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"Veterans are an inspiration to the country" says John Reid

Published Friday 8th July 2005

John Reid with Royal Navy veteran Christopher James Walsh [Phot: Cpl Ross Tilley]

John Reid chats to Chelsea pensioners Sgt Major Geoff Payne and Staff Sgt Ricky Graham [Phot: Cpl Ross Tilley]

John Reid with Mrs Alma Kent 88, who was in the Queen Alexandra’s Nursing Service during WW2 [Phot: Cpl Ross Tilley]

John Reid admires the medals of Dennis Cassidy who served with the Ox and Bucks Light Infantry in WW2 [Phot: Cpl Ross Tilley]

"Their spirit and courage is our inspiration" the Defence Secretary John Reid said today, after talking with World War II veterans at the Living Museum in St James's Park.

Commemorations to mark the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II will continue as planned this weekend, despite yesterday's terrorist attacks in central London, he confirmed.

A recording of his speech (in mp3 format) is available from our audio clips page.

Mr Reid said:

"We are determined to continue with Sunday's commemorative events to mark the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II.

"I met two people in their eighties here at the Living Museum today, one who had been tortured in a Japanese Prisoner of War camp. They had walked miles to come here yesterday knowing that London's transport system had been suspended and that there were bombs going off, because they wanted to be here.

"People like that are such an inspiration and one of the reasons why we decided we had to go ahead with the weekend’s events.

"We will not bend to the purposes of the terrorists, especially when we can look to the inspiration of those who got through the Blitz and the horrors of World War II. We will not be deflected, we will do what's right. I don't think the veterans who went through so much would thank us if we didn't support them and join them in their commemorations on Sunday. How can we not take inspiration from people like them?"

One of the veterans visiting the Living Museum today was Alan Gilbert, 89 from the Royal Hospital Chelsea, who was a Territorial with the City of London Yeomanry, who landed in North Africa and went on to serve in Italy. He said:

"What people experienced yesterday, we went through day in, day out, during the Battle of Britain. My wife lost all her family during the Blitz on London. Remember people in the war had it tough, but Londoners today are still just as tough."

National commemorations on 10th July begin with a service of thanksgiving in Westminster Abbey, which will be attended by 2000 people. Following the service, the Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will host a Veterans' lunch in the grounds of Buckingham Palace for another 2000 people.

An event of reminiscence and remembrance will take place in Horse Guards Parade during the afternoon of the 10th. It will begin with a unique evocation of the period, using entertainment to take the veterans back in time. Stars of stage and screen will lend their support, including: Robert Hardy, Simon Callow, Jane Horrocks, and Forces sweetheart Clare Sweeney.

The Bach choir and a tri-Service band will also be playing music specially composed for the event. As with the Abbey service it will be broadcast live. Her Majesty will address the Nation, and the guns of HMS Belfast will be fired to mark the start of a period of silence.

A procession of Veterans' standards and Banners will move down the Mall to Buckingham Palace led by a marching band formed from the three Services. The Queen, joined by members of the Royal Family, will watch a fly past of Second World War vintage aircraft from the Palace Balcony. A poppy drop from a Lancaster Bomber will bring the day to a close.

An exhibition of Second World War art will focus on the effects that the war had on the people left behind. The exhibition will illustrate the activities associated with support rather than front-line activity, from the Air Raid Warden and the Home Guard to workshops and the Fire Service. The exhibition will be held in the Undercroft of Banqueting House in Whitehall and run for one month from 08 July until 03 August 2005.

The Living Museum in St James's Park will still be open and is free of charge. Visitors will be able to learn about the experience of the war generation first hand - real 'living history'. And a collection of vintage vehicles from the war period are on display on the north side of the Mall.

Related articles:

Commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of the end of World War Two

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