Lewes District Council’s Armed Forces Champion, Councillor Sharon Davy, has laid a poppy wreath at Chailey Memorial to remember those who have served and died in the line of duty.
Remembrance Day services and parades usually take place on the second Sunday in November but have been cancelled this year due to the national lockdown over Covid-19.
Councillor Davy said: “I volunteered to be the Armed Forces Champion in remembrance of my late father - Ralph Alexander who served in the Royal Navy on HMS Campbell - he was 19 in 1939.
“Arctic and Atlantic battles were particularly touch and go. 400,000 loved ones never came home, my father was one of around 3.8 million men who survived and returned from the Second World War.
“Our Armed Forces and the wider ex-Service community are still part of the very fabric of our society and not always fighting in foreign lands on behalf of freedom and democracy. They are always on hand to call upon in an emergency and here they are in 2020 helping in practical ways to assist fighting the virus pandemic that has invaded our lives.
“Living in our current pandemic virus crisis, I, along with others often feel pessimistic. But then, I give myself a sharp pinch as a reminder of how previous generations had to endure six years of war and food rationing was in place until 1953, we are luckier than them. It puts things into perspective.
“Lest we forget for those that gave so much.”
As part of her role as Armed Forces Champion, Councillor Davy sits on the East Sussex Civil Military Partnership which ensures that people in the county who serve and have served in the Armed Forces and their families are treated fairly.
In addition, Lewes District Council has received a bronze award from the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) in recognition of its commitment and support for defence personnel.
Councillor Davy said: “I am delighted that as a council we have pledged to support the armed forces and are open to employing reservists, armed forces veterans, cadet instructors and partners of those in the military.”
