Day 7 – Remembrance Day, Kolkata.
Michael Russell at the Cenotaph in Kolkata
Wreaths from the Government of West Bengal, the UK Government and the Scottish Government tonight lie side by side with those from Russia, the United States, Germany, Italy, the Indian Army, the Kolkata Police, and many others at the Cenotaph here.
On Remembrance Sunday I have found myself at many memorials, for it is the day we recall and honour all those who have lost their lives, been injured or served in armed conflict. At these events I always have my own father in mind who was wounded at Dunkirk when in the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders and only narrowly escaped capture. He went on to serve in the Middle East after recuperation but he still carried the marks of what he had experienced in battle. Others will have their own memories of course.
It was a great honour to be part of today’s event. The surrounding roads were closed to traffic but even so the bustle of the city still could be heard on the Maidan. But it was blended with the music of the pipes – from a Gurkha and a Bihari Regiment – and created a poignant backdrop that framed the two minutes silence.