Leader: A sacrifice to be remembered always

UP AND down the land, from ceremonies in capital cities attended by political and civic leaders to commemorations in small communities attended by a few, the ultimate sacrifice of British servicemen and women on our behalf has been remembered.

The thoughts of many tend to be dominated by the awful carnage of the First World War, when 886,000 of our armed forces died, a toll in blood which is almost too terrible to comprehend. In the Second World War, 380,000 of our countrymen and women gave their lives that we may live without the shadow of fascist state terror.

The fervent hope at the end of those dreadful conflicts was that there would be peace. But since 1945 it is sobering to remember also that a further 3,500 troops have died in 18 different conflicts. And of course, we are still living through one war – in Afghanistan – in which our services are actively engaged and in which 385 of our soldiers and airmen have died.

Though, thankfully, the horrors of world war seem to be in the past, threats to our safety have not vanished and are unlikely to do so. Our armed forces perform a vital task in ensuring our security. Many have given their todays so that we might enjoy our tomorrows, and many more are prepared to do so again. They are not forgotten.