Veterans vent frustration as hundreds of family members are excluded from annual march
New system prioritised veterans and widows over other family members meaning numbers at march past the Cenotaph could be down by 1,600
VETERAN soldiers have expressed their anger after hundreds of family members were excluded from the Remembrance Sunday parade.
The annual march past the Cenotaph is always oversubscribed and usually accommodates 10,000 mourners but heightened security means many won’t be able to attend this year.
The event in Whitehall is due to take place tomorrow and reports that numbers could be reduced by around 1,600 people.
Fears over a possible terror attack meant the Royal British Legion used greater security measures and drew up an attendance list consisting of only veterans and widows.
For the first time participants had to supply names, addresses and dates of birth in advance of the parade.
Colonel Richard Kemp, a former military commander in Afghanistan, said it was a “great shame” that children and other relatives were missing out on the chance to pay their respects.
He said: “It cannot be underestimated how much these memorials mean to the loved ones of those who have been lost.”
He added: “I think the Royal British Legion should have been more proactive in the circumstances to make sure every place available was filled.
RELATED STORIES
“They have had a long time to think about this. We certainly cannot say that this security threat is new.”
Organisers are hoping the numbers will be filled before the parade tomorrow and are hoping for a return to usual numbers next year.
It said the change to the ticketing system had been made to control the number of participants and allow the maximum number of service personnel and veterans to take part.
A spokeswoman said: “We stand by the decision to apply more rigorous eligibility criteria for participation in the [parade], which was taken with the agreement of a wide range of stakeholder groups from across the veteran community and government.
“As a result of this decision every veteran who wants to march past the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday is now able to do so, and we must prioritise those who have served as part of the British Armed Forces.
“The number of participants this year is marginally lower than our limit of 10,000, however we expect to see this figure rise again next year once the new system is more widely understood.”
The new rules have angered some families who have marched in remembrance of their relatives in the past.
Sally Aitchison, who has taken part in the march for the past five years in honour of her father, said: “I got a call saying I didn't have a ticket because of this and I'm still in a state of shock.”
The 47-year-old, from Croydon, added: “Every year I get my father's medals down from where I have them in storage.
“Standing on the sidelines is just never going to be the same.”
Nadir Syed was jailed for life earlier this after plotting to murder someone in a Lee Rigby-style beheading around Armistice Day in 2014.
The 23-year-old from West London had been inspired by ISIS after listening to a call to arms by the group’s spokesman Abu Muhammad al-Adnani.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368.