Those who served their country remembered at special service
The sacrifices of those who served and died in service of their country were honoured with a moving ceremony at the national place of remembrance.
The Royal British Legion invited National Service veterans and their families to participate in "Remembering National Service – 60 years on", a commemorative event at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas.
The event on Tuesday, May 16 allowed those present to acknowledge the service and sacrifices of the generation, with National Service being completed between 1947 and 1963 by able bodied men aged 17 to 21 years old.
More than two million men were conscripted following the end of the Second World War, with 395 National Servicemen killed during their service, and the names of those killed are inscribed on the Armed Forces Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum.
The memories of those who died during National Service and all those who performed National Service was commemorated by the National Service Memorial through an on-site exhibition, testimonies from veterans and family members and a Service of Remembrance.
It was attended by HRH The Princess Royal, around 400 National Service veterans and 90 bereaved family members and descendants, as well as Aurum Vocale choir and buglers from The Band Of His Majesty’s Royal Marines Collingwood.
The service saw a welcome and introduction from actor and Royal British Legion vice-president Robert Powell before the showing of two films and the reading of letters from those who performed National Service, before the traditional act of remembrance and sounding of the Last Post took place.
While National Service ended in 1960, those who had deferred their service still needed to complete it. The last known National Serviceman to be demobbed was Second Lieutenant Richard Vaughan, Royal Army Pay Corps who was discharged 16 May 1963.
Philippa Rawlinson, Director of Remembrance at the Royal British Legion, said: “We are proud to be recognising this unique generation of today - men who were called away from their everyday lives, their jobs, their families, their partners, to do something extraordinary and serve their country.
“This event at the National Memorial Arboretum acknowledges the service, bravery and sacrifice of the two million men who were conscripted into National Service.”
Ken Keld from Scarborough was one of the two million men conscripted.
He was sent to Korea and, in May 1953, was part of the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment in the Third Battle of The Hook.
Ken said, “We had no idea what to expect. I had never experienced anything like it.
"We lost a lot of our lads - on May 28, 1953, there were more than 40 of us in our battalion, but only 17 walked away that day, eleven were taken prisoner and the rest were wounded.
"Only five of us are left now from that original platoon, but it was a time in my life I will never forget.
"I met people from all walks of life and forged bonds which lasted forever, we were all good mates and you never forget that.”
Ms Rawlinson said: “Many of the men who completed National Service played down the fact that they served their country and haven’t really talked about it in the years that have passed.
"Today will give them the opportunity to share their memories, meet others with similar experiences, remember the fallen and for all of us to mark an important moment in history.”
