RAF veteran Stephen Howell, who lives in Saffron Walden, is marching past the Cenotaph in Whitehall to mark Remembrance Sunday.

Stephen is one of 50 veterans from SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, who will take part in the march-past on Sunday, November 10.

Born in Hertfordshire, Stephen dedicated 22 years to the Royal Air Force as a Flight Operations Specialist.

He comes from a military family, as his father served in the Royal Signals, and his uncles in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, Royal Marines and the Royal Navy - while both of his grandfathers served in WWII - one in the Signals and the other in the Royal Armoured Corps.

Stephen Howell nowStephen Howell now (Image: Himac) Stephen's post-RAF career has been varied, including civilian, military and royal ops in the United Arab Emirates.

While furloughed during the pandemic, he attended a veterans construction charity familiarisation course, which led to a new career with Vistry Homes.

Stephen said: "The period of Remembrance means many things to me. I live a few miles away from ex-RAF Debden, now Carver Barracks and have virtually grown up on the old airfield.

"The airfield was a key fighter base during the Battle of Britain with several of its aircrew being killed defending Britain against the Luftwaffe.

"Debden then became the home of the RAF Eagle Squadrons – manned by US volunteers before these became the 4th Fighter Group of the USAAF – responsible for scoring the most US fighter victories in Europe.

"Eventually the Army took over, renaming the base Carver Barracks and making it home to the Royal Engineers Bomb Disposal and Search units.

"Sadly, these units took casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan. I remember all those based at Debden who died."

In his spare time Stephen volunteers for SSAFA as a resettlement mentor, guiding veterans as they reintegrate back into the civilian world.

Stephen said: "While serving I lost a number of friends and colleagues and I remember them, such as Wing Commander John Coxon and Flight Lieutenant Sarah Mulvihill, who were killed when shot down aboard a Lynx helicopter over Basra in Iraq in 2006.

"I also remember friends killed on board Nimrod XV 239 when it crashed in 2005 and lastly those colleagues who died on board Hercules XV179 that was shot down over Iraq in 2005.

"Lastly, I remember my grandfather, Lance Corporal Albert Howell, Royal Signals, who died in India in Aug 1944.

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"My father never met him as he was only four when Grandfather died, and at the age of 85 it is unlikely that Dad will ever get to visit his grave. We remember Grandfather every year."

To remember the fallen, Stephen will march past the Cenotaph alongside Vistry colleagues.

He said: "It’s important to use this time to remember all those who gave the greatest sacrifice so we could have the freedom of choice on how to remember.

"Remember or don’t remember,; that’s your choice, but you have that choice because of all those who gave their lives so you could choose."