Blog post
Opencast boosts support for UK armed forces community
OC client director Richard Handley explains why and how Opencast is strengthening its commitment to the UK's armed forces community.
“I served four years in the King’s Royal Hussars, and during that time deployed to Iraq on Op Telic 10. It’s been a long time since I served, but the bonds formed during that deployment will last a lifetime.
“For me, personally, Remembrance Day is a time of quiet reflection. Thinking about those lives lost and the families they left behind, as well as those who are still with us, but who still carry around the traumas of past conflict.”
“In my second week in England in 2005, I decided to volunteer at a care home in Garforth, East Leeds, hoping it would help me learn English quickly. Little did I know the home was filled with war veterans, who shared countless inspiring stories about World War II. Looking back, volunteering there was one of the best decisions I ever made.”
“My uncle lied about his age so he could join the Navy for WW2. He received medals which he was extremely proud of, but he never spoke about his time in the war. He lost a lot of friends.
“My brother joined the Army in 1976 and served until 1994. One my brother’s proudest moments came when his regiment (1LI) led the march at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday, and he wore my uncle's medals as he had passed away that year.
“They are two of my all-time heroes, and I have the utmost respect for them, and for anyone that has served. If I wasn't disabled I would have joined the Army from school.”
“Remembrance when I was growing up in the 60s and 70s, when so many veterans from WW1 and WW2 were still alive, and WW2 was only a short time ago, was a sad, overwhelming, deeply respectful, deeply shared moment when the country came together to try to understand what their friends, family, parents, uncles, aunts had sacrificed or been prepared to sacrifice to protect them. There was nothing belligerent or warlike or flag-waving about it. That is the true meaning of a very important day in the national calendar. I have many dear friends who served and I respect them unreservedly.”
“Remembrance Day has a series of meanings for me. My grandfather fought in the Second World War. He volunteered in 1942 a soon as he was 18. He made it as far as D-Day where he got shot in Northern France. Fortunately, he was only wounded. My grandfather was a lovely man, full of spirit and a real laugh, lovely to kids and a generally happy man. Except when you mentioned the war. Then he would go silent and his face set like thunder and we all quietly moved out of the way. That was all I ever got out of him until he passed away.
“In another memorial, my great great paternal grandfather was one of four brothers who all fought in World War 1. They weren't kids, having all been born in the 1880s. They all served in the 1st London Rifles. Only one of them came home. We know where two of the others were buried, but one is just listed as killed in action, grave unknown. So many were buried in heaps of mud, drowned in shell holes filling with muddy water and shell debris. The man had passed away before I ever had a chance to know him, but my grandad said he ran a butcher's shop in Birmingham until he died peacefully of old age.
“I try to remember them all every year in my own way but I worry I will be the last in my family to do so then they will just be names in a pdf somewhere in an archive. I suppose that’s the way history works, but I don't have to like it.”
“I took part in many Remembrance Day parades growing up as a Brownie, Guide and RAF cadet. It was really important to my grandparents, who had served in WW2. It opened up many conversations about their experiences of wartime – stories of them growing up, learning new things, having adventures but also very sad and traumatic stories that they carried through their lives.
“In 2007 a dear friend of mine, Joanna Dyer, was killed serving in Iraq, and this brought modern war into focus for me on Remembrance Day. Each year at this time I think about Jo and honour the bravery of our armed forces with gratitude for each person's service. I hope for a more peaceful and just world, and recognise that a highly skilled and ethical armed forces is part of achieving this.”
“My grandad was in WW2, in the Royal Navy as the person in charge of keeping a track of supplies. He was one of few people on board who could read and write so he got that job. He also manned the big gun on his ship. He never spoke about his time in the war, but I remember being down the local market as a young lad and he pointed out the beret badge for ‘the green howards’, which was his regiment.
"I was in the air cadets and attended many Remembrance Days as part of the parade.”
“I spent over 10 years volunteering tirelessly for the Royal British Legion. As a branch secretary it was my honour each year to escort some of our older members to the towns remembrance parade. I will never forget what they gave up to defend our nation. The ultimate honour was to escort Bill (pictured), a D-Day veteran and right cheeky chap. Sadly Bill passed away shortly after this photo was taken. I still fondly remember some of the stories he and others told me. I will once again be standing, no matter the weather, to remember them all on Remembrance Sunday.”
Opencast is committed to the Armed Forces Covenant and holds a silver award of the Ministry of Defence-approved Defence Employer Recognition Scheme. We are a proud forces-friendly employer.
Support the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal.
OC client director Richard Handley explains why and how Opencast is strengthening its commitment to the UK's armed forces community.
To mark Armed Forces Day 2022, client relationship director Rob Adkin talks about his experience of finding a new post-army career on ‘civvy street.’
To mark Remembrance Day 2022, we asked five armed forces veterans now working for Opencast to share their reflections on why it's important to remembe...
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