Remembrance Weekend Reflections
An honour to represent the constituency
As Armistice Day (11 November) comes to a close, I’m taking stock of what has been a momentous first Remembrance Weekend as Buckingham and Bletchley’s Member of Parliament. It’s been a busy period, but an incredibly important one.
Before anything else, I’m a local MP who cares deeply about our area. It was therefore an honour to take part in a series of events across the constituency to express gratitude to those who have served our country.
Here’s a summary of my activities during the period of remembrance:
Placing a poppy in the Garden of Remembrance
Before heading back to the constituency, last Wednesday (6 November) I placed a poppy on behalf of the people of Buckingham, Bletchley, Tattenhoe, Winslow and local villages in the Garden of Remembrance at the Houses of Parliament. Speaking to colleagues, I know that they too felt a bit overwhelmed at being a part of this unique moment for the first time.
For Your Tomorrow
On Thursday (7 November) I visited 'For Your Tomorrow' in Stowe Gardens.
Whilst the subject matter is sombre, it's great that a local site was chosen as this years' official UK host location for the British D-Day 80 memorial exhibition, and I’m delighted to see National Trust visitor records were surpassed this month - in part due to the popularity of this installation.
Dedicated to soldiers killed in the D Day landing, ‘For Your Tomorrow’ consisted of 1,475 silhouettes of Second World War military personnel, with Stowe's beautiful 18th century garden acting as a fitting backdrop. In real life its scale was something to behold, and it really hit home just how many soldiers sacrificed their lives for our country.
Colossus
On Saturday (9 November), to mark it becoming a World Origin Site, I went to see Colossus, the set of computers developed by British codebreakers in the years 1943–1945 at The National Museum of Computing.
Despite its crucial role in World War Two, the story of Colossus was hidden from the public for over 30 years, classified under the Government's Official Secrets Act. After the war, Winston Churchill ordered all machines to be destroyed, and their existence was buried in secrecy.
Only after decades of obscurity were the fragments and files that survived brought together for the reconstruction of Colossus in 2007. Today, it still operates at the museum, on the very footprint where Colossus No.9 ran during the war.
I’m sure it goes without saying, but the achievements of Colossus are still awe-inspiring to this day and I certainly learnt a lot about the computers’ contribution to the war effort.
Remembrance Sunday in Buckingham and Armistice Day in Bletchley
On Sunday (10 November) I attended a Remembrance Parade organised by the Buckingham and District branch of The Royal British Legion - a charity close to all our hearts. A moving and thought-provoking memorial service was held outside St. Peter and St. Paul’s Church which enabled our town to once again reflect on the sacrifices that past generations have made to protect our freedoms and defend our values.
And lastly, for Armistice Day itself (11 November), I joined my fellow MPs Chris Curtis and Emily Darlington at the Milton Keynes Rose - a public space designed for commemoration, celebration and contemplation - to remember those who gave their lives for the freedoms of our city and our country.
Returning to Parliament
As I return to Westminster for another week in Parliament, I will take the conversations I have had over the course of the weekend with me. As your MP, I will always look out for veterans’ interests, and will never underestimate how immense a task it is to defend our great country.
