Column: Laying Wreaths At London Cenotaph

[Opinion column written by Anthony D C Webber]

A while back I put efforts into the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories to being able to lay wreaths at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday. At the time I received some stick and derision from some of those in authority about such efforts. The idea was deemed, nonsense, impractical, implausible, costly, not appropriate and much more.

I did have some publicity on the issue.

I had been supporting Andrew Rosindell, the MP for Romford in Essex, who had started this campaign.

Andrew is Chairman of FOTBOT [Friends of the British Overseas Territories] and involved with numerous UK Parliamentary Committees to do with the individual Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories.

He deserves every credit for bringing this about.

It was wonderful to see the Chief Ministers or their equivalents of Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories laying their own wreaths at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday.

It only goes to show that if you believe a cause is worth taking up, it merits being followed through to the end.

Mission impossible at the time, finally became mission accomplished.

I note that there was little public support for this worthy idea at the time from some in authority.

However, I am pleased there was a change of mind and a readiness to lay the wreaths!

It was never going to detract from what was done locally, any more than anyone else attending from any other area detracts from their own locality.

If anything, it enhances the value of Remembrance Sunday, the sacrifices made, and the importance of safeguarding our cherished values in the future.

Anthony Webber, Former Member of Guernsey Parliament [1991-2004], Political Commentator

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