How we remember now there's nobody left

RELATIVES of World War One soldiers travelled from Notts to attend a service at Westminster Abbey held to commemorate the passing of a generation of veterans.

Yesterday's event at the Abbey followed the deaths this year of the three remaining veterans of the war living in Britain.

Two thousand relatives of Great War soldiers from across the UK and the Republic of Ireland were joined by the Queen, Duke of Edinburgh, Duchess of Gloucester, Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Baroness Thatcher, Sir John Major, Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth and Chief of the Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup.

Among the 24 representing Notts yesterday was Martin Kerry, 49, from Woodthorpe.

He joined the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry in 1977; his grandfather, Fred Kerry, served in the Royal Engineers during the Great War.

Martin Kerry spent a lot of time with Fred, who was from Bakersfield, quizzing him about his experiences.

Mr Kerry said of the service at Westminster Abbey: "It was very moving. It was dignified. The passing of a generation – it really was the end in that respect.

"It's the end of that generation and the start of how we remember it now there's nobody left. If at the end of my lifetime we are still remembering it we have done them the duty they deserved. Most people have got some relative that died in the First World War.

"There's a lot of anguish about how many people are dying in Afghanistan, and that's dreadful, that's an awful loss. We've lost 200 people this year, but they would have lost that in one day, by breakfast.

"It's incomprehensible to my age group to have such a loss on such a scale. You can't take it all in.

"You can keep wearing the poppy on the 11th."

Rachel Henson, of Kinoulton, described the service as "utterly brilliant". Mrs Henson's grandfather, Company Sergeant Major Ralph William George Thompson of the King's Royal Rifles, was killed in 1918 during fighting around the village of Montescourt in Picardy.

He was already a hero, having won the Military Medal at Arras some months earlier.

Mrs Henson's mother was just six when he was killed.

Mrs Henson said of the service: "It was moving, it was dignified, it was sad. Words fail to explain. You can't convey.

"I'm sure we didn't see it all as it was on television, but you could never, ever replace the feeling that we had just by being there.

"It was so emotive and wonderful.

"Obviously I'm proud of my own grandfather but everyone there was having the same emotions. They were all individual but all the same. The two-minute silence was deafening. It was amazing. It really was so quiet. It was wonderful."

The service was organised by the MOD and remembered the impact the war had on the nation, and the more than one million men, women, and children from across the British Empire who lost their lives.

Tickets were allocated to each county and region across the UK and included the Republic of Ireland.

The selection process involved Lord Lieutenant of Notts Sir Andrew Buchanan and Evening Post editor Malcolm Pheby.

A gun from the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery, fired from Horse Guards Parade, marked the beginning and end of the two-minute silence at 11am.

Lance Corporal Johnson Beharry VC and Trooper Mark Donaldson VC, Australian Army, carried the wreath that was later laid by The Queen on the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior.

caroline.lowbridge@nottinghameveningpots.co.uk