Princess Mary's Royal Air Force
Nursing Service
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PMRAFNS ASSOCIATION – CENOTAPH CEREMONY AND MARCH PAST 2006 The
Royal British Legion (RBL) was pleased to welcome the PMRAFNS Association to
this year's Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph in London.
Alongside 10,000 fellow veterans 20 retired
PMs
paid tribute to ‘those we promise never to forget’.
The
PM Association members met at 09.15 hrs on Horse Guards Parade where the RBL
Parade Marshals organized the retired Associations into Columns.
The PM contingent was lead by retired Director Nursing Service (RAF),
Group Captain (Retd) Annie Reid OBE. Warrant
Officer Debbie Meikle, in No 1 dress, kept a step alongside the contingent,
directing the salutes and keeping order in the ranks!
The contingent paraded with dignity, wearing their medals with pride.
It was very poignant that several members wore their father’s WWII
medals on such an appropriate and special occasion.
The Columns marched from Horse Guards Parade through the archway and
formed up facing the Cenotaph.
The
Queen, dressed in black, laid the first wreath of red poppies, followed by the
Royal family, politicians, Service Chiefs and Commonwealth envoys.
Squadron Leader (Retd) Jill Church carried the Association’s poppy
wreath. The silence started when
the bells of Big Ben rang out, and ended when a bugler played the last post, the
cannon on Horse Guards Parade was fired to mark each occasion.
During the silence only the sound of leaves rustling in the wind and
birds flying overhead could be heard whilst 20,000 Service personnel, veterans
and others stood in complete silence. It
was an emotional moment for many as they remembered the sacrifice that had and
continues to be made in the name of freedom. After the last contingent had marched passed the Guards Memorial both Service bands played the National Anthem to the thousands of people now formed up on Horse Guards Parade. It was a perfect November day, warm and dry, clear blue skies, cheerful banter, applauding crowds and several shouts of 'well done ladies' were heard over the marching beat. The dignity of the occasion was deeply touching. Relaxing later in the RAF Club for a meal and a chance to catch up swap stories. Would you believe that 2 PMs that served between 1951-1955 meet again and found that they had actually trained at the same hospital in Bournemouth. Next
year Remembrance Sunday is on 11th November 2007. by Squadron
Leader Ian Swain
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(c) Crown Copyright 2007
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