Remembrance in Afghanistan

In his first visit to troops in Afghanistan, the Secretary of State for Defence Philip Hammond led tributes to the fallen at an Armistice Day parade held at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan.

Conditions were clear and sunny and the service was attended by UK tri-Service and Coalition personnel, as well as civilian contractors, MOD personnel and other civilian staff working at the Camp.

Laying a wreath on behalf of the Senior Service was Cdre C L Walker, alongside Brigadier N Welch of the Army and Group Captain C D Da'Silva RAF. Among other VIPs were Lt Gen J J C Bucknall who laid a wreath representing all fallen British and Commonwealth personnel.

Senior Padre, Lt Col C A Maynard RAChD, officiated over the service which started at 1045. A bugler from 2 Rifles played Last Post as all Officers and Warrant Officers saluted. At 1100 a 105mm light gun from the Joint Fires Group fired one round marking the start of the two minutes silence and again to end it. The bugler played Reveille.

The parade was marshalled by WO1 (GSM) D J Edkins REME who recited The Kohima Epitaph, carved on the memorial of the 2nd British Division at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery that contains 1,420 Allied dead from the Battle of Kohima in 1944:

"When you go home, tell them of us and say,

For your tomorrow we gave our today"

Later after the lesson, address and prayers given by the Senior Chaplain the GSM recited the famous lines from Laurence Binyon's poem:

"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."