Archbishop of Canterbury praises military and their coronation role in New Year address
The Archbishop of Canterbury honoured the British Armed Forces as he delivered his annual start-of-the-year address from RAF Brize Norton.
The Most Rev Justin Welby said that "wars seem everywhere at the moment" as he listed his personal experience witnessing "the human cost of war" in Ukraine, the Middle East and Nagorno-Karabakh.
The archbishop started his 2024 New Year message by praising His Majesty's Armed Forces' role in the coronation, saying they embodied the theme of the coronation.
He said the Armed Forces were at the centre of the celebrations not "just because the world marvelled at their displays of pageantry" but because they, "like many, many others in the country embodied the theme of the coronation - service."
"They understood that it wasn't about being served by us but to serve," Most Rev Welby added.
The archbishop filmed this year's New Year's message at RAF Brize Norton where he said almost 6000 service personnel "are living out that oath every day, working to keep us safe and the country secure, delivering humanitarian aid following natural disasters, like the earthquake in Turkey last year, or supporting civilians in the midst of conflict in places like the Middle East."
RAF Brize Norton, 75 miles north-west of London, is the largest station of the Royal Air Force.
It Is home to the C-17 aircraft, which the archbishop gave a special mention to in his speech, that evacuated eligible Afghan personnel out of Kabul due to the UK and US withdrew out of the country in 2021.
Many of the refugees out of Kabul landed in RAF Brize Norton.
In a sombre tone, the archbishop said, "RAF Brize Norton is also the place where personnel who have made the ultimate sacrifice abroad come home."
"When they have lost their lives, this is where they return."
"We’re learning more and more how the horrors and traumas of war impact service personnel, sometimes long after.
"But there are also traumas for their loved ones.
"Families across the country feel the absence of relatives and those they love who are serving their country abroad."
"We fear for those of our fellow citizens who risk their lives defending and protecting the vulnerable and ensuring security."
The archbishop closed his annual address with wishes for a peaceful 2024.
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