King set to lead Remembrance Sunday service at Cenotaph

The King is set to lead the nation in a two-minute silence to remember those who died in conflict.

Charles will take centre stage at the National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph in London on Sunday, joined by other members of the royal family and senior politicians who will lay wreaths to honour the fallen.

Some 10,000 armed forces veterans will take part in the Royal British Legion’s march-past and about 20 Second World War veterans will attend, 80 years on from the conflict’s end.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “This Remembrance Sunday, we pause as a nation to honour all those who have served our country.

“We reflect on the extraordinary courage of our armed forces in the world wars and subsequent conflicts, whose service secured the freedoms we cherish today.

“Eighty years since the end of the Second World War, we remember a generation who stood against tyranny and shaped our future. Their legacy is peace and our duty is to protect it.

“Such sacrifice deserves more than silence, which is why this Government remains committed to supporting veterans, their families and those who serve.

“Today, we remember, and we renew our promise to uphold the values they fought for.”

Among those set to march is 101-year-old Donald Poole, a Royal Army Ordnance Corps technician who handled defective explosives or enemy ammunition.

Originally from Bromley, Kent, he was serving in India in 1945 when Japan’s surrender was announced, sparking an impromptu celebration.

He said: “It is a great honour to be able to pay tribute to the poor souls who have died in all conflicts and I know how lucky I am to still be here thanks to all those who have fought and served, past and present.

“I also want to pay tribute to the civilian services who suffered during the Second World War, particularly the fire service, who saved so many lives during the Blitz – many of whom lost their own.”

Sid Machin, another of the six 101-year-olds registered to march, is one of the last surviving “Chindit” soldiers from the Second World War’s Burma campaign.

As a young man of about 19, Mr Machin landed behind enemy lines in a glider at night in the jungle, as part of a special forces unit in Burma (now Myanmar), which wreaked havoc on Japanese supply lines and infrastructure.

Mr Machin, from Dorset, said: “I am proud to be marching at the Cenotaph today with the Chindit Society to mark the end of an emotional year remembering my own and my comrades service in the Far East.

“It was tough but we just had to get on with it and watch out for each other. I will be thinking of everyone I served with and especially those that didn’t make it home.”

Eileen Marshall, 98, is one of just three female Second World War veterans expected to march at the Cenotaph this year.

Ms Marshall, from Ilkley in West Yorkshire, left home in 1944 aged 17 to join the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS).

After initial training, she was drafted to HMS Ganges, where her role involved looking after the officers’ quarters.

She said: “Serving in the WRNS was one of the happiest times of my life, but also one of the saddest, especially when sailors were lost at sea, including my cousin.

“On Remembrance Sunday, I will be marching with the HMS Ganges Association to honour all those who gave their lives, including my husband Ray, who served with the Highland Regiment and passed away in 1994. I will proudly wear his medals as I remember him and all the fallen.”

The two-minute silence begins at 11am on Sunday, with the march starting at 11.25am.

Thousands of people are expected to line Whitehall to pay tribute.

Chief of the Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton said: “From the Cenotaph in London to memorials in towns and villages across the United Kingdom, and wherever our armed forces serve around the world, we pause to remember their courage, their sacrifice and their enduring legacy.

“We shall remember them.”

Philippa Rawlinson, director of remembrance at the Royal British Legion, said: “As we come together on Remembrance Sunday, we not only pay tribute to them but to all those who have bravely defended our freedoms and protected our way of life.

“From risking their lives in warzones to spending time away from their families, and providing vital support during emergencies and humanitarian disasters, the dedication of our armed forces community is extraordinary.

“We encourage the nation to pause, reflect and remember their service and sacrifice.”