‘They set the standard for operations today.’
FOR THE surviving veterans of VE Day, today will mark an emotional return to a moment 75 years ago that many thought would never come.
The effort to curtail the advances of Nazi Germany had often hung in the balance but May 8 1945 represented a day in history that signified one of the greatest triumphs in the country’s long history.
And for Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer, the chance to mark the landmark anniversary is one that has an added poignancy due to his career, both past and present.
Mr Mercer served in the military for 12 years, with three tours of Afghanistan, and is perfectly placed for his role in the Ministry of Defence focusing on people and veterans.
Kick-starting a better relationship with the Armed Forces was his “sole reason” for becoming an MP in 2015.
And today, 75 years after victory in Europe was declared and one of the last major milestones many of the 1945 veterans will live to see, Mr Mercer said the values that kept him going on the front line were exactly the same as those threequarters of a century ago.
He said: “I always think about what it must have been like for that generation of people. Being a veteran and having served myself, the thing that always struck me was how – and I don’t think that generation ever really thinks about this – but how they very much set the standard for us on operations today.
“While lots of things are different around technology, around fighting, the core values of determination, selflessness, courage, humility, are all the same. And I certainly remember during my time thinking of the experiences of that generation and how we should try and match their behaviour.”
The world is a different place to that of 1945 but Mr Mercer said in many ways military service remained the same.
“Take Afghanistan, for example. Some of the environments out there are pretty austere,” he said.
“Certainly in the early days the kit and the equipment weren’t very good and we had to rely on those sorts of characteristics and values and ethos. The military gets criticised, I think, for being a bit traditional and all that, but that’s the reason for it.
“It’s not because we’re history buffs, it’s because these things actually mean something. The words, ethos, values of, for example, leadership, courage – they actually mean something and that’s why we try and get our history right as well.”
Much has changed in the intervening decades since 1945 but Mr Mercer said it would be incredibly naive to think because the nation was not facing invasion the need for a strong military had diminished.
“The military is smaller but some of our military is still fighting every day,” he said. “Look at this Covid response – 92 out of the 96 stations that have stepped up to get this testing thing done are manned by military people.
“The Nightingale hospitals set up, organised, run by military people. In my view, they’re the backbone of the nation.”
However, he felt the issues of misunderstanding had often sat with politicians rather than the public, who he said retained their respect for the Armed Forces.
“The problem’s always been with the political class,” he said. “Which is why I became an MP.”
He added: “My sole reason for entering this career was to reset that relationship between the military and the nation and it’s important that we do that.”
He said it was not about sympathy or praise – acknowledging that joining the military was a choice – but a “level of understanding over what we ask people to do to protect the way of life we are so lucky to enjoy in this country.
“You certainly don’t do it for the money or because the uniform’s pretty. You do it because you believe in something,” he said.
Things were changing, he added, highlighting setting up the first Office for Veterans’ Affairs and legislation to protect military personnel and veterans from “vexatious” prosecution for alleged historical offences.
The Armed Forces Covenant, which pledges to treat veterans and their families fairly, was set to become law.
“By the end of this Parliament this will be the best country in the world to be a veteran,” he said. Mr Mercer stressed today should be about celebration as much as remembrance and added: “It’s very easy in the Western world these days to forget how fortunate we are.”
I remember thinking how we should match their behaviour.
Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer speaking yesterday.