Veterans hold round-the-clock guard of honour

9 November 2025

Katherine WhiteBedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire

Left to right: Veterans Arthur Healy, Ian Nottage and Stuart Mendelson helped organise the vigil in Stevenage's Old Town

Justin Dealey/BBC Three men stand in front of a war memorial, wearing military medals on civilian clothes and looking seriously at the camera. The man on the left wears a black beret, black gilet with a blue jumper underneath and dark trousers. The man in the middle wears a grey beanie hat and puffer coat with camouflage detail and blue cargo trousers. The man on the right wears a green T-shirt with a black long-sleeved top underneath and blue jeans. — Left to right: Veterans Arthur Healy, Ian Nottage and Stuart Mendelson helped organise the vigil in Stevenage's Old Town

Military veterans maintained a round-the-clock guard of honour at a war memorial to mark Remembrance Sunday.

The guard of honour, organised by the Stevenage-based veterans' support group The Muster Point, began at the memorial in Stevenage Old Town on Thursday morning and continued until early Sunday morning.

Co-founder of the group, Stuart Mendelson, said it gave veterans "a chance to come together and remember our brothers and sisters who have fallen or are still struggling".

"For a lot of us, remembrance is every day, not just this period," he added.

Former soldier Stuart Mendelson lost an eye in an explosion in Afghanistan

Nicola Haseler/BBC A man wearing glasses and a green t shirt smiles slightly as he looks into the camera, standing in front of a green gazebo bearing the words the muster point — Former soldier Stuart Mendelson lost an eye in an explosion in Afghanistan

Mr Mendelson, 42, served in the Army and lost his right eye in an IED (improvised explosive device) blast in Afghanistan in 2009.

"I left the forces with a lot of anger, resentment and unrecognised trauma," he said.

He became addicted to drugs and alcohol, but after attending a specialist rehabilitation centre he has been clean and sober for more than two years.

He founded The Muster Point with fellow veteran Steve Black, to create an opportunity for ex-servicemen and women to meet.

"What drives me is that no veteran should suffer what I suffered," Mr Mendelson added.

The guard of honour in Stevenage Old Town was maintained round-the-clock for three days

Nicola Haseler/BBC Military flags hang from a line in a park. They are various different colours have some national flags on them and military emblems on them. — The guard of honour in Stevenage Old Town was maintained round-the-clock for three days

The group hosts a weekly breakfast, at which Mr Mendelson said veterans build confidence and could be signposted towards help with issues such as employment, housing and mental health services.

Member Arthur Healy, 85, who had been at the guard of honour overnight, said being among fellow veterans made him feel 50 years younger.

Ian Nottage, 76, also said being among other members was the closest he had felt to being back in the army.

"The camaraderie is brilliant," he said. "All the lads feel the same."

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