I HAVE fond childhood memories of Remembrance Sunday. As members of the army cadets, we proudly paraded through the town, marching side by side with those ex-servicemen and women as they wore their medals upon their chests.

The service commenced in front of the cenotaph prior to the ceremony of placing wreathes of poppies at the base. We paid our respects to those who fought in the conflicts and honoured those who never returned.

That was thirty-five years ago. Sadly, the cenotaph where I once lived when growing up has been dismantled and moved to a more secure location due to vandalism.

I’ve since married and moved out of that area and now live in Cwmcarn. The Cwmcarn War Memorial became a grade two listed building. This was awarded on December 17 1998. It was erected to commemorate the fallen of Cwmcarn and Pontywaun in both world wars and post war operations.

Mounted on top of a pedestal stands a life-sized figure of a soldier in his uniform, head bowed, hands resting on an upturned rifle. The surrounding garden is well kept and respected by all generations who use it.

Now that I’m much older and hopefully wiser, I enjoy walking through the remembrance garden daily with my dog and fully appreciate the freedom that we sometimes take for granted, and silently pay my respects so that I shall never forget those who fought to preserve our freedom, not only for my generation or the generations before, but for generations to come.

Paul Hellings, Newport Road, Cwmcarn