Page 23 - QARANC Vol 14 No 13 2016

THE GAZETTE QARANC 21
2200hrs where we were led into a wing of the Abbey that had been set up to roughly show the size of the Tomb. It was here that we met the civilians that would be taking part in our vigil. Four students, aged 11-14 from St Albans Girl’s School, were to accompany us out into the Abbey; their teacher who chaperoned them was given a reading to perform on Sister Edith Appleton, a nurse who served at the Somme and looked after the wounded and dead coming through.
For our second vigil we were accompanied by four students, younger than previously from St Thomas the Apostle College, London. Their parents had bought them down to the Abbey and ready for the rehearsal at 0415hrs. As military we are used to being up in the early hours of the morning, but I suspect that it was incredibly early for these young gentlemen to be up and ready to learn the movements with us.
Something that I was mindful of was that the parents and teacher with the students needed to be assured that we would look after their children during the event; granted it wasn’t long and they were there with us, but I can only imagine that it must have been daunting to have your son/daughter walk into Westminster Abbey with five military personnel in full Service/ Number 2 Dress.
Therefore, I made sure that I would spend the time I had, between the rehearsal and the actual vigil, with the students and parents/guardians, in an attempt to make them feel comfortable and relaxed about what they were just about to take part in. We discussed a number of things; how far they had travelled, how they were selected,
their thoughts on taking part, and then onto why the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was an important focal point for us and how the Union Flag could be flown upside down, using the Flag on top of the Houses of Parliament as an example, as this could clearly be seen flying in the wind, from where we stood in the cloisters of the Abbey. I must say the flag was NOT flying upside down but they could see how it could be.
For me this was an important step in what we were there for. We all knew why we were taking part and were sure the students had researched some of the history behind the Somme, or even been on a Battlefield Tour, but at that moment in time, they were standing with history all around them and taking part in something that will not happen again in our lifetime and for me they needed to understand, we weren’t scary, but real people who were honoured to be taking part.
The families asked for pictures before we were out of the Abbey, so that their children would remember us and their time at the Abbey, something we were only too happy to help with.
And then we formed up, ready to march into the Abbey again for the second time and take our place guarding the Tomb.
As we march through the Abbey I was struck by how busy it was; sure there were less than at our first vigil, but it was still quite busy. As I looked out of the corner of my eyes marching down towards the Tomb I noticed that out of everyone who was there, the vast majority were of the older generation and a remarkable lack of young people around, that weren’t military. I took to wondering whether
this was a sign of the times, whether they saw it as important in this modern society to commemorate such a thing, or whether we are just starting to move on from looking back!
The vigils came to an end at 0730hrs in the Abbey, but prior to this outside in Parliament Square the four of us from 256 Fd Hosp, two QAs and two RAMC, stood to take part in the two minutes silence that was planned for that morning. At 0715hrs the Kings Troop, Royal Horse Artillery rode onto Parliament Square with their Colours and four World War 1 guns and dismounted in order to fire a barrage at 0725hrs. This was to signify the barrage of artillery that took place 100 years ago, although during that time there were four days of artillery raining down on the Somme.
A silence fell over Parliament Square and at 0730hrs two whistle blasts took place; this was the hour, 100 years ago that the British Army at the Somme were to climb the ladders and enter ‘no-man’s land’ to start the offensive. Two minutes of silence followed in commemoration of this, which was ended by a piper at Westminster Abbey.
A truly impressive act of remembrance that I have had the honour to take part in, especially as only two nurses serving the Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps took part, something I will remember for the rest of my life and something that I will teach my children about in the hope that they can see the true horror of war but recognise the sacrifice that others gave in order for them to rest easy and safe.
Maj Alex Saunders QARANC