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Islington Tribune - by PETER GRUNER
Published: 07 November 2008

Ex-serviceman Peter Miller: ‘Carrying the banner is a great honour’

WAR HERO IS ‘TOO OLD TO CARRY FLAG’

88-year-old veteran blames ban on ‘health and safety madness‘

A WAR hero from Highbury has been banned from carrying his regimental flag at Westminster Abbey this Sunday because it’s claimed he’s too old.
For 20 years, Peter Miller, 88, has proudly held the eight-foot banner at the annual Remembrance Sunday parade and service at the Abbey.
But no longer. He was told this week he cannot be insured to be an official standard bearer at the Royal British Legion service.
Great-grandfather Mr Miller, honoured for his bravery as a private in the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) in World War II, was told in a telephone call from an official at the Abbey that he would not be carrying the regimental colours.
He said: “I understand someone dropped their banner and it fell and injured someone at an event in the north recently. I suppose my regiment are concerned that it didn’t happen again.
“But really this is another example of health and safety madness. I may be getting on in years but I’m in reasonable health for my age and quite capable of holding up the flag without dropping it on someone.”
The retired Imperial College lab technician from Kelvin Road received a medal from the Queen in 2002 for the voluntary work he does with his wife Ann for Islington St John Ambulance Brigade. He added: “In my experience, it’s oldies like me who can take the strain at these Remembrance Day events. The flag is quite heavy but I can carry it for half an hour or so or stand without dropping it on someone.”
He was right-hand standard bearer for the Queen Mother at a centenary celebration for the RAMC at the Abbey in 1998.
“Carrying the banner is a great honour,” he said. “I shall miss it.”
A member of the Royal British Legion, Mr Miller has also carried the standard at the new war memorial at Islington Green and marched with it to the town hall.
He will still attend Sunday’s service at the Abbey, but this time as a member of the public paying his respects to former regimental colleagues.
The services run in the Miller blood. The couple’s son, Michael, 53, also a St John Ambulance member, was honoured for serving aboard HMS Antrim in the Falklands War in 1982.
Michael criticised the health and safety rules. “They don’t think about that when they send you to fight,” he said.
RAMC officials say they felt that last year at the Abbey Mr Miller appeared a bit frail and wobbly carrying the banner.
An Army spokesman said: “The regimental secretary of the RAMC has told Mr Miller he must stand down because of a problem with insurance.”
Mrs Miller felt that, although her husband was disappointed by the decision not to allow him to carry the standard, it was probably for the best.
She added: “It is a responsibility and God forbid if anything did happen.”

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