Accessibility options

Troops remember fallen comrades

Date: 8/11/2009 23:26:40

Search: Afghan remembrance service

Hundreds of soldiers gathered at the main British base in Afghanistan to pay their respects to their fallen comrades.

During the ceremony in Lashkar Gah, Helmand, Padre Mark Christian, the senior chaplain of 11 Light Brigade, said the soldiers were there to commit themselves to "the cause of peace and justice throughout the world".

About 500 men and women from numerous regiments attended the ceremony at the compound in Lashkar Gah, where wreaths were laid and a one minute silence was held after a poignant last post.

Many of the soldiers have lost friends and colleagues during tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Padre Christian said his own thoughts today turned to a friend who was killed in the Falklands.

"Since then I have held these services in Bosnia and Iraq and here today in Afghanistan and I know many more people who have given their lives."

Referring to the shooting dead of five British soldiers by a rogue Afghan policeman on Tuesday, he said: "Of course, I was the chaplain to the Grenadier Guards so last week's incident was personal for me too. So I stand here and I grieve, I think of the pain of their passing and I think of their families.

Advertisement starts


Advertisement

Advertisement ends

"But that of itself is not what Remembrance is about. When we remember we think of those seas of our comrades who have gone before us, the tens of thousands of people who have given their lives for our nation and for what they believe in.

"I think of our core values, courage, discipline, respect for others, integrity, loyalty and selfless commitment, the values which they espoused. Remembrance for me is picking up the gauntlet, it is steeling ourselves for the fight that lies ahead of us for if we do not do that their lives have been given in vain.

"We are here today to remember, we are here today to commit ourselves to the cause of peace and justice throughout the world."

2012 © Press Association

Advertisement starts



Advertisement ends

Advertisement starts


Advertisement

Advertisement ends

  • Harry hails Everest war veterans
    Harry hails Everest war veterans
    The charity Walking with the Wounded launched the ambitious project today to put five war-wounded men on the mountain's summit as Harry agreed to be the expedition's patron. The royal even clambered into an altitude chamber at an event staged in c
  • Ancient Egypt in Edinburgh
    Ancient Egypt in Edinburgh
    Henrietta Lidchi, keeper of world cultures at the museum, says people have allways been fascinated by mummies and visitors will be guided through rituals of death and the afterlife in ancient Egypt, with painted coffins and embalming equipment on display.
  • Robshaw: Focus is on us
    Robshaw: Focus is on us
    England captain Chris Robshaw believes the team should focus on their own game rather than worry about the opposition.
  • Tulisa goes solo
    Tulisa goes solo
    Tulisa discusses her debut solo album and rooting for Adele at the Grammy Awards as she attends a pre-Grammy party held by Belvedere vodka and RED.
arrow
Harry hails Everest war veterans
The charity Walking with the Wounded launched the ambitious project today to put five war-wounded men on the mountain's summit as Harry agreed to be the expedition's patron. The royal even clambered into an altitude chamber at an event staged in c

5 day forecastMy local weather

Cloudy
London
min: -2º
max:3º
 
 

Daily Pictures



Advertisement starts



Advertisement ends

Page Footer


Access keys


You will need to use different key combinations in order to use access keys depending on your internet browser, find out which on our accessibility page.
  • (0) Navigate to Accessibility page.
  • (1) Navigate to Home page.
  • (2) Navigate to My email.
  • (3) Navigate to My Account.
  • (4) Navigate to Site Map page.
  • (5) Navigate to Contact us page.
  • (6) Navigate to Members channel.
  • (7) Navigate to Services channel.
  • (8) Navigate to News & Info channel.
  • (9) Navigate to Entertainment channel.
  • ([) Skip down to the Primary navigation block.
  • (]) Skip down to the more links within this section block.
  • (=) Bypass all navigation and jump to the content.
  • (x) Text only version of this page.