Portsmouth Welcomes the Flamme de la Liberte

You may have seen in Hampshire & Isle of Wight's May 2024 newsletter a piece on the French Freedom Flame visiting Portsmouth.  What you probably did not know was that Sutton Scotney & District Standard was one of the 20 or so Hampshire Standards on parade.  I did not know myself until the night before, and the event was not open to the public.  This was perhaps down to logistical reasons; as our parade was delayed and disrupted at the start when a line of cars and caravans had to drive a wedge between a row of standard bearers in order to board their ferry!

However, looking back upon the parade, I realise I was taking part in a piece of history.  The eternal flame that has been burning alongside the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier under the Arc de Triomphe since 1921, has never before left Paris.  This year however, to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, and the start of France's liberation, a spur of that flame is being carried by young ambassadors of France, in the footsteps of General Patton, all the way to Arlington Cemetery. 

I was privileged to be there, representing not only my branch, and our former D-Day veteran members, with all the poignancy that represents, but also my country, to our French and American allies.  I was not alone in feeling a sense of pride and privilege.  I could see it in my fellow standard bearers; in how they marched.  I am not a military man, but our friends across the Channel could learn a thing or two.

About a third of all Hampshire's standard bearers managed to attend, which is quite something on a week night.  Our County Chair was there, along with the National Treasurer of the Women's Section.  It was facing them that the attending Hampshire RBL Standard Bearers formed up and dipped standards as an act of homage to the tragic passing of our late National President, Vice Admiral Sir Clive Johnstone, who had died just a couple days prior shortly after the National Conference.

It is also worth mentioning, that in the hour or so running up to the parade we got chatting to a couple sailors from HMS Nelson who we were going to be parading alongside us.  These were new recruits, only about a year into their Naval Service and both from Commonwealth countries.  They were not aware of who the RBL were.  So I took immediate steps to enlighten them.