Page 42 - QARANC Vol 14 No 10 2015

40 QARANC THE GAZETTE
Ceremony of
Remembrance Wednesday 26 November 2014
A Ceremony of Remembrance was held at the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Headquarters at Cowdray Hall, London, to honour the sacrifice made by nurses and other defence medical services personnel killed or wounded caring for victims of conflict. This was the initiative of Major Chris Carter QARANC and was supported by the RCN Council. The ceremony was held in the presence of Dr Peter Carter OBE, Chief Executive and General Secretary of the RCN, the RCN President and Directors and members of the RCN. Defence Nursing attendance was led by the Defence Nursing Advisor, Group Captain Mike Priestly, members of the Defence Nursing Forum and staff and trainees from the Department of Healthcare Education based at Birmingham City University.
The ceremony was led by Father Philip Smith CF which included The Act of Remembrance and readings and poems given by serving members of the QARANC, PMRAFNS and RCN Council. Ms Andrea Spyropoulos, President of the RCN, welcomed the assembled company to be followed by the RCN prayer read by Ms Cecilia Anim, the RCN Deputy President. Major Nicola Corkish QARANC read a number of moving citations reflecting the bravery and dedication to duty by QAIMNS sisters in World War One. This was followed by the poignant poem ‘Sister’ by New Zealand poet, Mike Subritzky read by Cpl Juliet Bale PMRAFNS.
On a more personal note Major Elizabeth Kagoda QARANC gave a moving account entitled ‘Farewell to the Fallen’ of the sunset ceremony at Camp Bastion and withdrawal of soldiers in Afghanistan. Her personal reflections of the impact of War, the pain of losing comrades and also remembering those wounded whose lives will be changed forever held a stark and poignant resonance. Major Alison Cripps QARANC and soprano Mrs Jill Saunders added to the occasion singing an arrangement of Mozart’s Ave Verum, accompanied on piano by Ms Sara Clethero (Welsh National Opera) and during the Act of Remembrance, the poignant duet ‘For the Fallen’ arranged by David Cole MVO. The address was given by Father Philip Smith encapsulating the immense sacrifice by soldiers past and present and the dedication and vocation of the nurses who likewise played their part.
Major Alison Cripps QARANC
QARANC Association Members commemorate the outbreak of WW1 at the Menin Gate
4 August 2014
Both Lisa Birch and I (Diane Boisson, nee Woods) recently attended a Tour of Remembrance with the Fakenham and District Branch of The Royal British Legion. We visited a number of major Great War 1914 – 1918 battle sites and paid homage to those that had fallen during those epic battles at the respective Memorials and cemeteries.
The trip was a four-day journey into the past, focusing on the extraordinary sacrifice that a past generation endured. We also included the commemorations of the centenary anniversary of the outbreak of World War One on 4th August 2014 at the Menin Gate in Ypres. Our tour guide, still serving in the Army, Warrant Officer Class 2 Paul Quillium shared with