Francis Howell- 2nd Camborne- Rememberance day memories

This is a moving piece of writing by a young officer  on Remembrance Sunday.


It was weird to wake up today and find my room smelling like my papa. Literally as if he was stood there. Today I'm not just parading in remembrance of all the lost soldiers and people who have fallen fighting for our country but with my papas medals on my chest, for him. He wasn't a decorated war hero and I won't pretend he was, but he did his bit for queen and country and he was MY hero. I remember seeing him every year in the crowd at Remembrance Day parade, smiling, taking photos, supporting me, my brother and all my cousins. If there's one thing I know he was proud of me for it is for my service in the BB, which I have recently carried on with and hope to one day become an officer. He lived to see me get to the rank of staff sergeant and earn my queens badge and was only just a few months off seeing me go to Buckingham palace to meet the royals and steward for the queens garden party. I am aware it is not a military organisation but I owe the BB a lot for where I am today. It is an amazing organisation in which I have met many friends. It teaches people about obedience, reverence, discipline and self respect. For those of you who wish to take the mick, if you do so, I won't rise to it. I have been apart of the organisation for 14 years now, every joke to be made I've heard. I'm proud to be a part of it and I know my papa is proud of me too. May we always remember everyone who has fallen in war and who is fighting in war right now. My respect goes to all of them and my thoughts are with the families of those who are serving. 'They shall not grow old, as we who are left grow old' we will remember them.