United Family

I have just got to my 3rd hotel room in a week and have been off grid since training for Remembrance Sunday. I have had the privilege to be part of the Remembrance Sunday Ceremonial Contingent for HM Coastguard this year and have just spent the best part of a week with amazing colleagues I now am honoured to call my friends. There is something about a uniform that unites people; be it their shared values, beliefs, history or all of the above.

Armistice Day officially took place on Saturday this year, and the first Remembrance Sunday with His Royal Highness King Charles III as monarch, at the Cenotaph in London today. Ten thousand veterans honoured their fallen colleagues from the armed forces and civilian organisations. Watching from the margins after representing HMCG at Westminster Abbey I was awe-struck by the family bond of Corps, Regiments, Campaigns, and War as they marched forth in remembrance of the fallen.

Still Silence

The two minutes silence is an opportunity for the Commonwealth and the world, to pause and reflect on the service and the sacrifice made on our behalf. And we have been doing it since 1919, to commemorate the day, hour and minute the first World War came to an end in 1918.

We honour the service and sacrifice, and we honour the families who support our brave and courageous service personnel and emergency services. And, we acknowledge the innocent civilians civilians lost in conflict and acts of terrorism. This year, 2023, the focus was remembering and honouring service.

Definition : Service, the act of defending and protecting the nation’s democratic freedoms and way of life, is rarely without cost to those who serve. Physical, mental or emotional injury or trauma, the absence of time with loved ones; or the pressures that come from serving, highlight why Remembrance of service is so important.

Armistice is Latin for to stand (still) arms. This extract, also from the British Legion says it perfectly:

Pause for the two-minute silence

In real life 
We can’t rewind 
We can’t fast forward 
But we can pause 
Breathe 
Reflect 

Imagine never knowing what to expect, 
Or when you’ll next see your relatives again. 
Imagine feeling uprooted, uncertain,  unstable, 
Longing to sit with your loved ones at the dinner table

No promise of a return to normal 
Imagine these fears lasting for years 
This is life 
For those on the frontline 
Not just back then. It’s happening today. 

Their sacrifices help to keep us all safe

So that’s why we pause. And say… 
Thank you. 

This November 
We’ll stand together 
Like we do every year. 
A chorus of thunderous silence 
Two minutes to remind us 
Of those who look fear in the eye 
And say 
No. I choose hope 

A soft song that grows 
Listen carefully, 
Can you hear it inside your home? 
A quiet belief in something better 
It brings us together 
It lives in the hearts of those who serve 

On testing sites 
And posts overseas 
In every message and picture sent to families 

The hope for a better future 
Let’s take just two minutes to pause,  
And remember. 

I wanted to share that with you, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. There is always hope for a better future, and we can take two minutes on any month, on any day and in any hour to breathe and reflect on what sacrifices have been made and remember we have hope.

BTB: My Service

Behind the Blog (BTB), is where I share more about me. I care very deeply about Remembrance Sunday, as this year marks my 20th year as a Reservist, and I am coming up to my 5th year in HM Coastguard, where I started as a Maritime Operations Officer. I have served on peace keeping operations and rescue operations in the MRCC (Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre).

I have missed many birthdays, anniversaries and significant gatherings because I chose to put on a uniform, as my family and friends know all too well. Their understanding and support truly has meant so much to me and I am not sure I have ever told them. Today I say Thank you!

A six month deployment is practically a year away, 3 months pre-deployment, 6 months operational duty and then decompression leave. So for all those men and women you see with operational medals know it is years of their life in service. Being in the Civil Service now, my operational colleagues in HMCG work 12 hour shifts and are there for you 24/7. I really mean 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Like my military peers, they are highly skilled and trained to the highest standard. They like the Reservists I know give up their weekends, and annual leave (particularly if their employer is not signatory to the Military Covenant) to train, to keep you safe and to preserve your freedoms.

This year I gave up my place to march the Cenotaph as we were allocated 9 spaces. Disappointed ? YES! And although my colleague John offered to give me his place, I felt as a volunteer Coastguard Rescue Officer, as an operational member of the emergency services he deserved the honour more than me as I stepped away a few years ago. Now I sit within our governance and improvement department and work alongside our stakeholders to improve the safety of life at sea and protect the maritime environment.

From London, the birthplace of Remembrance Sunday, “we will remember them”; know we remember everyone. KA