Remembrance Day messages from leaders across Gwent

Newport East MP Jessica Morden

Jessica Morden.

This year’s Armistice Day will be particularly poignant, marking 100 years since the end of the First World War.

At this time it is right that we remember all those who have served and continue to serve in our forces, as well as the many who have been injured in conflicts and those who have given their lives for our country in the line of service.

Over the next few days it will be a great privilege to join communities across Newport and Monmouthshire in commemorating the centenary of the Armistice in a variety of ways.

These include remembrance services, beacon lighting ceremonies and church services across the Newport East constituency.

At the St Woolos First World War commemoration on Saturday I will also have the honour of speaking about my grandfather, who was wounded in the Battle of the Somme.

For me it’s a reminder of how the First World War – whether directly or indirectly – touched the lives of every family in Britain. We must never forget the sacrifices made.

Newport East AM John Griffiths

Labour candidate for Newport East John Griffiths.

This weekend, many of our communities will be holding Remembrance Sunday services.

I will be involved in a number across Newport East, including the wreath laying ceremonies at the Newport Cenotaph and Caldicot.

On Saturday, November 17, I will be attending the Merchant Navy parade starting at Queen Street and the opening of the mosaic in St Paul’s Walk which will focus on the changing role of women during the First World War, particularly seven Newport women who lost their lives while contributing to the war effort and whose names have not been recorded and remembered.

It is a great privilege to join our communities in commemorating the sacrifices made for us and to honour the efforts by our Armed Forces to keep us safe.

We will always remember those brave men and women who lost their lives to protect our freedom and ways of life. In remembering the horrors of war we must constantly work and strive for peace - for all people and all countries across the world.

Newport West AM Jayne Bryant

Labour Assembly candidate for Newport West Jayne Bryant.

The horrors of the First World War, from the loss of life in the fields of Belgium and France to the hardship faced at home caused a grief that shook a nation.

One hundred years have passed since the guns fell silent yet the remembrance services across Newport and the whole country show that the sacrifices of those men and women have not been forgotten.

Most of us will have stories of relatives whose lives were changed forever by those four years.

My great-grandfather, Private Edward Bryant from Argyle Street in Shaftesbury died in 1916, aged 31. He left his widow Sarah and four children under the age of 10.

Few, if any, families were unaffected by the Great War. We simply cannot afford to forget.

Newport Council leader Cllr Debbie Wilcox

The annual Remembrance Day parade and service allows people across the city to come together and honour those who fought for us to have the freedoms we enjoy today.

This year is especially poignant as we mark 100 years since the end of the First World War, however we must never forget all those who fought for our country in subsequent wars and conflicts at home and abroad.

I hope residents will join us at the Cenotaph for the service this Sunday, which is always so moving. We must never forget.

Mayor of Newport Cllr Malcolm Linton

Myself and the leader, along with other local dignitaries including war veterans and members of the Royal British Legion, are proud to take part in the annual service which will see poppy wreaths being laid at the Cenotaph to honour the fallen.

It will be lovely to see young and old come together at the annual service. We should all wear our poppies with pride.

First minister Carwyn Jones

This Remembrance Sunday is particularly poignant, as we mark 100 years since the end of the First World War.

We remember the sacrifice of servicemen from Wales during the war. We also remember the countless men, women and children who played pivotal roles on the home front and shaped our society in ways no generation had done before.

I am proud to have been part of the commemorative programme that has fittingly marked all aspects of the First World War and the impact it had on the country.

High profile events that have received support include the National Museum’s programme to commemorate the centenary, including past exhibitions Death at a Distance and Equus: The Horse at War at the National Roman Legion Museum in Caerleon.

To this remarkable generation, we give thanks.

Their contribution and legacy will endure.

Gwent police and crime commissioner Jeff Cuthbert

This summer I visited the Menin gate in Ypres.

This experience brought home to me not only the horrors of war but also the sacrifice of so so many lives.

When the country falls silent on Sunday to commemorate Armistice Day, millions of people like myself will honour those who have fallen.

For Armistice Day is about respect. Respect for those who have died serving their country since the beginning of the First World War.

Gwent was not immune to the impact of the Great War, nor any other conflict since.

Our communities are full of veterans, full of people who risked their lives and saw friends and comrades make the ultimate sacrifice beside them.

These are not just older members of our communities, but younger ones too. All deeply affected by the ravages of war.

We have a duty to recognise this and support them.

When John McCrae wrote ‘In Flanders fields the poppies blow; Between the crosses, row on row’ he highlighted the red beauty that had blossomed in a bloody wasteland.

And since then this has been transformed into a symbol of hope.

Symbols matter. Rhetoric matters. I wear my poppy with pride every November because it reminds me of the horrors of war and the millions of lives, both young and old, destroyed by it. It is essential we recognise and remember the sacrifices they made for us. Because respect matters.

Gwent Police chief constable Julian Williams

On this the centenary of the Armistice, we honour and remember all those from our communities who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Great War and in all wars.

As chief constable of Gwent Police, I believe communities are stronger, safer and more vibrant when we understand and respect each other, regardless of our background.

The principles of tolerance, respect and understanding are to be cherished and protected.

As a force, we carry them with us but especially at this time of year, when we pause to remember those who gave their lives or who suffered as a result of conflict.

Lest we forget.

South Wales East AM Mohammad Asghar

Mohammad Asghar AM for South Wales East of the Conservative Party

It is appropriate at this time of year to remember those who have served, and continue to serve, in our armed forces.

However, this year is particularly significant as it marks the one hundredth anniversary of the end of the First World War.

I would like to mention those whose service can too easily be overlooked.

I refer to the loyalty and heroism of those who came from what later became the Commonwealth.

They came from thousands of miles away to fight for a country they had never seen.

In these days of increasing racial prejudice and discrimination it is right to take time to reflect on this fact.

In cemeteries across the world are the graves of people of all races and faiths, or of no faith, who fought side by side to defend the freedoms we enjoy today.

We owe everyone who served a great debt of gratitude.

South Wales East AM Steffan Lewis

This year’s Remembrance Day marks a hundred years since the cessation of hostilities at the end of the First World War.

It is a solemn occasion which we will mark by paying our respects to our forefathers who sacrificed so much on behalf of future generations.

We will take the time to honour the memory of everyone who made the ultimate sacrifice by giving their life in service, including the 5,000 servicemen from Gwent lost their lives in the conflict.

It is hard for us today to comprehend the scale of that loss and to imagine the effect this would have had on the families of the soldiers who never returned. As we honour the dead we remind ourselves to avoid the mistakes of the past which led to so much bloodshed.

As we reflect on past conflicts, it is more important than ever for us to remember all the victims of wars that have occurred since 1918 and are ongoing today. Let us resolve to redouble efforts at conflict resolution around the world.

South Wales East AM David Rowlands

David Rowlands AM.

One hundred years after the guns fell silent in Flanders Fields, people of all walks of life gather together as one, to honour those who gave their lives serving in our armed forces in the Great War 1914 to 1918.

The loss of life between those years was on a scale never before seen, or imagined, and it is hoped we shall never see again.

It is gratifying to see both young and old standing side by side, in silence and respect for those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, so that we should live in freedom and peace.

Whilst we honour the fallen of 14/18 we also remember those who lost their lives in World War Two of 1939 to 1945, together with those who have lost their lives or again have been physically or mentally damaged in the many theatres of conflict since 1945.

I would also like to pay tribute to those from the Empire and the Commonwealth who fought side by side with British Forces in both wars, and in many of the subsequent conflicts. We also owe them a huge debt of gratitude.

Monmouth MP David Davies

Monmouth MP David Davies.

At the Regimental Museum dinner this year I was privileged to meet World War Two veteran Captain Rolfe Monteith.

How to convey his story in a few words?

He left his Canadian home to serve in the Navy. He survived in the Arctic conveys which claimed so many lives, then took part in the D-Day landings.

He met a British lady on leave who he married and they eventually settled in the UK. His story was one of great courage but modestly told.

It is to Captain Monteith and millions of others like him before and since to whom we owe the freedoms we take today for granted.

Monmouth AM Nick Ramsay

M4 relief road around Newport, Nick Ramsay AM."> SWA ST Danielle Sheridan 17/06/2013....Welsh Conservatives gather at Magor services to call for a M4 relief road around Newport, Nick Ramsay AM.

As we mark the centenary in 2018 of the end of one of the world’s bloodiest wars, it is particularly timely to reflect on and honour the sacrifices made by the people of Monmouthshire and the wider world.

As there are no longer any survivors of the First World War, it is particularly important that we ensure the lessons of that terrible war continue to be learnt and that the story of those involved is told – such as 2nd Lieutenant Richard Pryce-Jenkin, who was my home village of Raglan’s first casualty of the war, losing his life to a mortar while in the trenches in Artois in northern France, aged just 20.

Many other sons and husbands lost their lives in this awful conflict, while others who survived spoke little of their experiences, burying the pain deep below the surface. Let us salute them all, we will remember them.

Torfaen MP Nick Thomas-Symonds

NTS.

Earlier this year, I visited Ypres and the Somme to pay my respects to those from Torfaen who gave their lives during the Great War.

I laid wreaths at Sir Reginald Blomfield’s Menin Gate in Ypres and Sir Edwin Lutyens’ Thiepval Memorial in the Somme.

At Tyne Cot Cemetery, nearly 12,000 identical white headstones mark the unimaginable scale of the sacrifice of previous generations for the freedoms we have today.

At a smaller cemetery, where I laid crosses, Acheux-en-Amienois, there were graves of soldiers from Blaenavon, Pontypool and Cwmbran.

I want to pay tribute to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission who keep these graves in such immaculate condition.

Each memorial stands for a unique life lost, a grieving family and circle of friends, but that each is the same stands for an important principle: that the memory of each and every soldier lost is equal in our minds as we remember them on the hundredth anniversary of the Armistice.

On Remembrance Sunday we rightly honour them.

Torfaen AM Lynne Neagle

Lynne Neagle, the Torfaen AM, has labelled his comments as 'inflammatory and discriminatory’ and has raised a complaint

Remembrance Day is a time for reflection and a time to honour the sacrifice of those killed in the horror of war.

This year will be even more poignant marking as it does the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended the First World War.

It will be a time for all of us, whatever our politics, ethnicity or faith, to remember the millions of men and women who fought and died during the Great War and indeed subsequent wars so that we could live freely.

As the National Assembly for Wales Member for Torfaen I am grateful for the opportunity to be able to commemorate all those who were killed, injured or affected in the conflict.

It is very important that we mark this time in history and that we join together to remember the sacrifices of the armed services.

We will remember them.

Islwyn MP Chris Evans

This year Remembrance Day is particularly meaningful as it is the centenary of the armistice.

As I go around my constituency I see how communities have come together to mark the occasion with wonderful displays of poppies.

As the First World War raged on the land was ripped apart. When the war came to a close the land was transformed by blood red poppies.

The poppy became the enduring symbol of remembrance, making their appearance around my constituency even more poignant this year, on this significant anniversary.

This weekend I will attend several remembrance and armistice services in my constituency to remember those whose lives have been lost at war.

I look forward to seeing young and old coming together to honour those who sacrificed so much for our way of life.

Islwyn AM Rhianon Passmore

As the representative of the communities of Islwyn in the National Assembly I welcome the Royal British Legion’s Thank you 100 campaign, which remembers those who served, sacrificed and changed our world between 1914 and 1918.

The towns and villages of Islwyn are proudly and prominently displaying poppies on lampposts. Amidst the many acts of remembrance throughout our communities I personally will be attending services in Blackwood, Risca, Newbridge, Pontllanfraith, Oakdale and Maesycwmmer to remember.

In Wales there are estimated to be 385,000 members of the armed forces community, this equates to 12 per cent of the population. This includes serving personnel, reservists and cadets as well as their families and ex-service personnel.

Many will have experienced conflict, directly or indirectly, and the challenges that can arise following this.

We must never take our freedom for granted and we owe an immeasurable debt of gratitude to those who ensure its safety.

Blaenau Gwent MP Nick Smith

Blaenau Gwent MP Nick Smith in the centre of Ebbw Vale

People across Blaenau Gwent will be marking Remembrance Sunday this weekend and I feel privileged to be taking part in several special events ahead of laying wreaths on November 11.

This year, of course, holds a particular poignancy, with 2018 marking 100 years since the end of the First World War.

This week I was part of a debate in Parliament to mark the centenary of the end of the First World War where we heard some fantastic speeches reflecting the history of the period and some lovely vignettes about family members of my MP colleagues who played their part during the war.

Bringing to life the memory of those heroes who gave their lives in service is a big part of what makes Remembrance Sunday so important.

This weekend we should all take the time to reflect on, and give thanks to, those who have served to keep us safe.

Blaenau Gwent AM Alun Davies

Blaenau GwentAM Alun Davies

Armistice Sunday is a poignant reminder of all those who have served in our armed forces who have lost their lives protecting us, keeping us safe and defending our freedoms.

Communities across Blaenau Gwent have a long history of supporting our armed forces and this year, as we remember the centenary since the end of the First World War, is no exception.

The First World War touched so many lives across the country and saw huge numbers of people make the ultimate sacrifice or returned home with terrible injures. All never forgot what they witnessed in that terrible conflict. It is because of their commitment and sacrifice that we as a nation have the freedoms we enjoy today.

It is important for us all to remember the sacrifices of generations but also to take care of those who came home. The Covenant is how we repay our debt to our armed forces every day and every week of the year. Taking care of those who have served to protect us.

On Saturday morning I will join Tredegar Town Council to walk up to the site of a crashed bomber above Trefil and remember the crew who died in that crash. On Sunday morning I will be attending the service of remembrance in Abertillery. On Sunday afternoon I will join others at the National Service of Thanksgiving at Llandaff Cathedral.

Welsh Conservative group leader Paul Davies

I’ve been wearing my poppy with pride this week as I think about the enormous sacrifices made by our countrymen and the allied forces 100 years ago.

Remembrance Day doesn’t just commemorate one war, however. It’s also about thanking those who fought against Hitler’s fascism – so that we may keep the freedoms we enjoy today – and those who served since, when the rights of others were at stake.

As we pay our respects to the glorious dead this weekend, lest we forget that the best way to honour their memory is to enhance the lives of those who make a contribution to the nation’s defence today and the veterans that came before.

This is why I’ll be attending the national memorial and why the Welsh Conservatives will continue to campaign for an armed forces commissioner to champion the interests of service personnel, veterans, and their families.

Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price

Today we commemorate a century since the First World War came to an end.

The First World War should be remembered as the unnecessary massacre that it was.

Men and boys from every corner of Wales rushed to enlist, thinking that it would “all be over by Christmas”.

The military leaders who led them into battle were utterly unprepared for how long the conflict would last, or what horrors ‘trench warfare’ would bring about.

A generation of young Welsh boys were lost in a pointless conflict.

This year’s commemorations should provide an opportunity for sombre reflection, for pausing and for remembering those who suffered and died in wars throughout our history.

There should be no celebration, only quiet contemplation.

We will remember and support those who have fought in conflict as we strive towards a future of peace and prosperity pledging that our children will never again have to face the horrors of war like generations past.