City remembers her fallen

7:57am Monday 12th November 2007

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THE brisk November breeze that sent the service standards flapping carried with it a mood of remembrance and sadness but also one of stiffened resolve.

The parade of servicemen and ex-servicemen and women gathered around the city's cenotaph was large by any standards yet one sensed the invisible presence of many thousands of their comrades.

For in every heart and mind were the thousands who wear the uniform of Britain's armed forces who will be marking their own Remembrance Sunday in whichever dusty and barren part of the world they are called upon to serve.

The mood - subtly different from the Remembrance Sundays that have gone before - whispered around the Sam Browne belts of the most senior officer present and the neckerchief of the youngest Cub Scout present.

Whatever the battle, time is always the victor.

But although the ranks of those who fought in the World War Two are thinned, their places were taken by men and women who fought in other conflicts from Korea through to Suez, Aden, the Falklands and Northern Ireland.

The standards, many topped by black ribbon, were those of the Royal Regiment of Wales, The Royal British Legion and the women's section of he Royal British Legion, The Parachute Regiment Association, the Royal Artillery Association, the Newport Branch of the Royal Naval Association and the Merchant Navy Association and 210 Squadron Air Training Corps.

As is traditional the senior service led the armed forces contingent with a party of men from Newport's twinned ship, HMS Severn.

The ratings paint-smart in their 'square rig' and the 'fore and aft' dress of the officers and petty officers, they marched with 104 Regiment Royal Artillery which is Newport's own regiment based in Raglan Barracks.

The guns which fired the signal for the beginning of the two minute silence are ceremonial field pieces retained by that regiment, many members of which have served in Iraq.

The regular and Territorial forces were supported by Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve officers at the head of Air Training Corps Cadets, the Sea Cadets, Army Cadets, Boys' Brigade including the band and representatives of uniformed civilian organisations.

The 1st Wentwood, 1st Bassaleg, 1st Llanmartin, 6th Newport, 13th Newport, 22nd, 25th and 29th Newport Scouts marched with Air and Sea Scout contingents.

With the City of Newport Pipe Band at their head the veterans, serving men and women and cadet and civilian organisations marched to the Cenotaph under the eagle eye of Regimental Sergeant Major Steve Williamson of 104 Regiment, Royal Artillery.

As the guns boomed the beginning of the two minute silence the marching parties snapped to attention.

Within those two minutes the most poignant parts of the service lay.

In that brief time, across the space of 90 years, the men who fought and died in the Great War and their great-grandsons and daughters serving in Afghanistan and Iraq today were united in the thoughts of all.

It was a peerless day, the finest Remembrance Parade in recent years and a fine tribute to Sergeant-major Williamson whose last memorial parade it was.

The number of people who turned out to admire the smart drill of the uniformed contingents rewarded the old soldiers, sailors and airmen with loud applause.

As he took the salute Newport's mayor, Councillor Alan Morris, was visibly moved.

It was a day of sadness but of pride throughout which the Christian message at the heart of the parade shone through.

Some countries flaunt their military might with acres of flags and tanks and marching soldiers.

That has never been our way.

To paraphrase the address given by the the Bishop of Monmouth the Rt. Rev. Dominic Walker we were gathered there with sadness at lives taken away but to re-dedicate ourselves to the pursuit of fairness and justice for which those countless legions have sacrificed their lives.

Sometimes, for the right to prevail, there must also be might.