London SE1 community website

Lambeth army veteran receives badge at Westminster ceremony

London SE1 website team

Kennington Road resident Stanley Hutchins who served in the Royal Artillery has been presented with his Veterans Badge by defence minister Kevan Jones.

Kevan Jones and Stanley Hutchins
Veterans minister Kevan Jones MP with Stanley Hutchins
Pat and Stanley Hutchins
Pat and Stanley Hutchins

The ceremony honouring five former servicemen took place in the Jubilee Room at the Palace of Westminster in the presence of representatives of today's armed forces.

"Stanley Hutchins served in the Royal Artillery 25th Field Regiment from 1958 until 1960," states the citation read to guests. "He completed his training in Oswestry, Shropshire and then went on to exercises on Salisbury Plain.

"Mr Hutchins then saw active service in Cyprus, at the time of the EOKA terrorist campaign led by General Georgios Grivas. He tragically lost comrades there when part of a convoy he was travelling in came under fire. Mr Hutchins was still serving in Cyprus when the campaign ended." 

He was accompanied by his wife Pat who was born in the Elephant & Castle and recently retired from her job at London South Bank University.

Kevan Jones MP, who arrived direct from the Commons chamber where there had been an unexpected Defence statement, described the occasion as special and one that brought alive service in the armed forces.

"Thank you for the debt we have to each and everyone of you," he added.

Service Personnel & Veterans Agency chief executive Kathy Barnes welcomed the recipients and their families.

The SE1 website is supported by people like you
Related forum discussions
We are part of
Independent Community News Network
Email newsletter

For the latest local news and events direct to your inbox every Monday, you need our weekly email newsletter SE1 Direct.

Archive
News archive from February 1999 to January 2001
Got a story for us?
Contact us with your tip-offs and story ideas.