"He'll be squeezing my hand that bit tighter": Veterans in Rutland reflect this Armistice Day

Over 5,000 veterans in the county will be remembering their fallen friends and family

Tracey Taylor's husband (right) and great-grandfather (left)
Author: Ellis MaddisonPublished 11th Nov 2022

Over 5,000 Rutland veterans will be remembering their fallen family and friends in the armed forces today, on what's the 104th Armistice Day marking the end of WW1.

The county has one of the largest numbers of former and current armed forces personnel per population in the UK.

Plenty will come together at Uppingham School's Memorial Hall and Chapel this evening for Rutland's first-ever Festival of Remembrance.

Founder of the Oakham Armed Forces and Veterans Breakfast Club, Tracey Taylor, says her husband Mark - who served for over 25 years - is proud to be among Rutland's armed forces community:

'As soon as he hears that last post, people instantly come into his mind who he's remembering. He will grab my hand a little bit tighter.'

'My husband's been invited to the Cenotaph to march with the ROC a few times, but he prefers to stay within his community - we embrace Rutland, and love everything that it stands for.'

Ms Taylor added that there'll be a great sense of pride among that community, who will be able to come together on the 11th day of the 11th month at an event in the county for the first time:

'The idea around that was the huge numbers of veterans that we have, the Lord Lieutenant thought we should be holding something. I think last year it was De Montfort Hall in Leicester - people used to get the bus there.'

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