Jan retweeted
The youngest British soldier of WW1 was just 12 years old.
His name was Sidney Lewis, a boy from London who ran away from home in August 1915 without telling his parents.
His parents had absolutely no idea where their young son had disappeared to, until a soldier back from the front lines on leave mentioned seeing him in France.
Sidney easily tricked army recruiters who were more than happy to turn a blind eye to underage boys eager to fight.
By the time he was 13, he was operating heavy machine guns in the 106th Machine Gun Company right in the thick of the Battle of the Somme.
He survived six weeks of hell in the Battle of Delville Wood, enduring some of the most horrific casualties of the entire war.
Desperate to save her child, his mother tracked down his military unit and sent a frantic letter to the War Office demanding his release, attaching his birth certificate as absolute proof.
The army had no choice but to discharge him and send him home to his family.
It wasn't until 2013 that historians and the Imperial War Museum officially authenticated his record, confirming that a 12 year-old boy truly braved the worst of the Great War.
Lest we forget.
Jan retweeted
🇬🇧 The Prince of Wales, as Royal Patron, will attend the 2026 Tusk Conservation Awards on Wednesday, 11 November. The 14th annual awards, in partnership with Ninety One, will celebrate some of the leading conservationists working on the frontline & recognise extraordinary conservation leaders for their significant impacts on wildlife & communities across Africa.
Since its inception, 61 winners have received over £2 million in grants for their organisations, enabling them to scale their work & collectively improve protection for over 60 species in 23 countries. Through collaboration, innovation & shared expertise, the winners are helping to advance conservation efforts across Africa, addressing some of the most pressing challenges facing wildlife & communities, from the illegal wildlife trade to climate change.
On arrival, Prince William will meet with key supporters & ambassadors of Tusk as well as the various award winners. The ceremony will open & close with a performance from the London Assembly Gospel Choir.
The Prince will present three awards on Wednesday night: the Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa, The Tusk Award for Conservation in Africa & the Tusk Wildlife Ranger Award. Each winner will receive a trophy & significant grant funding for their organisation to continue their work. Following the awards presentation, the Prince will give a short address to attendees.
All finalists not only receive grants to support their work, but also the international recognition they have earned, which further contributes to the development of their projects.
This year’s ceremony will also see Tusk welcome back the 2020 award winners, who were unable to attend their ceremony due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As Royal Patron of Tusk, the Prince has long championed the charity’s conservation efforts across Africa. Through The Royal Foundation’s United for Wildlife Programme, Prince William continues to work closely with Tusk to highlight the vital role of rangers & the need for greater support for those on the frontline of wildlife protection.
Since 1990, Tusk has supported 230 local partner organisations & ranger teams across 30+ African countries, empowering the continent’s conservation movement.
Jan retweeted
Excellent news again from @reformparty_uk
This is exactly why by-elections are important.
We will end this madness
Reform UK-led Kent County Council passes motion to end translation and interpretation services to non-English speakers kentonline.co.uk/kent/news/r…
Jan retweeted
An incredible sight as the Household Cavalry and the Foot Guards marched from Wellington Barracks to Whitehall this morning for the National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph.
🎥 @KingsGuardTours
📆 8 November 2026
📍 Wellington Barracks, London
#RemembranceSunday #Cenotaph #FootGuards #HouseholdCavalry #LestWeForget
Jan retweeted
The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester were also at the National Service Of Remembrance at The Cenotaph.
Jan retweeted
The King has led the Nation in Remembrance at The Cenotaph.
In commemoration of all those who have died in World Wars and other conflicts, The Royal Family stood united with others in thousands of similar ceremonies across the UK and worldwide to hold two minutes of silence at 11am.
Lest We Forget.
Jan retweeted
✨NEW
According to the Court Circular, after attending the Remembrance Service, The Duchess of Edinburgh has departed for Bangladesh 🇬🇧🛫🇧🇩
HRH is set to visit the country between 9-11 November
📸Aaron Chown (2026)
Jan retweeted
#PrincessOfWales is so Kind she tried so hard to explain.
I think she did a good job , I cannot teach anybody anything. I can only make them think,"
Jan retweeted
HE STOPPED TO HELP A SLOTH ACROSS THE ROAD!!
Would you try to help it across, or keep your distance and call for wildlife help?
A sloth is making its way across a road. A man uses a towel to help move it out of traffic and carries it toward the trees while cars wait.
I'm not a wildlife expert, so I won't pretend a short video is an animal-handling lesson. Getting yourself hurt or causing another collision wouldn't help anybody.
But the willingness to stop matters. Somebody noticed an animal in a bad spot and didn't treat it as somebody else's problem.
As a dad, that's what I'd want my kids to take from this. Pay attention to what's around you, then figure out a safe way to be useful.
A few minutes of patience made a difference here.
Jan retweeted
The King, The Queen and Members of the Royal Family have attended the annual Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall.
The special commemorative concert, organised by @PoppyLegion, honours all those who have lost their lives in conflict.
Jan retweeted
Prince Edward takes on special duty for King Charles on Remembrance Sunday 👇
royalcentral.co.uk/uk/prince…
