As its Ambassador to Madagascar, I’m honoured to face right here at the moment to signify the Authorities of the UK at this Remembrance Sunday service of commemoration. And I stand right here, in solidarity with thousands and thousands internationally, who put on the poppy because the image of this act of remembrance.
Twenty million died within the Nice Conflict, over a century in the past. The poppy we put on is a really deliberate reminder of these battlefields of Europe. Importantly, it isn’t a logo of triumph or victory. It serves to remind us of the cruel actuality of battle.
On the finish of the Nice Conflict, when an Armistice was signed on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, it was stated that this marked the conclusion of the conflict to finish all wars. We all know, sadly, not least from the graves round us, that the tragedy continued by way of the Second World Conflict, and the combat in opposition to fascism. And our information bulletins inform us that the tragedy continues in 2024, with individuals killed in battle each single day.
The historical past of the UK in Africa, and throughout the Indian Ocean, is advanced and, usually, subjective. There are, rightfully, components of our historical past that we’re very pleased with. There are additionally components of our historical past that we replicate on with humility and remorse.
It’s this humility, that makes me particularly proud to signify the UK. It’s a manifestation of our nationwide democracy and our freedom to debate and study from our historical past inside an open society. This usually stands in sharp distinction to how others select to recollect their very own historical past.
And this mix of pleasure and humility additionally manifests itself in our act of remembrance.
We keep in mind the 315 troopers who lie right here. They landed right here in the midst of the evening, launching an operation that was central to a worldwide battle in opposition to fascism. The horrific penalties of defeat would have been unimaginable. The battle that they had been a part of saved thousands and thousands of lives and guarded the life probabilities and the liberty of the generations that adopted.
We’re pleased with them and we owe them a debt of gratitude that may by no means be repaid.
However we keep in mind all who fell right here. There are some who will likely be seen as being on the mistaken aspect of historical past, however we mourn their loss all the identical and we all know that the ache felt by their households was the identical deep ache felt by our personal.
And as we collect at the moment in peaceable environment, our ideas are additionally with all of these, on all sides, who suffers the horrors of conflict in 2024. We mourn for the civilian victims of conflict who’re struggling. And we mourn for the lack of the numerous younger individuals, who on this very day are being despatched into battle.
On Remembrance Sunday, we mourn individuals of all cultures, faiths and nations. We mourn the fallen troopers of Madagascar, the UK, our Commonwealth household and our allies. And we additionally mourn for our enemies of the previous.
Allow us to all the time keep in mind our historical past with pleasure and humility and allow us to all the time keep in mind the 315 males who lie right here and who made the last word sacrifice as a part of a worldwide battle to guard our lives and our freedoms.