09/11/2025
Today, we come together to remember.
To remember the courage, the sacrifice, and the unbreakable spirit of those who served, and those who never returned home.
For me, this day holds deep personal meaning. I remember my comrades who fell in Iraq, brave men and women who stood shoulder to shoulder with me, who gave everything so that others could live in peace. Their memory stays with me every day.
I also honour my grandfather and great-grandfather, who served with pride and resilience in the First and Second World Wars. They, like so many of their generation, answered the call without hesitation, guided by duty, loyalty, and love of country.
We must never forget that every name etched on a memorial was a person, someone’s son, daughter, brother, sister, friend. Behind every uniform was a story, a family, and a future cut short in the name of freedom.
Whether it was the trenches of the Somme, the beaches of Normandy, the deserts of Iraq, or the mountains of Afghanistan their courage binds generations together. Their legacy lives on in us.
So today, as we stand in silence, let us remember them, not only for their sacrifice, but for the values they fought to protect: freedom, dignity, and peace.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them.
We will remember them.
