King Charles to lead Remembrance Sunday service in London
The King will lead the nation into a two-minute silence to remember those killed in the conflict.
Charles will take center stage at the Cenotaph in London on Sunday for the National Remembrance Service in London, where other members of the royal family and senior politicians will lay wreaths to honor the martyrs.
Nearly 10,000 armed forces veterans will take part in the Royal British Legion march, and around 20 Second World War veterans will also take part, 80 years after the end of the conflict.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Remembrance Sunday would allow Britain to “pause as a nation to honor all those who 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.
“80 years after the end of the Second World War, we commemorate a generation who stood against oppression and shaped our future. Their legacy is peace, and it is our duty to preserve it.
“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 uphold the values they fought for.”
Among those preparing to march is Donald Poole, 101, a Royal Army Ordnance Corps technician who deals with defective explosives or enemy ordnance.
Originally from Bromley, Kent, he was serving in India when Japan’s surrender was announced in 1945, sparking impromptu celebration.
“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,” he said.
“I would also like to express my gratitude to the civil services that suffered during the Second World War, especially the fire service, which saved many lives during the Blitz, many of whom lost their own lives.”
Sid Machin, another of the six 101-year-olds registered for the march, is one of the last surviving “Chindit” soldiers of the Burma campaign of World War II.
Mr. Machin, a young man of about 19, landed behind enemy lines in a glider at night as part of a special forces unit in Burma (now Myanmar), damaging Japanese supply lines and infrastructure.
Mr Machin, from Dorset, said: “I am proud to walk at the Cenotaph today with the Chindit Community to mark the end of an emotional year recalling my own and my comrades’ service in the Far East.
“It was tough, but we had to get through it and look out for each other. I’ll think of everyone I served with, especially those who couldn’t come home.”
Eileen Marshall, 98, is one of three female World War II veterans expected to walk to the Cenotaph this year.
Miss Marshall, from Yorkshire, left home in 1944 at the age of 17 to join the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS).
Following initial training he was drafted to HMS Ganges, where his duties included looking after officers’ quarters.
He said: “Serving in the WRNS was one of the happiest times of my life but also one of the saddest, especially when sailors, including my cousin, were lost at sea.
“On Remembrance Sunday I will march with the HMS Ganges Association to honor all those who gave their lives, including my husband Ray, who served in the Highland Regiment and passed away in 1994. I will wear his medals with pride as we remember him and those who died.”
On Sunday, there will be a two-minute silence at 11:00, and the march will begin at 11:25.
Thousands of people are expected to line up in Whitehall to pay tribute.
Chief of the Defense Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, said: “From the Cenotaph in London to monuments in towns and villages across the UK and everywhere our armed forces serve around the world, we stand to remember their bravery, sacrifice and enduring legacy.
“We will remember them.”
Philippa Rawlinson, commemoration director at the Royal British Legion, said: “As we gather together on Remembrance Sunday, we pay our respects not just to them but to all those who bravely defended our freedoms and protected our way of life.
“The dedication of our armed forces community is extraordinary, from risking their lives in war zones to spending time away from their families to providing vital support in emergencies and humanitarian disasters.
“We encourage the nation to pause, reflect and remember their service and sacrifice.”
