Like so many millions of others across the world at 1100 GMT this morning, I observed the two-minute silence to mark the exact moment when the guns fell silent on Armistice Day 1918.
But today was different to previous Armistice Day services I have attended for two reasons.
Firstly, this year was the first time that no British survivors of the trenches were able to be present at any of the commemorations. Harry Patch, 111, Bill Stone 108 and Henry Allingham 113, who attended services last year, have all sadly died during the course of 2009.
Secondly – and speaking as an ex-soldier myself - I cannot personally remember such a high level of public interest in the Remembrance commemorations and the Poppy Campaign than we have seen this year.
The reason, of course, is very obvious.
The almost daily reports of British casualties in Afghanistan is having a huge impact on our nation’s psyche, and a great many people simply wanted an opportunity to demonstrate their total support for our brave servicemen and women.
The arguments regarding the rights of wrongs of that campaign are perhaps best left for another occasion.
But the respect for our Armed Forces, both past and present, has to my mind never been higher in modern times than it is today.
And that fact, in the midst of the current doom and gloom, can only be viewed as a positive development.
But today was different to previous Armistice Day services I have attended for two reasons.
Firstly, this year was the first time that no British survivors of the trenches were able to be present at any of the commemorations. Harry Patch, 111, Bill Stone 108 and Henry Allingham 113, who attended services last year, have all sadly died during the course of 2009.
Secondly – and speaking as an ex-soldier myself - I cannot personally remember such a high level of public interest in the Remembrance commemorations and the Poppy Campaign than we have seen this year.
The reason, of course, is very obvious.
The almost daily reports of British casualties in Afghanistan is having a huge impact on our nation’s psyche, and a great many people simply wanted an opportunity to demonstrate their total support for our brave servicemen and women.
The arguments regarding the rights of wrongs of that campaign are perhaps best left for another occasion.
But the respect for our Armed Forces, both past and present, has to my mind never been higher in modern times than it is today.
And that fact, in the midst of the current doom and gloom, can only be viewed as a positive development.
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