Parents of Private Gregg Stone to join London Cenotaph march in son's memory
THE parents of a soldier killed in Afghanistan will march at the Cenotaph in London on Remembrance Day.
Private Gregg Stone’s parents, Bob and Angie, had been told only servicemen could take part in the annual parade.
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Angie and Bob Stone, left, parents of Private Gregg Stone will attend the Remembrance Day march at the Cenotaph in London.
But after a call from the Mail to the Royal British Legion’s headquarters, the family were told they had been given wrong information.
Now, Gregg’s parents plan to join the parade on Sunday, November 11, and intend to lay a poppy wreath in memory of their son at the national memorial.
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Angie, 56, said: “Bob was over the moon when we heard we could attend.
“This means so much to him – to us both. We are just so pleased.
“It has really lifted Bob’s spirits. He has even been out to buy himself a new shirt so he looks his best .”
Dad-to-be Gregg, 20, of Atwick, near Hornsea, was shot dead attempting to rescue an Afghan policeman in the Nahr-e-Saraj district of Helmand province on June 3.
Angie said: “Before Gregg went to Afghanistan, Bob told him he planned to go to London on Remembrance Sunday and asked if he could wear his medal.
“When we lost Gregg we knew we wanted to go to London still and march at the Cenotaph for him.
“But we had been told the parade was only for current service personnel and veterans.
“We were upset, because the politicians who sent Gregg to Afghanistan would be there. Most of them haven’t served a day.”
The Mail contacted the Royal British Legion, which quickly confirmed the wrong information had been given to the family and apologised for the distress caused.
Angie said: “I spoke to one of the main organisers who was lovely and very apologetic. She said she would be very pleased to have us come along.”
Bob and Angie will lay a wreath bearing the badge of The Yorkshire Regiment.
“Bob has an exact replica of Gregg’s medal, which he plans to wear,” said Angie. “I have a set of smaller mess medals.”
Gregg, a past pupil of Hornsea School, served with the third battalion.
He had been on his first deployment to a war zone when he was killed.
Gregg’s wife, Samantha, who he met at school, is expecting a baby girl next month.
Sam and Gregg’s brothers Kallum, Jamie and Graeme, and his sisters, Rosie and Jennie, plan to attend a service at Hornsea’s war memorial on Remembrance Sunday.
A ceremony will be held at a later date at the memorial.
Angie said: “Gregg’s name has been added to the memorial but we didn’t want Remembrance Sunday to be just about Gregg.
“We will hold a small ceremony later, when members of Gregg’s unit can also attend.”
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