Transcript
Gents and those watching on YouTube to this special council meeting to confer the freedom of the borough on the Coldstream Guards. Are there any questions? First, it is with great pleasure that I welcome members of the Coldstream Guards and their family and friends to this meeting.
I call upon the leader, councillor Stephen Cowan, to formally move the report and recommendations.
Formally moved.
Is the report and its recommendations agreed?
In recognition of their outstanding military service, the council confers the honour of the freedom of the borough.
I call upon the councillors Cowan, Alfonso, Rhee, Pascoe, Talbert, Daly and Walsh to give speeches.
Hello, please.
Madam, this way of life that we have lived for over a hundred years in this amazing country of ours,
where this amazing way of life, where there are free and fair elections, there is a rule of law,
There is equality amongst people in the situations that you're born into under the law.
There is a free press.
There is a free opposition.
This way of a life of ours, this way of life that was pioneered by Britain in many ways throughout our history,
has always needed to be argued for.
It's always needed to be fought for.
It's always needed to be defended.
It is therefore a huge honour for everyone in this council chamber to bestow the highest honour
that we can offer to anyone to give the freedom of the borough to the Coldstream Gods.
It is true that as a British citizen in Britain, you do not have to bend the knee to no one because of fear of intimidation.
And that is not the case in every other country around the world.
And the Coldstream Gods' history of defending that and helping fight for it is long.
It's long because the Coldstream Gods are the oldest continuously serving regiment in His Majesty's army.
Starting in 1650, fighting in every single conflict from then on in, from the Civil War to Waterloo.
From the First World War II, they were the first in fighting in Passchendaele and first soldiers to arrive in France to take part in that battle.
In World War II, they were the first in the British Expeditionary Force fighting in North Africa.
In Afghanistan and Iraq, they were the first in Ukraine now, as people fight for the same liberties that we here enjoy.
They are training and advising and helping the Ukrainian people fight for their way of life.
There is so much to be proud of about the British Army, and the Coldstream Gods epitomises every single aspect of that.
But this is not just about an abstract army or regiment.
This is about the women and men who join up and give service.
People who thought to themselves that they would put themselves on the line to fight for us.
So I don't just thank every single member who's here today, but I recognise the sacrifice that people's, that every single soldier's family makes.
And we pay tribute to the soldiers and their families for making that sacrifice in order to be that line of defence.
In Hammersmith and Fulham, we have Reserve No. 17 Company.
There are 97 members of that force.
And they are led by a variety of very senior and professional officers.
But I have particularly come to know Major Vandley Kennedy, himself, someone who fought in Iraq and has taken part in a number of conflicts.
So today, as we gather for a very rare ceremony to bestow the freedom of the borough on all of these fine soldiers here, I would simply say thank you.
We salute you. We salute you. And you have the freedom of Hammersmith and Fulham. Thank you.
Thank you.
Councillor Alfonso.
Madam Mayor, tonight we confer the freedom of the borough on the Coldstream Guards, a
most worthy recipient. The Coldstream Guards, as Councillor Cowan has just said, have a
rich history, dating all the way back to the English Civil War and serving in almost every
major conflict this country has fought. The regiment has rightly earned a reputation for
loyalty and courage, with 13 members being awarded the Victoria Cross. Our community
is lucky to host the No. 17 Company, the recently established Reserve Company of the Coldstream
Guards, based in Hammersmith and under the command of the 1st Battalion, the London Guards. The
men and women of the 17 Company live, work and soldier primarily here in London and come
from a diverse set of personal and professional backgrounds. In recent times, 17 Company has
been deployed to various locations, including Kenya, Estonia, Cyprus, showcasing their active
involvement in both domestic and international operations. They even participated in the
coronation of King Charles III, demonstrated their continued commitment to state and ceremonial
duties. The company's strong ties to our community include Remembrance Sunday, Armed Forces Day
and beyond. And in partnership with our borough, the Coldstream Guards and the Mayor established
a fantastic annual Hammersmith and Fulham Mayor's Coldstream Guards Awards for local schools to
recognise those who go above and beyond. In this year's iteration, eight extraordinary
teams won awards in the areas of sporting achievement, academic achievement, overcoming adversity and,
of course, the Mayor's Special Award. It is right that we keep celebrating the very best
in our borough, and these awards have our full support. Madam Mayor, we on this side thank
the Coldstream Guards for their contribution to our community. With this year being the 80th
anniversary of VE Day, it is right for our borough to honour them for their continued service
to our country and our community. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Madam Mayor, and can I take this opportunity to congratulate you on
your appointments. I'm sure it's going to be an absolutely fantastic year. As we all know,
Hammersmith and Fulham has deep historic ties to our military. At the start of the
20th century, the Admiralty chose Wormwood Scrubs as a base for what was then the cutting
edge of military technology, the airship. In the First and Second World Wars, Fulham Palace
was used as a hospital and a shelter for those affected by the bombings, and it housed the
Women's Auxiliary Air Force. Just around the corner from here, General Montgomery and his
team planned the D-Day landings, which did so much to change the course of the Second World
War. And at our last meeting here at this council, we heard about the heroic service of our former
mayor, Councillor Charlie Triloggan, who served his country in the Royal Navy and was actually
in Tokyo Bay on VEJ Day. For generations, men and women from across our borough have signed
up to protect our country at home and overseas, risking their lives to keep us safe. I'm sure
that I speak for everyone when I say that we are grateful for their heroism and humbled
by their sacrifice. In this year, the 80th anniversary of VE Day, we are pleased to be
able to thank military veterans, all military veterans, for their service, with a 25% council
tax cut, a small token of our thanks for the risks that they have taken in fighting for our
country. And that brings me to the remarkable service of the Coldstream Guards, who we are
honouring tonight. As we've heard, the oldest continuously serving regiment in the British
Army formed during the English Civil War as part of Cromwell's New Model Army. It's ironic
that today it's responsible for protecting the royal household. Through its illustrious history,
the Coldstream Guards have played a crucial role in many of Britain's most important military
victories. In the Battle of Bayonne in the Peninsular War, the Battle of Waterloo, where Napoleon
was defeated, and the battles of Alma in the Crimean War and Belmont in the Boer War. In
the First World War, they fought at Ypres and the Somme. In the Second, they fought against
Rommel in North Africa and took part in Operation Market Garden as we took back Europe from the
Nazis. Since the war, they have served in conflict zones around the world, from the Middle East to
Northern Ireland. It is no exaggeration to say that the Coldstream Guards have shaped the world that we
live in, and it is in no small part thanks to them that we are able to enjoy the freedoms and the
way of life that we have today. But we are not just honouring them for their service to our country
overseas, but also their service right here in Hammersmith and Fulham. Seventeenth Company have made our
borough their home and have quickly become a central part of our community. They are a staple of civic
life in the borough and an inspiration to many. As Councillor Alfonso mentioned, they've established
the Coldstream Guards Awards, and I was actually lucky enough to be able to attend the awards ceremony
in March of this year, where I met the extraordinary young men and women who have achieved such great
things. As Major Vandley Kennedy said, these aren't awards given out just for turning up, these are
people who have made real accomplishments. And I saw the pride that he felt in them and their
achievements, and I saw the awe in which they looked at the regiment. Who knows what great things
these young people will do in the future, but they can have no better role models than the people
they met there that night. I'm delighted that this evening, we can thank the Coldstream Guards
with honouring them with the freedom of the borough. In part, to thank them for their heroic
service over their long and storied history, but also for the remarkable things that they
will do in the future. I'm sure I speak for everyone again when I say that I'm proud that
our borough will have a small part to play in that. Thank you very much.
Councillor Pascoe-Tulbert
It gives me enormous pleasure to speak on this motion. The presence of the Coldstream Guards in
our borough is a source of great honour and pride to us all. We are delighted to have you in Hammersmith
and Fulham, and I warmly echo what has been said by others tonight. Despite the huge global
and geopolitical challenges we face, we live in a world that is in many ways more immediately
insulated from military reality than it's been for many previous generations. That is immensely
fortunate. It is also immensely hard won. And with that relative luxury, there comes a risk
that we might become blasé and a little bit indifferent, forgetting that our comfort and our safety comes
from the fact that there are a large number of people in this country, volunteers and professionals,
who, at the time of need, willingly take arms on our behalf, defending our interests, our security and ultimately our loved ones.
The presence of residents such as the Coldstream Guards in our communities therefore becomes additionally valuable.
Because when we see you, be it at ceremonial occasions or more informally, it makes us think
that it is not just of things that happened in history books, not merely about tradition or ceremony or bright red tunics,
but also about the nature of service, of national identity, of teamwork, of pride.
These are immediate and important things.
It is also for me a personal pleasure to see the Coldstream out and about.
In my early twenties, many of my friends joined the army, several of them this particular regiment.
And as a result, I probably had more than my fair share of military hospitality, including and occasionally memorably from this regiment.
Serious people doing serious tasks, but also remembering to have fun and to enjoy life.
There's a lesson in there.
So thank you to the Coldstream Guards and specifically Seventeen Company.
Thank you for your service and for your presence in our area.
Keep the blue, red, blue flying.
And we hope that we too, in our civil endeavours, will aspire to be Nelly Secundus.
Thank you.
Councillor Daly.
May I also congratulate you on your election, Mayor.
Thank you for calling me to speak this evening.
As we move into this final year of this electoral cycle, I've been reflecting on what it is to be an elected member of the Chamber, to have the privilege of representing and serving my community.
One unexpected privilege for me above and beyond is that of being right here in this chamber as we celebrate the bestowing of the freedom of the borough onto a handful, just a handful of committed and dedicated individuals and organisations.
In my term, this has included the Foodbank founder, Duffin Akins, Noren McCool, our most dedicated foster mother, having fostered some 250 borough children, and the Disabled People's Commission for their significant contribution to wellbeing.
What a gift it is to be a councillor in Hammersmith and Fulham.
And again, an absolute privilege to be here this evening to recognise both the outstanding military service of the iconic Coldstream Guards and the very active engagement of the 17th Division right here within our community.
I now feel duty-bound to declare a non-pecuniary interest, being a co-opted member of the Scottish Stuart clan.
I can tell you about one confusing day at Rufford Old Hall, where one of my very young children thought to point at a painting of James VI or James I, depending on where you stand on that,
and declared him a great, great, great something grandpa.
It was a very proud moment for Dad.
The Coldstream Guards were instrumental in returning the Stuart dynasty to the throne a mere 350 years ago, so suppose it's beholden on me now to take this opportunity to thank you on behalf of the East Kilbride branch of the Royal Stuart family tree.
Now, it's just two weeks ago that we celebrated the 80th anniversary of the victory in Europe, and I expect on that day we all took a moment to reflect on the nature of armed service,
the absolute realities of what it means to be caught up in conflict and the family members and neighbours who stood up and fought against fascism.
My own grandfather enlisted in the British Army as a child to take up a fight for freedom, and once won, then enlisted in his homelands to take up the fight for freedom there.
I am in awe of the sense of duty and patriotism over self interest that drove him and that drives other men and women to volunteer for armed service, and indeed in the commitment and dedication required to be a reservist.
We have no, you know, and it's been mentioned we have war on our doorstep here in Europe, and the government has committed to increasing spending on defense as a response to that geopolitical instability.
It's proposed a contingent of 10,000 UK troops be deployed as part of a larger European peacekeeping force to police any agreement in Ukraine.
That's a larger peacekeeping force that has been committed for many years, including the UN missions in Estonia and Cyprus, in which the 17th Division of the Coldstream Guards has participated.
And I am in awe of the men and women who volunteered to defend our freedoms.
Reservists in the Coldstream Guards encompass the values of selfless commitment, respect, dignity, loyalty, integrity, discipline and courage, utterly deserving of our highest honour.
And so I see it as our honour to have them based in the borough, and I am so pleased that this council is able to recognise the contribution of the 17th Division of the Coldstream Guards to our communities,
and long may they continue to foster ever deeper links here.
Thank you for your service.
Councillor Walsh.
Thank you, Mayor, and of course my first words must be to yourself in congratulating you on becoming our borough's first citizen.
Mayor, I must echo much of what has been said tonight by our colleagues on both sides of the chamber here.
The long history of the Coldstream Guards is something of immense pride for our borough.
Tonight, we have gathered here, we've exchanged views, we've all taken part in our own elections in 22.
We spent much of this, the year just gone, in the peaceful transfer of power.
All of that is fundamentally done in the spirit of peace.
But of course, to achieve peace, there must first be security.
And for the security is essential that there are those who make the ultimate sacrifices, and the families around them as well, that make that sacrifice as well.
And we are immensely privileged that this is something that has, we've got such a long history in our borough and our country of having that.
And of course, the Coldstream Guards are the perfect example of that.
As mentioned, the sheer length, the number of wars they've been involved in, the achievements that they've made.
I think as the leader of the opposition pointed out, the number of Victoria Crosses that they have been awarded.
All of this means that we've been able to gather here tonight without a thought for the repercussions of peace and just been able to take part and live democracy.
That is something we must be immensely thankful for.
As a borough representative to the armed forces, I am delighted that we are awarding our highest civic honor to these members tonight.
I will finally finish by just saying thank you.
Thank you for calling Hammersmith and Fulham your home.
And thank you for being the very best representation of what it means to serve king and country.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I will now invite Major Rudy Yvandele Kennedy to come forward to receive the scroll on behalf of the Coldstream Guards and give a response.
I've asked my consult to help me present the scroll.
Madam Mayor, on behalf of the regiment and the company, we are grateful for the recognition and the honor that is besowed with the freedom of the borough.
The board of the regiment and the government, which is the most important, the government, is the most important part of the regiment.
The board of the regiment and number 17 company have provided.
But it is very touching to hear the words that have said, because it is a reflection of service that the men and women of the regiment and number 17 company have provided.
We only turned up in Hammersmith a few years ago, but to be frank, it feels like we've been here a very long time.
We felt that this was a place where we wanted to have a presence, and we also felt this is a home where we do not need to sit in lots of meetings and committees, etc.
But through service of the company, the regiment, but also the service of the council, the leadership and the members of the council and the teams who've made life so easy.
We are delighted to have established with Armed Forces Day, etc.
But certainly the Mayor's Coldstream Guards Award are extremely touching.
I think it's probably the most touching because what nobody asked for was resources, money or meetings.
Through a simple conversation about how can we recognize what's important, etc.
Something and have created something for the benefit of the school children to give them an example to reflect the service that they have done.
We are extremely grateful for the freedom of the borough that you have awarded to us.
I can assure you we will be exercising the freedom of the borough.
And we will be dressed accordingly and will take to the streets because it is not just the freedom of the borough of the Coldstream Guards and the local representation within the community of the Coldstream Guards number 17 company.
It is also recognizing not just Madam Mayor and the council, but that we are also part of the community because our soldiers come from the community.
And especially within number 17 company.
They are soldiers and guardsmen of the Coldstream Guards.
They are nulli secundus and second to none, but also to recognize that they have families.
They have civilian jobs and responsibility, and they have taken the choice of their own free will to do additional service for the benefit of His Majesty the King and our country.
Ladies and gentlemen, Madam Mayor, thank you very much for this honor and I can honestly say, even though I feel really rather touched.
Thank you very much for this honor and I think this is probably one of the most emotional conversations I've ever had.
I thank you for the honor on behalf of the company and the regiment. Thank you.
That's the end of tonight's special council meeting. Thank you everyone for attending or watching.
I would like to invite the councillors and guests with us to join me for a reception here in the Chablis suite.
Good night to everybody. Thank you.
Thank you.
