Around about this time last year I was walking into town and noticed something in the gutter. It was a green plastic soldier – rather scratched and distorted, having been crushed by parked cars and half hidden by fallen leaves.
It made me think of the tomb of the unknown soldier in Westminster Abbey. Originally the idea of a chaplain Rev David Railton, after coming across a grave with a rough cross on which were pencilled the words “An Unknown British Soldier” in a back garden in Armentieres in 1916. So in August 1920 he wrote to the Dean of Westminster, Herbert Ryle, who arranged for a commemorative grave to be made. The body was chosen from unknown British servicemen exhumed from four battle areas, the Aisne, the Somme, Arras and Ypres. At the west end of the Nave of Westminster Abbey is the grave of the Unknown Warrior, whose body was brought from France to be buried here on 11th November 1920. The grave, which contains soil from France, is covered by a slab of black Belgian marble.
The body of the Unknown Warrior may be from any of the three services, Army, Navy or Air Force, and from any part of the British Isles, Dominions or Colonies and any rank. As one of the inscriptions reads,” Unknown and yet well-known”, the actual identity of the warrior may not be known but he represents all who have given their lives in the service of their country.
Rev Janice Honey-Morgan (Royal Navy chaplain) says at least three families believe that the buried Unknown soldier is in fact their grandfather and have visited the site to pay their respects.
However, God knows who he is. Just as He intimately knows each of us. No-one slips by unnoticed. No one is ignored or unloved. Each of us is unique and special. We don’t have to be a hero. We don’t have to have shown such great sacrificial love. God knows and loves you.
As we consider the sacrifices others, even those we can’t name, made for our freedom – let’s remember always the Son of God we can name – Jesus- who gave His life once for all.
Living God,
We remember today the cost of war and the price of peace. Help us to go on remembering, tomorrow and every day and to do all in our power to work for Your Kingdom here on earth. At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them and we will remember the sacrifice of Your Son, our Saviour, Jesus, Amen