We will remember them.

Tomorrow we will be honouring the brave and selfless men and women, many of whom were Coastguards, who died in the service of their country.

During World War One, Coastguards could be called upon by the Royal Navy as reservists and posted to ships due to their expertise in signalling.   

HM Coastguard itself suffered considerable losses in the early months of the war, and following this, the Admiralty decided to return the majority of Coastguard personnel back to their stations. 

For the remainder of the war, shore based Coastguards continued with their duties as well as manning War Signal Stations, undertaking dangerous and highly specialised disposal of mines and keeping a watch for spies or saboteurs who may have tried to land.  They also provided early warning of raids by German warships and assisted the police and army in rounding up suspects and escaped POWs.

Each year HM Coastguard sends a contingent of twelve Coastguards from around the UK to the national service of remembrance at the Cenotaph in London. These twelve men and women represent full-time and volunteer coastguards, both maritime and coastal, and join many other emergency services representative at the Cenotaph service.

As we stand, shoulder to shoulder tomorrow with those serving in uniform, we’ll be reflecting as The Last Post echoes across the country of those who gave their today.   

When you go home
Tell them of us and say
For your tomorrow
We gave our today

On behalf of HM Coastguard, we will remember them.

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