Remembrance Day 2024

We will remember them

Field of Remembrance Opening – 7 November 2024

As members may know, the Nation’s Remembrance events begin each year with the opening of the Field of Remembrance laid out on Abbey Green at Westminster Abbey. Not only is this site at the very heart of the capital, and within a stone’s throw of Whitehall, Parliament, and the Palace, but it has been a major place of worship for a thousand years. It is hard to think of a more fitting place to begin the annual commemoration of our fallen comrades.

It had been planned that HM Queen Camilla would open the event again this year but, unfortunately, she had to withdraw at short notice due to ill-health. While our sympathies went to Her Majesty, with hopes for a speedy recovery, we were very fortunate that the AGC Colonel Commandant, HRH The Duchess of Gloucester, was able to step-in. Security restrictions once again severely limited the numbers allowed to attend but 4 Trustees represented the Corps and our plot (sitting between the WRAC and the RMP plots) looked excellent. Photos of that event are here.

Families Remembrance Event – Field of Remembrance – 9 November 2024

Of course, these big events are the cumulation of countless individual losses. Whether through conflict, accident, or simple old age their deaths are particularly in our thoughts at this time. This year the Association has had over 200 member deaths reported. Some of these we found out about because of returned regimental magazines or lost contact, but the majority came to us from families who were proud of their relatives RAPC service and the impact that it had on the rest of their lives.

Each year we invite those families to our Corps event (hosted most ably by London Branch) at the Field of Remembrance on the Saturday after the Field has been opened. This year we had almost 150 at the service and 120 of them elected to have a curry with us in the Wellington Barracks Sergeants Mess. Thirty-seven families travelled from far and wide to this service of respect and farewell to their relative. The weather was kind, the background noise of traffic did not mar the event, and this year’s addition of a bugler to play the Last Post and Reveille was well received by all. A copy of the order of service is here and some pictures from the event can be found here.

After the event we had thanks from those who attended, and I quote just a few of these below to show how important this event in our calendar is to families: I wanted to say thank you for the invitation to the RAPC remembrance event yesterday, at Westminster Abbey Field of Remembrance. Whilst obviously very bittersweet experience we found it to be a very enjoyable day - it was a wonderful way to remember our relative who was a very proud RAPC veteran would have been pleased, amazed, and proud to have been remembered in this way, and as a family we are proud of him too. The event was incredibly well organised as expected, and we enjoyed the lunch reception afterward at Wellington Barracks - thanks to the London Branch of the RAPC Regimental Association (in particular, I think to Mike Ganly who I think was the event organiser).

Thank you so much for the invite to the Remembrance Ceremony on Saturday, along with the High Tea at Wellington Barracks. It was a wonderful day and it was a real moment to be able to look at all the poppies connected to all those in the Field Of Remembrance, together with those of the Royal Army Pay Corps. We were very moved with the words, the roll call and the care to detail of the poppy for Dad. Please thank everyone involved with the organisation of the event at both venues - I will remember it forever.

Thank you so much for inviting us to the memorial for my husband and his colleagues in the RAPC. We very much valued meeting so many of his friends yesterday. It was like a big family gathering and greatly appreciated. We all felt thoroughly privileged to be a part of such a special occasion and would very much like to thank your team for the personal care and attention shown to us yesterday and since his passing.

Thank you very much for hosting a lovely service and for a wonderful high tea today. My family and I really appreciate the effort and hard work that went in to such a special and memorable affair. My dad would have loved it!

Some families could not make it to the Service, but we stayed in touch and forwarded them photos of the cross laid for their family member. This too was well received:

Thank you so so much for this photo, it had made my day! I really appreciate this. We went to a local service in Wrexham and I wore Dad's medals and the sun shone. Best wishes. I just wanted to say a huge thank you from myself and my two brothers for organising the memorial cross for my late father. It is hugely appreciated, particularly as I know how important his service with the RAPC was to him in his life. He always spoke with great fondness of his time with the corps and the fact that he went on to have a successful career in the banking industry was I’m sure due in no small part to his time with the Royal Army Pay Corps.

It must be said again that we could not do this event without the support of London Branch – Mike Ganly as organiser, Amit Biswas as Standard Bearer, Joe Sale for adding his scarlet presence and those members who sacrificed their time to help support the grieving families at an emotional occasion. Thank you, London Branch for this excellent event for our families. 

Cenotaph March – 10 November 2024

For many people, of course, Remembrance means Remembrance Sunday and the laying of wreaths at the Cenotaph followed by the Veterans March-Past. Despite ill-health, old age and various other factors reducing the numbers this year the RAPC contingent, which was mentioned in the BBC coverage, marched proudly past the Cenotaph in their turn. The members on parade were: Amit Biswas, Robbie Burn, Mike Butcher, Tim Davis, Alwyn Foster and his daughter, Dr Denise Foster, Maggie Gardiner, Gez Groom, Terry Hunt, Brian Richardson, Don Stewart, Alan Smith and Mark Tucker.

Gary Garner was due to march but was taken ill just before the event – he is now back at home and fully recovered. A photograph of the team is here. Well done, and thank-you, to those who marched for the Corps. 

Remembrance Events across the Country

Emphasising our Regional Branch structure the Association provided wreaths for almost 30 events across the United Kingdom and our members were on parade not only at their local churches but also at football grounds and other events where they paused to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Photos of some of those events are here. It is 32 years since we were amalgamated into the AGC but it is a proud moment to see so many members still representing our Corps - long may this continue - Fide at Fiducia.