Second world war veterans applauded as king leads Remembrance Sunday tributes | Remembrance Day
Second World War veterans were applauded as they arrived at Remembrance Sunday at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, before being joined by royals and senior politicians to honor those who died in the conflict.
King Charles laid the first wreath in memory of those who lost their lives in the wars and conflicts that have continued since the First World War. He was followed by his son, the Prince of Wales.
The king wore the uniform of a field marshal, the army’s highest rank, and saluted before leaving the monument after a two-minute silence.
The Prince of Wales, wearing a Royal Air Force uniform with the rank of wing commander, saluted after laying a wreath at the Mausoleum.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer also presented flowers along with senior politicians and representatives from the Commonwealth, including Kemi Badenoch, Ed Davey, Yvette Cooper, Shabana Mahmood and Lindsay Hoyle.
Starmer said: “This Remembrance Sunday, we stand as a nation to honor all who have served our country. We reflect on the extraordinary bravery of our armed forces in the world wars and subsequent conflicts whose service secured the freedoms we cherish today.”
Commenting on the 80th anniversary of the Second World War, Starmer spoke of “a generation that stood against oppression and shaped our future.”
He added: “Such sacrifice deserves more than silence, which is why this government is committed to supporting veterans, their families and those who served. Today we remember and renew our promise to support the values they fought for.”
The Princess of Wales and Queen Camilla, both dressed in black, and other members of the royal family watched the Remembrance Sunday service from a balcony of the Foreign Office overlooking the Cenotaph. The duo were also joined by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent and the Duchess of Edinburgh.
Eight former prime ministers stood near the Cenotaph: John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak.
Scotland’s first minister, John Swinney, marked the occasion in Edinburgh by laying a wreath on the Stone of Remembrance outside the City Chambers.
As well as royals and political leaders, the Royal British Legion’s annual march was attended by 10,000 members of the armed forces, including nearly three D-Day veterans among 20 second world war veterans marking 80 years since the conflict ended in 1945.
Applause was heard near the Cenotaph and a veteran saluted as about a dozen people wearing military uniforms and poppies were pushed in wheelchairs across Whitehall.
Among the marchers was Donald Poole, 101, a Royal Army Ordnance Corps technician who was serving in India when Japan’s surrender was announced in 1945, prompting impromptu celebration.
Poole, originally from Bromley in Greater London, said: “It is a great honor to remember the poor souls who have died in all conflicts and I know how lucky I am to still be here thanks to all who have fought and served, past and present.
“I would also like to express my gratitude to the civil services that suffered during the Second World War, especially the fire department, which saved many lives during the blitz, many of whom lost their own lives.”
Henry Rice, a former signalman who arrived on Juno beach five days after D-Day, and Mervyn Kersh, who arrived at Normandy as a 19-year-old three days after the D-Day invasion began, were also in attendance Sunday.
Sid Machin, one of six 101-year-olds registered for the march, is one of the last surviving Chindit special forces soldiers of the Burma (now Myanmar) campaign of the second world war.
At just 19 years old, Machin found himself behind enemy lines in the jungle at night on a glider, as part of a unit disrupting Japanese supply lines and infrastructure.
As well as the wreath-laying ceremony at the Cenotaph, commemorations were also held at war memorials in villages, towns and cities across the UK.
