When Time Lord Dr Who chose him as his companion on two occasions, he must have known that the famous storyteller Bernard Cribbins, the man behind all the voices of the Wombles (the multinational entrepreneurial immigrants who turned their local recycling business into a global brand) was more than just a very funny guy. But did he know that as a teenager Mr Cribbins had served with the elite Parachute Regiment?

This was news to me last night when I had the honour of attending the Afghanistan Trust Service of Remembrance at St Dunstan-in-the-West Church in the City of London where Mr Cribbins was just one of the many inspirational speakers and performers to treat guests to an emotional and thought provoking evening of words and music for remembrance.

As we enter our weekend of commemoration and think of those who made the ultimate sacrifice and the loss to those loved ones they left behind, let us spare a thought for those brave men and women who put themselves in danger so that others may be protected; the pain of loss; and the stoicism of their families.

And, let’s not forget the many people like Bernard Cribbins and other members of the armed forces who have served and continue to devote their lives to the pursuit of excellence

We are also proud to count a number of highly talented former military linguists among our own ranks at Today Translations, as well.