Death From Above

Remembrance

by Lee Parnell

Lavarick's capital city shone in the summer sun.  There are many parks and green spaces within the city as it was primarily a trading and administrative centre the heavy industries having left a long time ago. As such many of the cities inhabitants were trying to make the most of their lunch breaks and praying that the Emperor would allow the sunshine would last for a few more minutes. Unseen amongst the merchants, scribes, preachers and off-duty militiamen, a figure moved with purpose and a military bearing.   The figure was tall and muscular, the well-cut parade uniform highlighting the muscle under it. In his left hand the figure carried a reef of poppies.

In the centre of Heed Park stands the war memorial to those who have died in Lavarick's regiments. A large white marble pillar crowned at the top by a golden statue of the Emperor in his younger days, it was visible anywhere in the park and on a day like today it radiated light like the Emperor himself. Every November the people in the city remembered the dead and a regiment of the PDF would have the honour of laying the remembrance reef.

But tucked away, in a corner of the giant park, is a smaller monument. No red brick road leads to it, nor does it reflect the suns light with its magnificence.  A gravelled lane reaches it and takes the form of a grey plinth on which is mounted a bronze scroll and statues of two figures.

The figure walked to the base and came to attention.  He saluted and then placed the reef at the base. Then he removed his maroon beret and began to offer the prayer of remembrance. When he finished he looked at the statues. The memorial was to the first operation of the parachute regiment, the bronze plate had the names of the 35 men who had died in the attack, but all this was known to the man and he merely looked to one of the statues.

Major Ronald Tyrel, 3rd Para, 1st Company met the gaze of the statue of Sergeant Thomas Tyrel and he fancied that the statue winked at him. He then heard the sound of someone marching on gravel and turned to face the approaching figure. Like him, the approaching man was dressed in parade rig and after saluting Tyrel the man saluted the statue.

"You look a lot like him Sir." The man said nodding towards the statue. "Considering there's 500 years between the two of you."

Tyrel nodded and turned to the 1st Company's Sergeant Major.

"Yes, he does. Wasn't your ancestor with him during the attack?"

"Yes Sir." Sergeant Major Baxter replied. "He led the second section. Sacrificed himself to stop the room he held falling to the enemy."

"Its funny you know," Tyrel stated, "We have a Corporal Smith and a Sergeant Marcus in our company, like the originals did. I often wonder if they are related."

"Smith is. I've never asked Marcus though, Sir."

Tyrel nodded and placed his beret back on.

"Its time isn't it?"

"Yes Sir. If we hurry we should be able to make the last transport back to Aldas." Baxter referred to the base of the Parachute Regiment.

Tyrel turned and walked to the parked staff car. It had been twenty years since the Imperium had raised a parachute regiment for the Imperial Guard (the PDF had two and one was always ready to be drafted into the IG) and Tyrel knew that he had to uphold the fine traditions of the Regiment. It was, after all, in the family's blood.

The men disappeared and the memorial was once again alone. Many people had, over time, asked why such a momentous moment in Lavarick's history should be given such a small memorial. The answer was always the same and is engraved onto the stone plinth.

'The Regiment lets its deeds on the battlefield be the memorial to its creation.'