On the 100th Anniversary of the World War I Armistice, members of CIG joined Defence Christians at a very moving ‘Service of Prayer and Remembrance for the Armed Forces’, held at St. Margaret’s Westminster onThursday 8th November 2018.
Now in its 14th year, the service is jointly organised by the Armed Forces Chaplaincies and Armed Forces Christian Union and has become part of the rhythm of Remembrance. It follows shortly after the opening of the Field of Remembrance, which sees the grounds outside Westminster Abbey transformed into a sea of poppy crosses, planted by the comrades and families of those servicemen and women who lost their lives in conflicts since the Great War.
In this Centenary year, the service marked the official opening of the There But Not There Armistice Exhibition by Lord Dannatt, who gave a reading. It also included a special commemoration of the Civil Service Rifles, highlighting the fact that on the outbreak of war, Civil Service volunteers from across the Government Departments formed three Battalions of Infantry, won23 Battle Honours and lost over 1200 men in the fighting during WW1.
Accompanied by the Band of the Scots Guards, it was an honour for CIG members to sing ‘Be thou my Defender’ alongside our MOD colleagues. And it was a privilege to remember the Fallen and to pray for the living – both veterans and military personnel serving on operations around the globe.
