On the 6th of November 2002 Her Majesty The Queen officially inaugurated the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill, in London. These gates have been erected as a lasting memorial to honour the five million men and women from the Indian subcontinent, Africa and the Caribbean who volunteered to serve with the Armed Forces during the First and Second World Wars. They also celebrate the contribution that these men and women and their decedents, members of the commonwealth family, continue to make to the rich diversity of British society.
Since Her Majesty opened the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill in 2002, there has been a wreath laying ceremony at the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill to commemorate the actions of all those from the Empire who fought for the British in the two World Wars. Recently this has been organised on Commonwealth Day and this year on the 11thof March, Britons will be paying their respects in the time honoured way.
Every year the Memorial Gates Council invites significant individuals to attend including the Defence Secretary and the Chief of the Defence Staff. This year Lord Karan Bilimoia, Chairman of the Memorial Gates Council and life President, Baroness Flather have been inviting particular community representatives to lay wreath, and pay respect to the fallen. Ministers associated with the Armed Forces, all three Service Chiefs and the Senior Civil Servants are specially invited in order to represent their people and to show the appropriate commitment to the commemorative activities.
The invite only event will start at 10:15am and go on till 12:30pm. The focus of the commemoration will be on Commonwealth citizens who volunteered to serve in Royal Air Force and the Royal Flying Corps and fight for our freedom. The Band of the Grenadier Guards will provide a music for this year's ceremony.
