THIS article is being published on Monday 11 November, Remembrance Day, when at 11 am people will pause in their daily round to reflect on the sacrifices which those who serve in our navy, army and air force have made over the years on our behalf.

We are about to enter the centenary year of the First World War, which was the genesis of Remembrance Day and Remembrance Sunday. To someone whose workplace is in Central London it is inspiring that the everyday bustle of the capital city is muted for this act of remembrance.

Of course it is not just the loss of those who served in the First World War to which we pay tribute, but all the subsequent conflicts, whether the Second World War or those up to the present day like Afghanistan.

One of our greatest leaders, Winston Churchill, served his country in the 1914-18 War and went on to be a lion in its defence – the defence of democracy – in the Second World War. His statue is a familiar sight in the Members’ Lobby of the House of Commons, but, less immediately visible, is the scarred stonework, damaged by bombing in that conflict. This was left unrepaired so that Members of Parliament would always have a visible reminder of the threats and dangers faced during those years.

The First World War left many soldiers facing a lifetime of physical and mental suffering. Today, too, there will be members of our armed services who will face disabilities, whether of the body or of the mind, which they have sustained for our country. We should always remember those who have paid with their lives for our freedom, as well as those who have lost members of their family in the same service.