Remembrance Sunday
Added on 11 November 2022
This is the text of Des Laughney's speech at the war memorial in Redhall Park just before 11am on Remembrance Sunday, 13 November 2022
Good morning. Can I welcome you all to our 2022 Remembrance [sic] Day ceremony at our local Memorial. This event has been organised by Longstone Community Council. My name is Des Loughney and I am the chair of the Community Council. This memorial was opened in 1922 to commemorate the local armed services people who died in the two world wars: 48 in World War 1 and 24 in World War 2.
The agenda for today is that I will say a few words and read the verse from the poem by Laurence Binyon ‘For the Fallen’. There will then be the two minutes silence. After that wreaths will be laid. People laying weaths are welcome to say a few words. The ceremony will end once the last wreath has been laid.
I would like to remark on three things today in terms of our rememberance. Firstly,
A few weeks ago my son and some friends informed me they are going on a holiday to Norway to see the Northern Lights. I found out that they were going to a part of Norway where my father fought in May 1940 as part of the British Expeditonary force. It is a little remembered campaign but he remembered it. His regiment suffered heavy casualties and he lost many friends.
We could not have guessed a year ago that Europe would have a war in the Ukraine which has now lasted 263 days. There is the threat and the possibility that nuclear weapons may be used. Edinburgh is feeling the effect of this war because we are sheltering many Ukrainian refugees. The war is the cause of the rise in energy costs. We should remember to day all those people, armed forces and civilians, who have lost their lives or been injured in defence of their homeland.
As we did last year I think fitting that we must remember the front line NHS staff and social care staff who lost their lives in providing essential services during the COVID epidemic, which is not over.. We again offer our symathy and solidarity to all those who lost loved ones in the last twelve months.
Laurence Binyon “For the Fallen’
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.
Response: we will remember them.