I was deeply honoured to lay a poppy wreath at Northampton’s War Memorial on Remembrance Sunday, for the sixth consecutive year as Member of Parliament for Northampton North.
For me, the laying of a wreath at the war memorial on Remembrance Sunday is the highest honour of my calendar. Many hundreds of people from Northampton came together to commemorate those who gave their lives to protect their country. Ninety-seven years have passed since the Armistice was signed on November 11th 1918, and it is so important that we continue to remember all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for this country in all conflicts since 1914.
After a service at All Saints’ Church, I watched a parade with the Lord Lieutenant, High Sheriff and Mayor of Northampton. We saw the Northampton branches of the Army Reserves, Police, Sea Cadets, St John’s Ambulance and many other organisations. It was great to see so many young people taking part in the parade, and I was impressed with the professionalism of the parade bands and the solemnity of the occasion.
Following the parade, I attended the Army Reserves training centre of the 104 Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers at their Training Centre in Clare Street for their annual curry lunch. This is a great opportunity to meet local Reservists and their families, as well as ex-servicemen and other Northampton residents.
On Armistice Day itself this year, which fell on a Wednesday, I was in Parliament and went to the Cenotaph in Whitehall to observe the two minute silence.