A BIDFORD firefighter has spoken of the “privilege” of representing his Warwickshire colleagues at this year’s Remembrance Day service at the London Cenotaph.
Mike Franklin, crew manager at the village’s Bramley Way station, was selected to represent the county’s fire service after volunteering to take part in the civil service contingent (CSC) of the honour guard.
He was among 200 civil service representatives who gathered the night before at a London hotel to be briefed on the event.
The following day saw an early start with a 6am breakfast and foot drill practice from 7.15am at the Foreign and Commonwealth Offices off Whitehall, before they were reviewed ahead of the parade by Lord Chancellor Kenneth Clarke MP.
Mr Franklin said: “It was certainly a moving experience watching the lines of veterans file past the Cenotaph, despite the persistent rain that began during the parade.
“I would like to thank WFRS for giving me the privilege of attending the event.
“Usually I would be at the Bidford memorial on Remembrance Day.”
Sir Ken Knight, chief fire and rescue advisor to HM Government, laid a wreath at the Cenotaph on behalf of the CSC.
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