A former Royal Navy nurse living in Belfast will honour her family’s wartime service in London on Remembrance Sunday.
Sue Warner (67), who moved to Belfast in 2012, has been invited to join a 50-strong Help for Heroes group, when they march past the Cenotaph on November 8.
She will be remembering her grandmother and great-uncle.
Following in the footsteps of her grandmother Audley Curson, who served in the First and Second World Wars, Sue joined the Queen Alexandra’s Royal Naval Nursing Service in 1997.
Sue Warner’s grandmother Audley Curson
Sue’s grandmother’s brother Stanley Curson enlisted in the Norfolk Regiment in January 1916 and was killed a year and 86 days later in Palestine aged 19. He is buried in Gaza.
Palestine was part of the Ottoman Empire and a major battleground for both the German-Ottoman and British-led forces.
Sue’s great-uncle Stanley Curson in 1916
Sue, who sustained life-changing injuries in Afghanistan, will be joining 10,000 others from the veteran community, to honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
“This will be my first time at the Cenotaph,” she said.
“I’ll feel proud because I’ll be representing Help for Heroes, and pride for my grandmother’s contribution in the First and Second World Wars — but also sadness when I think about my great-uncle and the people I know who lost their lives, or have been wounded and still live with life-changing injuries as a result of their service.”
Stanley Curson’s grave in Gaza
This will be the biggest group ever to represent the charity at the Cenotaph and will include some of the UK’s most seriously wounded veterans.
“In these increasingly turbulent times, it really matters that we never forget the brave men and women who have been killed or wounded in conflict and do everything we can to keep working towards peace,” Sue added.
“Remembrance gives us an opportunity to pause and reflect on this.”
As part of her recovery after service, Sue learnt to swim with support from Help for Heroes. She took part in the DoD Warrior Games in Virginia in 2015 and represented the United Kingdom at the Invictus Games in 2016, where she won a bronze medal.
Help for Heroes service director Rob Marston said he is glad to see Sue availing of the charity’s services.
“We remain at the side of veterans like Sue and their families who are struggling with painful injuries, mental trauma, isolation, and more, providing life-changing support for as long as it takes,” he said.
“That’s why it’s more important than ever that the public makes a promise to stand alongside our veterans to ensure they get the support they deserve.”
Help for Heroes is inviting members of the public to sign the People’s Promise, to show veterans that they intend to keep the promise to veterans and their families that they will be supported when their service ends.
The charity supports veterans (and their families) from any branch of the UK military, regular or reserves, irrespective of length or place of service, and local civilians (and their families) working under the command of the UK Armed Forces.