An over-whelming sense of pride

Today was, of course, Remembrance Sunday.
So what better way to spend it than representing the respects of a most beloved world-known first aid organisation.
Caitlind, Shona, Christine and myself paid our respects at two Remembrance services; the first in Forres, the second in Keith.
After a warming cuppa at Shona's we headed down to Forres High Street to join the march there, where we brought up the rear of the parade. Caitlind and me very bravely decided to lay the wreath down ourselves, in front of many staring eyes, might I add. So we marched through Forres down to the statue and, because we were last in the parade, we were last to place our wreath upon the statue's aged remembrance plaque. It was a moment of immense pride, and that's what caught me most. The service as a whole was pretty emotional, and the purpose for which we were there just intensified it. To be a part of something that honors the veterans of war and those who died for their Queen and Country so that we may live freely in what was to them a distant future, is just asking for a tidal wave of emotion to well up inside you. To know that you're representing the one thing you're truly passionate about in doing so is what gets the water works on the verge of going. We stepped forwards, just us two, with Shona and Christine watching on the edge of the Guides squadron, and as we did so we caught the whispers of, "Ah, the British Red Cross are here too," which, personally, I found really increased the sense of pride in me. I also felt my pulse go up at a rate of knots; something which I definitely knew was happening in Caitlind as well. We climbed the stone steps together and Caitlind placed the wreath gently down upon the statue's base, then we stood back and bowed our heads in a silent salute to the names of those who died for "glory."
Once it was over and we had rejoined our fellow first aiders, the parade marched back through Forres and before we knew it, it was all over.
The four of us were frozen solid by the end of it, but there was no time to stop for a rest; it was back to the cars, turn up the heating, and speed on to Keith to get there in time for our second service.
We joked that our trips were resembling something along the lines of "Red Cross on Tour" and it could have been really, if we'd travelled to any more Remembrance services. Although I suppose there's only so many you can fit in in one day!
Anyhoo, we sped through to Keith and popped round to Alan and Kathleen's house for yet another cuppa, before heading down to the Legion (Alan and Kathleen are ace first aiders, for those of you who don't them...as are Shona and Christine, both of whom are a part of the Elgin RC branch - just thought I'd better make it clear for those who don't know who I'm on about!)
Keith's parade seemed a lot more...meh, formal, I suppose. The atmosphere was more serious in comparison with Forres, but maybe that was because there was six of us from the BRC this time, and we weren't stuck at the back. Instead we were slightly more within the parade, behind the T.A and air cadets. They proved helpful in keeping the time for the march, as did Kathleen, who's marching skills from her army days clearly haven't left her! The walk was longer too, and the crowds stood on either side of the road in almost total silence as we passed by, which really made the atmosphere all the more...sincere.
What was really ace though was the fact that us six British Red Cross volunteers, all wearing bright neon yellow, red-shouldered jackets with EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM displayed on their backs beneath the usual BRCS sign, were marching right in front of a team of St Andrew First Aiders, all clad in black. The only thing that out-did us slightly was their fancy-pants St Andrew's flag which they carried rather proudly.
Quick disclaimer: the British Red Cross and St Andrews, and come to think of it, St John, all work in harmony with one another as we are out there to do the same job, which is of course to preserve life and prevent the worsening of injury or sickness and be a comforting sign to the public, who we support in their time of need. Therefore there is no conflict between each first aid society; we support one another and take equal pride in our positions............it's just everyone knows the British Red Cross is better.
Anyhoo, moving swiftly on...
I knew there was a reason behind wearing our ER jackets today. Obviously it was just a ploy to try and fill St Andrews with envy of our amazingly cool, important-looking uniform. I know they eyed up my boiler suit when Caitlind and me walked through the bar area of the Legion, where everyone sat before heading out to join the forming procession.
Actually, that was quite funny, cos, if you can picture the scene for a moment: on one side of the room, there sat six BRC first aiders, in bright uniforms that you can see from several miles away, and on the other side of the room, there sat six or so St Andrew volunteers, dressed primly in their smart black outfits that would have fitted in at a funeral procession (I suppose you can guess who might've fitted in better with the march, on reflection). But it was almost like first aid team on first aid team. It felt like we were eyeing each other up at points; trying to work out who had the better uniform. I know us lot conversed over St Andrew's peak-rimmed caps. Not out of jealousy, by the way. I'd much rather just stick with the highly fluorescent jacket.
Perhaps I should leave this part of the blog post at that - I don't want to start anything here, or at least encourage anything that's been going on already.
So, the march through Keith was ace; was loving the regimental style. Maybe I should join the army, just for the marching...
What was also cool was when each leader of each squadron called to their group to "salute" to the important people (I'm nae uber knowledgeable of Remembrance Services really) and Alan actually shouted, "Red Cross, eyes right!" This order is pretty self explanatory - you turn your head to the right during the march as a salute to the important folk. To me, this was cool, cos everyone else got to do it in Forres when their leader shouted it, a part from us lot at the back, cos we just copied the Guides who copied the folk in front, which consequently meant no one shouted for us. It was just kinda ace cos it gave the RC some recognition in the march. As if our neon hi vis weren't recognition enough, ha.
The final 'perk' - if you want to call it that - of Keith's Remembrance Service was the third cup of tea that we got back at the Legion after the procession, with a sausage roll on the side. Notice the "a" - yes, we only got one.
But we were grateful; as Alan so rightly pointed out, "Someone died for that sausage roll you know!"

*****

"Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain."
'For the Fallen'