Remembrance Sunday - Lest we forget that each human life is precious

There were approximately 8.5 million military deaths in World War 1, and over 19 million were wounded. This is not even to consider civilian death, injury and impact. These numbers add up to at least 1 per cent of the overall world population. Huge, heartbreaking numbers.

As human beings we cannot feel anything but intense pain and sorrow at this enormous extravagant waste of human life, or indeed of any such loss.The measure of a man is to learn from what has gone before. Or, as Einstein put it, Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Today is a fitting day to reflect on the terrible violence and anger on all sides around the world.

When King George V visited Flanders he commented: "I have many times asked myself whether there can be more potent advocates of peace upon earth through the years to come, than this massed multitude of silent witnesses to the desolation of war".

I send my condolences to all those who have lost loved ones in conflict and war.