symbol of reflection and contemplation for those men and women who have served and sacrificed.

In 2021, His Royal Highness, The Duke of Kent on behalf of the United Grand Lodge of England signed the Armed Forces Covenant to promote their welfare, support and respect.

Last chance to register for Falklands conflict 40th anniversary event

Today (FRIDAY) is your last chance to register for tickets to attend the Royal British Legion Falklands 40th anniversary commemorative event.

If you played a role in the conflict, whether you’re a veteran of the campaign or a member of a civilian organisation that supported the Task Force, please sign up now.

Find out more here

www.poppyscotland.org.uk/falklands40-rbl #Falklands40

We Will Remember Them

For the Fallen

BY LAURENCE BINYON

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England’s foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.

At the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month – we will remember them.

The Armistice, an agreement to end the fighting of the First World War as a prelude to peace negotiations, began at 11am on 11 November 1918.

Armistice is Latin for to stand (still) arms.

To this day we mark Armistice Day around the United Kingdom with a Two Minute Silence at 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month.

With many unable to take part in Remembrance services and events this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, you can still play your part from home.

Take part in a moment of Remembrance by observing the Two Minute Silence at 11am from your doorstep.

UNKNOWN WARRIOR 100

Huw Edwards presents coverage live from Westminster Abbey of a unique event marking the 100th anniversary of the burial of the Unknown Warrior on BBC One at 10.30am.

HRH The Prince of Wales attends an event marking the centenary of the burial of the Unknown Warrior and the unveiling of the Cenotaph by King George V.

Huw Edwards is at Westminster Abbey with experts to discuss the history of the mysterious Unknown Warrior, whose tomb has inspired similar monuments to the fallen worldwide.

The Order of Service will reflect the funeral of 100 years ago and incorporate two minutes silence at 11am. Ruby Turner performs Abide With Me, Cerys Matthews gives a reading, and there is an address by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Doorstep Remembrance

Although there will be no March Past the Cenotaph this Remembrance Sunday, a National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph will still take place.

The closed ceremony will be broacast live on BBC One and you can tune in from 10.15am as representatives of the Royal Family, the Government and the Armed Forces lay wreaths at the Cenotaph.

You will also be able to watch a live stream of events from the Cenotaph on our Facebook page.

In 2020 we pay tribute to the men and women of the Second World War generation, and to those of today’s, who have served and sacrificed to defend our nation.

We remember the collaboration of the Commonwealth and Allied nations who stood shoulder to shoulder then to secure our freedom and the communities coming together today to protect us all.

With many unable to take part in Remembrance services and events this year, you can still play your part from home and take part in a moment of Remembrance by observing the Two Minute Silence at 11am from your doorstep.

Remembrance Sunday service held online to honour the fallen

The British High Commission Singapore, in partnership with the Singapore Armed Forces Veterans’ League (SAFVL), held a virtual service to mark Remembrance Sunday today (8 November 2020).

The ceremony, broadcast at 10.40am (Singapore time) on the High Commission’s UK in Singapore Facebook page, paid tribute to all who had laid down their lives so that the generations after them could live in peace.

In the UK, Remembrance Sunday is held on the Sunday nearest to Remembrance Day on 11 November; the date marks the official end of the First World War in 1918.

As part of the pre-recorded service, senior representatives from the British High Commission Singapore, the Singapore Armed Forces and its Veterans’ League, and UK defence forces laid poppy wreaths at the Singapore Memorial in the Kranji War Cemetery.

The wreath laying was accompanied by a lamentation delivered remotely by bagpipers from the Gurkha Contingent Singapore Police Force.

At 11am, online viewers observed a two-minute silence, in memory of the fallen.

Ambassadors, High Commissioners and Defence Advisers from various nations later joined remotely in pledging ‘We Will Remember Them’, in response to a reading of an excerpt from Robert Laurence Binyon’s ‘For the Fallen’.

A joint choir made up of students from Dover Court International, Dulwich College Singapore, Marlborough College Malaysia and Tanglin Trust School performed the hymns ‘Amazing Grace’ and ‘I Vow To Thee My Country’.

In the segment ‘Reflections from Singapore Youth’, members of the Singapore National Cadet Corps Command Band – Swiss Cottage Secondary School shared their personal thoughts on peace and conflict. A bugler from the Singapore National Cadet Corps Command Band also sounded the Last Post and the Reveille.

British High Commissioner to Singapore, Her Excellency Kara Owen, said in her speech: “Normally, we mark Remembrance Sunday together, at a morning service at Kranji War Cemetery. We can’t do so in-person this year. We have to meet virtually instead. But our method of meeting does not dilute our purpose, nor our sincerity.

“Today, we are paying our respects to the fallen and in doing so, we are living out our promise to remember the sacrifices of those – from all nations – who fought and died. A promise to remember their service and re-affirm the values that they fought to preserve.

“And to acknowledge both the courage of those who served their country and our responsibility to work for the peace they fought so hard to achieve.”

And on the 11th day of the 11th month at 11am:

Defence Secretary urges troops to support Poppy Appeal

Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace has urged members of the UK Armed Forces to support The Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal despite changes to the National Service of Remembrance.

The open letter to the armed forces, signed by the Defence Secretary, recognises the huge role the armed forces play in selling poppies and collecting donations for the appeal every year.

Although large public gatherings and fundraising events can’t take place this year, armed forces personnel and members of the public can still show their support by displaying a poppy and joining the 2 minute silence on Remembrance Sunday.

Secretary of State State for Defence, Ben Wallace visited the Poppy Factory in Richmond, London to see how this years poppies are being made by veterans and volunteers.

The open letter:

2020 has been a challenging year but despite these hurdles, we won’t neglect our duty to remember.

Remembrance season traditionally begins with the launch of The Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal, scheduled this year for the 22 October. Every year, members of the armed forces wear the poppy with pride and help to collect donations from the public – at railway stations, supermarkets, or in our places of work. This year we face unique challenges, but ones that we can work together to overcome and demonstrate our Remembrance with pride.

It is the same can-do spirit that you, alongside our NHS workers, carers and countless volunteers, showed time and again this year as you took part in the nation’s fight back against the virus. Overcoming huge logistical challenges, setting up Nightingales and providing hands-on medical care to those in need.

We faced the same challenge as we marked the 75th anniversaries of VE and VJ Day, but found poignant ways to pay tribute to all those who gave their lives for this country.

This year’s commemorations for Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day will indeed feel different. However, Remembrance will take place in communities large and small across the country and we have now published advice for Local Authorities so that communities can find appropriate ways to pay their respects.

And, as it does every year, The Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal will go ahead, the importance of fundraising to sustain a commitment to the people they support remains as vital as ever. So, maintain those links with local Legion groups and ensure you’re aware of the local guidelines. There are many ways to get involved, and The Legion’s website is packed full of information about this year’s Appeal.

With imagination and determination, you can play your part alongside The Royal British Legion in helping the UK mark this milestone that remains at the heart of our national calendar.

This November we will demonstrate our undiminished respect for those who have gone before, and our firm commitment to the continued safety of the British people.

The Rt Hon Ben Wallace MP, Secretary of State for Defence

HM The Queen to address the nation to mark 75th anniversary of VE Day

His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales will read an extract from King George VI’s diary from 8 May 1945
Members of The Royal Family, the Prime Minister and the Culture Secretary will take part in video calls with Second World War veterans
Churchill’s famous victory speech will be broadcast as part of BBC special programming
A national moment of remembrance will take place with a two minute silence as Culture Secretary calls on the public to mark the occasion at home
Second World War veterans will receive calls from NHS Volunteer Responders

The UK Government has announced revised plans to commemorate the 75th anniversary of VE Day which will include an address from Her Majesty The Queen.

In line with government guidance, the original plans for VE Day 75, which included a veteran procession, had to be adjusted due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden has announced a new programme that will allow members of the public to remember and give thanks to the Second World War generation from the safety of their own homes.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to the greatest generation that served in combat and on the home front during the Second World War.

“Whilst we now need to celebrate VE 75 in our homes and on our doorsteps, rather than in parades and street parties, I know the nation will come together to mark this historic occasion.

“In these difficult times, acts of remembrance are even more poignant and I am sure that millions will want to join me to remember and give thanks to those who gave so much to secure peace, freedom and prosperity in Europe.”

To mark this historic occasion, Her Majesty The Queen will send a message to the nation at 9pm on BBC One, the exact moment her father, King George VI, gave a radio address in 1945.

His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales will read an extract from King George VI’s diary from 8 May 1945 which describes the day including The Royal Family’s iconic Buckingham Palace balcony appearances.

Members of The Royal Family, the Prime Minister and the Culture Secretary will take part in a series of video calls with Second World War veterans and those who served on the Home Front.

First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford will also host calls with veterans in Wales. The official commemorations will begin at 11am with a national moment of remembrance and a two minute silence.

Other plans for the day include:

As part of special BBC programming, extracts from Sir Winston Churchill’s victory speech will recreate the moment peace in Europe was announced 75 years ago at 3pm and the Prime Minister will speak about the importance of VE Day.
The Archbishop of Canterbury will record a special reflection and moment of prayer for VE Day.
Her Majesty The Queen’s 9pm address to the nation will be followed by a national singalong of Dame Vera Lynn’s ‘We’ll Meet Again’. The public will be encouraged to open their doors and join in with this national moment of celebration.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has produced a template pack so that the public can hold a 1940s style afternoon tea party at home complete with homemade VE Day bunting, original recipes, games, and educational and creative activities for children.
NHS Volunteer Responders will be deployed to give a number of Second World War veterans a call and provide an opportunity to share their stories.
Historian and broadcaster Dan Snow will host history lessons for children from Monday 4 May. At 4pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Dan will host a History Hit live on YouTube’s Timeline channel that will focus on a different aspect of the Second World War and aim to teach the public about the importance of VE Day.
The Government and Ancestry are working together to encourage the public to join together in commemorating VE Day by discovering their own connection to the Second World War. As part of this, all UK historical records available on ancestry.co.uk will be free for the public from Monday 4 May until Sunday 10 May, giving people the opportunity to uncover the personal stories of the Second World War and the roles their families played.
Legion Scotland and Poppyscotland will broadcast a virtual Service of Remembrance followed by online tributes from a range of performers.
The First Minister of Wales will host a video call to veterans.
A number of commemorative events will also take place across Northern Ireland.

The Royal British Legion’s Assistant Director of Commemorative Events, Bob Gamble OBE, said: “As we face some of the most challenging times since the Second World War, now more than ever it is important to unite in recognition of people’s service to the nation, just as communities did 75 years ago.

“With members of the public unable to attend VE Day 75 events, we are calling on people across the UK to mark the anniversary from home and take part in these national moments of remembrance and thanksgiving.

“There is no right or wrong way to take part in the Silence at 11am, some people may wish to stand at their windows or step outside their front door, but we hope that individuals and families across the UK will embrace the opportunity to share in a national moment of reflection.”

Russell James, Family History expert at Ancestry®, said: “VE Day is one of the most significant moments in British history and Ancestry is proud to be working with the UK government to help the nation commemorate its 75th anniversary from their homes.

“Stories of WWII are something we share not only within our families, but as a nation, so using this time to learn about those experiences through historical records and speaking to our relatives gives us all an opportunity to feel connected – to our family and to people all over the country.

Graeme Dey, Scottish Government Minister for Veterans said: “The upcoming 75th anniversary of VE Day is a fantastic opportunity to remember and thank our Second World War generation for the many personnel sacrifices they made – both at home and abroad, both in and out of uniform.

“If it weren’t for their efforts, we wouldn’t enjoy the many freedoms which we now take for granted. I look forward to joining with the rest of the nation on May 8th to pay tribute to them.”

First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford said: “We wouldn’t be where we are today without the determination of our veterans and those who contributed to Britain’s efforts during the Second World War.

“As we remember and thank them, let’s find inspiration in their bravery to guide us through our own extraordinary moment in history.”

Installation says ‘Thank You’ to the Great War Poets

A striking 32-metres-long red thread containing the words of War Poet Wilfred Owen has been unveiled at Edinburgh Napier University’s Craiglockhart Campus to mark the start of the 2018 Poppy Appeal. Continue reading Installation says ‘Thank You’ to the Great War Poets

‘An appointment with history’: Public ballot for Somme commemorations opens

The public can now apply for tickets to attend Somme centenary commemorations in Thiepval next year.

Culture Secretary John Whittingdale today opened the public ballot for tickets to attend the Battle of the Somme centenary commemorative event in Thiepval, in France, next year. The ballot will be open until 18 November, the day the battle ended in 1916.

The commemorative event will take place on 1 July 2016 at Thiepval. This will also be televised in neighbouring towns and throughout the UK .

Other events in France include:

A vigil at Thiepval on 30 June 2016
A small event at Thiepval each day from 2 July to 18 November 2016 to mark the 141 days of the battle.
Closing events on 18 November 2016 to mark the end of the Battle of the Somme.

The ballot for tickets to the commemorative event in Thiepval will run from 28 September to 18 November 2015. The tickets will be allocated in pairs, free of charge. More details can be found on the Somme 2016 Ballot website at www.Somme2016.org

The Battle of the Somme was one of the defining events of the First World War, resulting in over one million casualties. The Government recognises that the Somme holds a particular resonance for many people in the UK. It is important everyone has an opportunity to commemorate and take part in this centenary. An exciting and far-reaching programme of UK plans events will be announced in the coming months.

Prime Minister David Cameron said: “The First World War, with that mixture of horror and courage, suffering and hope, has become a fundamental part of our national consciousness. Perhaps nothing brings home the sheer scale of the sacrifice and loss more starkly than the Somme, a battle where 20,000 were killed in a single day.

“Next summer thousands will gather to mark the centenary of the battle at the memorial at the village of Thiepval in France.

“I hope many people will take the opportunity to travel to the Somme itself to remember those who fought but for those who wish to pay their respects here in Britain, there will also be events up and down the country commemorating this historic anniversary.”

Culture Secretary John Whittingdale said: “The centenary event in Thiepval will be an opportunity to pay tribute to those who sacrificed so much at Somme and ensure that their legacy continues for generations. Now that the ballot is open, I hope people will apply for tickets for what I believe will be an incredibly important and deeply moving event.”

“But it’s not just about Thiepval – the events at the Battle of the Somme left a deep mark on the nation – almost everyone in the UK will have an ancestor who fought or died at the Somme. It’s important that everyone has the chance to remember and honour the sacrifices made both here and in France so I am delighted that in the coming months we will be announcing a further programme of events here in the UK to mark this centenary.”

French Secretary of State for Veterans and Remembrance Jean-Marc Todeschini said: “A century ago, France and the UK fought side by side in the Battle of the Somme. In spite of the considerable means deployed at the time and the courage of the soldiers who fought there, the offensive resulted in nothing but a cruel and tragic disappointment. Now, a century later, France and Great Britain have a moral obligation to pay tribute to the millions of men who risked their lives on the Somme all those years ago.

“The French government and all the local authorities in the region will be working closely with the Department for Culture, Media and Sports to prepare for the commemorations of the Battle of the Somme. Everything will be done to make this joint ceremony in Thiepval on 1 July 2016 a memorable occasion for the French and British people. No effort will be spared in France to welcome the families and descendants of those valiant soldiers of the Somme. On 1 July 2016, France and the United Kingdom have an appointment with their history.”

Vice Admiral Peter Wilkinson CB CVO, President of The Royal British Legion, said: “The Royal British Legion is honoured to be involved in the organisation of the international, national and regional events to mark the centenary of the Battle the Somme; one of the most ferocious battles of the First World War where the Allied Forces lost over 615,000 lives. The commemorative events programme, both at the Thiepval Memorial and in the UK, will offer the public an opportunity to remember those that fell over the 141 days of continuous fighting, and also remember the suffering of the many who were wounded and survived. The Battle of the Somme took the lives of soldiers from almost every city, town and village across our country and we will remember them.”

Air Chief Marshal Sir Joe French KCB CBE, Vice-Chairman of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, said: “We are honoured that this historic event will be hosted at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s Thiepval Memorial. Sir Edwin Lutyens’ monument is the largest Commonwealth war memorial in the world, and bears the names of 72,000 men who perished on the Somme and who have no known grave. It is also an enduring reminder of the alliance between the British and French armies during the First World War. It is uniquely fitting place at which to mark the centenary of the Battle of the Somme.

“The war cemeteries on the Somme testify to the sacrifices of soldiers from across Britain and the Commonwealth during the battle, and we are proud to be their guardians. The events at Thiepval and across the battlefields over 141 days will ensure that all those who fought, on both sides, are not forgotten. Together, we will mark the sacrifices of those who served and honour those who lost their lives.”

Cenotaph vigil launches Poppy Appeal

Armed Forces personnel joined members of the public taking part in “The Watch” – a vigil to launch The Royal British Legion’s annual appeal yesterday.

At the vigil in Central London members of the Armed Forces, Royal British Legion volunteers, members of the public and celebrities stood at the four corners of the Cenotaph from sunrise to sunset. The tribute, called “The Watch”, is inspired by the images of the repatriation of the Unknown Warrior in 1920 where Guards of the Watch kept a vigil by the coffin as a mark of respect.

The Watch started at just after 7.30am as the Last Post was sounded by Ben Beavis, a Bugler from the Grenadier Guards (below).

Taking part in the first vigil was singer Joss Stone, who recorded this year’s official Poppy Appeal single with Jeff Beck, former Royal Marine Commando and Legion beneficiary Pete Dunning, 18-year-old Cadet Sergeant Kamil Cesarz and the Legion’s Director of Fundraising, Charles Byrne.

Pete Dunning lost both his legs while serving in Afghanistan in 2008, aged 23, when the armoured vehicle he was travelling in struck an improvised explosive device. The Royal British Legion has helped to make adaptations to his family home to aid his daily living.

The third watch, between 8.30am and 9am, was kept by current members of the Armed Forces, both Regular and Reservist, from the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, the Army and the Royal Air Force. Among them was Corporal Donna White (above), an Army Reserve combat medic, who has served in Iraq and Afghanistan, and currently works as a police officer with the Metropolitan Police.

After keeping The Watch, Donna said: “t was a real honour to take part and I had a great morning that I won’t forget. Standing on watch at the Cenotaph gave me a unique opportunity to reflect on the sacrifices that men and women in the Services before me have made.”

Members of the Armed Forces also joined Royal British Legion volunteers at Downing Street to present the Prime Minister with his own poppy for the appeal. The vigil continued until sunset at 5.55pm.

Further information on this year’s Poppy Appeal can be found on the

Royal British Legion website.