Remembrance is a very important time for everyone at Inverroy (see last year’s blog here), partly because so many of our people come from military backgrounds or have strong military ties, but mainly because support to veterans is such a strong part of our company ethos. We are very proud of the MoD Employer Recognition Scheme Silver Award we gained this year and of the support we provide to serving personnel and veterans, and to their spouses and families, and we are all keen that this should continue and, if possible, increase.
The picture on the right is Cpl Charles Wardner, my grandfather, and was taken in Italy in 1943 so my connection with the British Army started many years ago and is one that I am incredibly proud of.
The remainder of this blog is given to some of the Inverroy staff who have captured their own personal thoughts and reflections about what Remembrance means to them. Some come from military backgrounds, some do not, but all have their own reasons for wanting to remember.
Lt Col M R Wardner (Rtd) – Inverroy Managing Director
Mark Pugh-Cook (Consultant):
“Every Remembrance Day, we wear our poppies with pride and attend ceremonies where the names of those members from our local communities who fell in the two world wars and subsequent conflicts are read out, and we honour their loss with the phrase “We will remember them”. In 2021, in addition to this act of remembrance, we should mark the centenary of the Royal British Legion (RBL), which has consistently supported the bereaved as well as those personnel who have been scarred by physical and mental injury caused by conflict. The impact on survivors of more recent conflicts has profoundly increased the workload of the RBL. Buying a poppy is a tangible sign of support to the RBL as its staff continue to work tirelessly beyond the centenary milestone.”
Geraldine Howie (Inverroy Digital Content Manager):
Remembrance Day is a day of reflection and I take time to think of the effect the conflicts through the ages has on family. In particular my husband’s Great Uncle Donald (Don) Ross who came from a long line of serving soldiers from Broughty Ferry.
Alexander Ross (Don’s Great Great Grandfather) who fought in the Battle of Waterloo, Donald Ross (Don’s Grandfather) served in the Boar War, and Don (pictured) serving in the Second World War with the Black Watch Regiment.
We should never forget the men and women who have been involved in all conflicts throughout history, and it is important to wear our poppy at this time, as this is a symbol of remembrance and hope for a peaceful future.
Stu Wallace (Senior Consultant):
“The last two years has witnessed sacrifice and commitment all across the globe to beat the pandemic, acts of selflessness, bravery and innovation have come to the fore. The act of remembrance reminds us that those hallmarks are a keystone of our society and will conquer threats and diminish risk. Lest we forget those that gave their all then and those that continue to do so now.”
David Payne (Operations Manager):
“For me, this year will be poignant because it will be my first out of uniform. That said, the thoughts, memories and reflections will remain the same in terms of both military and civilian personnel who have died or were wounded, not just during times of conflict, but also during ‘peacetime’. The recent withdrawal from Kabul is also cause for reflection. However, whilst we remember the dead and wounded, we must also give thought to those still serving and wish them well wherever they are and whatever they do.”
Kirsten Bremner (Assistant Operations Manager):
“Remembrance has always played a huge part in my life with both family and friends who have served, or continue to serve, in the military. This year will be even more important as the Royal British Legion marks its centenary. Having formed in 1921, they have done a considerable amount to help the Armed Forces Community. This Remembrance Day I will be thinking of all those who sacrificed themselves for our country and the charities who work timelessly to support them.
For the Johns, the Fred’s, the Paul’s and the Alexander’s,
Whose mortal remains lie silent in Flanders,
They left their families and dropped their lives,
Leaving behind the children and the wives,
To a muddy foreign land they went,
To kill and to die by common consent.
They left us the earth in which they now lie,
When it was only theirs to do and to die,
Their work is done, their rest is earned,
And they might ask us now – what have you learned?
They fought the good fight when the century was forming,
But the enemy now…is global warming.
We should honour their courage, their soul and their will,
For the world that they left us, not ours to kill,
So we can pass on what is better than we’ve seen,
A planet to inhabit with the pastures still green,
For when the rivers run dry and no longer flow,
You can’t drink the money and no more poppies will grow.
– Anonymous
So let us pause, reflect and remember.
