By: MARGARET BROWN
Another sunny day by the sea, as crowds gathered in the Catholic Church of Nossa Senhora da Luz to remember the multitudes who have given their lives for others so that we may walk in freedom.
Not only Service men and women from earlier conflicts were honoured, but all who worked as back-up in factories, hospitals, cities and the Intelligence units. It continues right up to the minute in Iraq, Afghanistan and other places not in the public eye.
Despite suggestions that Remembrance Day is now an anachronism and ought to be phased out, as long as there are wars in which British forces fight so we should honour their sacrifices.
With Father John Wilson to conduct the service and a Church full of people from many different places, that is what we did: from the laying of a wreath of scarlet poppies and a bugler sounding the Last Post: through a minute’s silent reflection on those who had paid the ultimate sacrifice and then the clear notes of The Reveillé symbolising their awakening to a better life.
We will remember them and as it is said in The Kohima Epitaph: “When you go home, tell them of us and say-for your tomorrow we gave our today”.
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