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Cliff Buddle

The annual ceremony of remembrance, for those who fought and died in two world wars and other conflicts, serves not only as a memorial to the fallen, but also a reminder of the horror of war.
This year, Remembrance Sunday, marked today in Hong Kong and many other parts of the world, will carry even more meaning than usual.
Sadly, we have in recent times witnessed fresh, harrowing evidence of the terrible toll war takes on human life, that of both combatants and, especially, defenceless civilians caught up in the conflict.
The surprise attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, saw about 1,200 people killed, in their homes, in the streets and at a music festival. More than 200 were taken hostage.
Israel’s uncompromising response – devastating air raids and an assault by ground forces on Gaza – is estimated to have cost more than 11,000 lives.
The chilling stories of those who have lost loved ones, both in Israel and Gaza, and distressing news footage of the conflict are painful to watch. The suffering of the children is heartbreaking.
‘Horrific’: Israel faces more pressure to stop ‘targeting’ Gaza hospitals
Meanwhile, Russia’s war in Ukraine drags on. The number of troops killed runs into hundreds of thousands. Civilian casualties are high and millions have been displaced.
Today we remember those who lost their lives in the wars and other conflicts of the 20th century and beyond. We are entitled to feel angry and outraged that the lessons of history have not been learned.
The first world war cost more than 15 million lives between 1914 and 1918. It was supposed to be the war to end all wars. But the second global conflict swiftly followed. And the carnage continues.
It is important to remember those who died. Today, the traditional ceremony of remembrance will take place at the Cenotaph in Central, organised by the Hong Kong Ex-Servicemen’s Association and the local branch of the Royal British Legion.
The 82nd anniversary of the Battle of Hong Kong, when Japanese forces invaded the city and went on to occupy it for three years and eight months, will be commemorated next month. Thousands died in the defence of Hong Kong in 1941.
The Royal British Legion’s poppy appeal raised more than HK$600,000 last year to provide assistance to Hong Kong ex-servicemen, women and their dependents in need of help. The poppies were on sale yesterday on the streets of Hong Kong Island. The organisation stresses that all the beneficiaries are residents of the city.
Here in Britain, the poppies – which continued to grow on the bleak battlefields of the western front in the first world war – are widely worn. There will be ceremonies and church services all over the country, with the national service of remembrance attended by members of the royal family at the Cenotaph in Whitehall.
This year, there has been controversy. A big pro-Palestinian protest, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, took place in London yesterday, Armistice Day, the anniversary of the end of the fighting in World War I. The police resisted government pressure to ban the march. This is a sensitive time. But the right to peaceful protest should be able to coexist with respect for remembrance activities.
The impact of war is felt across generations. My great-grandfather, Ernest Jackson, was killed in the first world war, fighting in the Passchendaele campaign in Belgium in 1917. He was a father of five young children. The words on his gravestone read: “Weep not for me nor sorrow take, but love my children for my sake.”
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My grandfather also endured the horrors of the trenches on the western front as a teenager. My parents have childhood memories of bombs falling during the blitz in World War II. Those of us who have lived in times and places of peace can consider ourselves fortunate.
The poppies worn today should be seen as a symbol not only of remembrance but of hope. We remember those who have died and all affected by war, while longing for peace.


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War and conflict

Poppies we wear are a symbol not only of remembrance but of hope

Remembrance Day ceremony at Police Headquarters in Wan Chai. Photo: Dickson Lee

Gaza war sharpens Arab world’s grievances against Israel: ‘peace is only on paper’

Protesters on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing with Gaza hold placards denouncing the killing of civilians during a rally at the site last month. Photo: AFP

Protesters shout anti-Israel slogans during a rally to show solidarity with the people of Gaza after Friday in Cairo on October 20. Photo: AP

Israel’s foreign minister (second from left) chats with his counterparts from Bahrain and the UAE, accompanied by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in March last year. Photo: AFP

Volunteers and members of the UAE’s Red Crescent Society in Dubai prepare boxes with humanitarian aid and relief goods for Palestinians last month. Photo: EPA-EFE

The Abrahamic Family House, an interfaith complex consisting of a mosque, church and synagogue, in the Saadiyat Cultural District of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Photo: Bloomberg

King Charles leads Remembrance Day silence for first time as British monarch

Britain’s King Charles III attends the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at The Cenotaph on Whitehall in London. Photo: AP

Ukraine war no longer ‘remote’ for Southeast Asia as impact of year-long conflict takes toll

Rescue workers clear the rubble of a residential building destroyed by a Russian rocket in Pokrovsk, Ukraine, on February 15, 2023. Photo: AP

Servicemen fire artillery from their position at Ukrainian troops in the Russian-controlled Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, in October 2022. Photo: AP

Russian President Vladimir Putin during his annual televised New Year’s message on December 31, 2022. Photo: AP

A woman stands next to her house following a rocket attack on Kyiv, Ukraine, on February 25, 2022. Photo: AP

Opinion

Comment

This year’s Remembrance Sunday carries even more meaning than usual as we witness fresh, harrowing evidence of the terrible toll of war


This year’s Remembrance Sunday carries even more meaning than usual as we witness fresh, harrowing evidence of the terrible toll of war.


My Take

Israel

Israel-Gaza war

Ukraine

Ukraine war

Expresses the views, ideas and conclusions of the author. (Eg. Enough of Crazy Rich Asians, think of crazy poor Hongkongers.)


Column

My Take | Poppies we wear are a symbol not only of remembrance but of hope

This year’s Remembrance Sunday carries even more meaning than usual as we witness fresh, harrowing evidence of the terrible toll of war