This November, young people from East Anglia’s cadet forces joined veterans, reservists and others to mark Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day to demonstrate the enduring values of service and remembrance, standing alongside veterans and their communities to honour those who served.
In a particularly moving example of this commitment, Stevenage Sea Cadets and Royal Marine Cadets joined a local veterans’ group for a remarkable three-day Guard of Honour at the Stevenage War Memorial.
From 0900 on Thursday 6 November through to 0800 on Sunday 9 November, cadets, veterans and members of the public maintained a continuous vigil in all weathers, concluding just before the town’s Remembrance Parade.
The young cadets stood guard through day and night shifts, shoulder to shoulder with veterans and so gaining real insight into what remembrance truly meant to those who had served.
Cdt L/Cpl Bulsara, 16, of the Stevenage Royal Marine Cadets, said: “It’s a time where we remember not just those who fell in the World Wars, but why we still stand here today. Speaking to the veterans, you get to see a different side of things—what we’re going into and what service really means.”
Cdt L/Cpl Bulsara feels many people his age “don’t realise what remembrance is for”, making events like this vital for raising awareness. He added: “Joining the cadets has given me life experience, from fieldcraft to meeting royalty, but days like this show what it’s really about: remembering why we stand, and who we stand with.”
Kelly Armstrong, an adult instructor with Stevenage Sea Cadets, highlighted the powerful impact of bringing generations together, saying: “For the cadets, this has broken down barriers. They’ve met veterans, heard their stories, and seen that they’re ordinary people who’ve done extraordinary things.
“It’s that trans-generational learning, passing the baton down to the youth.”
The Guard of Honour was organised by The Muster Point Community Interest Company (CIC), a Stevenage-based veteran-led community initiative. Stu Mendelson, a former Royal Engineer who was injured in Afghanistan before co-founding The Muster Point, explained the motivation behind the event.
He said: “For a lot of us who served, remembrance isn’t just one day a year—it’s every day. Standing here with other veterans and the cadets, [we’re] honouring those we lost but also showing that sense of service and brotherhood…lives on.”
Across East Anglia’s six counties—Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk—similar acts of remembrance took place throughout early November, with cadets participating in parades, services and community events. These young people exemplify the cadet ethos of developing responsible citizens whilst learning valuable life skills including leadership, teamwork and resilience.
For more information about volunteering with cadets visit our website. Details of The Muster Point’s veteran support services are also available online.
Main image courtesy of The Muster Point CIC
