Thursday 15 September 2011

Samuel Parkes VC

Yesterday I was in the most privileged position of dedicating a memorial in honour of a man, Samuel Parkes, who won the Victoria Cross during the battle of the Light Brigade during the Crimea War and sixteen other men from the village who gave their lives in the two World Wars and the Malayan Conflict.

Complete with standards from the RAFA and the Legion, a guard of honour from the RMLY (a local regiment with connections to Parke's regiment) and the icing on the cake in the shape of HRH, the Countess of wessex who spent time talking with the assembled crowd and put herself out.

With the Baha Mousa inquiry fresh in the minds of many it was good to see some national pride and some recognition of the things that our forces do, and have done, that demands our pride. From children waving Union flags to the honouring of all those who gave their lives for the freedom of this nation and for many in other land this was an event to take pleasure in.

You can hear something about the memorial and the man from a relative here .

Enjoy!

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