The Premier of the Virgin Islands Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) laid a wreath at the United Kingdom’s Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph in London’s Whitehall, on Sunday, November 14, 2021. Photo: BBC

Premier Andrew A. Fahie (R1) said he was humbled by the opportunity to pay tribute to the men and women of the Commonwealth, including the West Indies, who made the ultimate sacrifice during World War I. Photo: BBC

Premier of the Virgin Islands, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1). 2021 marked the first time that a serving Premier had the privilege of laying a wreath on behalf of the Territory. Photo: BBC

The Service of Remembrance commemorates members of the armed services who lost their lives in the line of duty. 

This year marked the first time that a serving Premier had the privilege of laying a wreath on behalf of the Territory. In 2019, Ms Tracy Bradshaw, Interim Director and BVI UK/EU Representative, laid the wreath on behalf of the Virgin Islands, which marked the first occasion that the Territory was able to lay a wreath in its own right.

Speaking afterwards, Premier Fahie, said: “I am humbled that my first official task upon arriving in the UK was to lay a wreath on behalf of the people of the Virgin Islands on this Remembrance Sunday and to pay tribute to the men and women of the Commonwealth, including the West Indies, who made the ultimate sacrifice during World War I. While laying the wreath, I remembered and gave thanks to those noble Virgin Islanders who are military veterans and had served in the armed forces with such courage. I was also honoured to lay the wreath alongside leaders from other overseas territories.”

The Cenotaph is a war memorial on Whitehall in London, England and is the site of the annual National Service of Remembrance which is held at 11:00 am on Remembrance Sunday. 

The poppy is the enduring symbol of remembrance of the First World War. It is strongly linked with Armistice Day (11 November) but the poppy’s origin as a popular symbol of remembrance lies in the landscapes of the First World War. Poppies were a common sight, particularly on the Western Front and provided inspiration for the famous poem, “In Flanders Fields”. In response to the poem, American humanitarian Moina Michael campaigned to make the poppy a symbol of remembrance of those who had died in the war and is now means to raise money for thousands of former service men and women every year.