A Ranger Overcomes - LCol Liam Morrissey MBE CD FRGS, British Army

In the early planning for the Rangers to parade at the British Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday in November, it was made very clear by our hosts at the Green Howards that name changes would not be permitted after a deadline in August. The main reason is that the parade has 10,000 personnel drawn from across HM Forces and the Royal British Legion (RBL) requires basic vetting on every marcher.

When Sgt Skelly was tasked to deploy to Europe after the RBL deadline had passed it was hoped that his replacement on the Ranger visiting party, WO Sagolili, would be granted permission to use Skelly’s ticket. An official attempt to change the ticket was rejected by the RBL. The intention on the day of the event was for WO Sagolili to report to the assembly area at Horse Guards in Whitehall and simply enter on Skelly’s ticket and “fake it.” With such a large group it was assessed as unlikely security would verify the ticket name against military ID. But in the lead up to the parade the war in Gaza had commenced and London was on edge from a variety of marches from differing groups for and against Israel and Palestine respectively. These marches saw 300,000 demonstrators on to the streets each weekend with counter-demonstrators in evidence. As well, localised violence did occur. 

So, on Remembrance Sunday security was extremely tight, and WO Sagolili was denied entry to the Horse Guards as his ticket name did not match his ID. His Ranger colleagues were granted access, and he was not. With a lesser Regiment, at this point the story may have ended. For the Rangers, it is only the beginning….

Though WO Sagolili used all the charm he had as an experienced Senior NCO to influence and convince the English security staff to grant him permission to enter -- no luck. He spotted a tent nearby hosting disabled veterans. He learned that the disabled veterans needed helpers to push their chairs. 

Wheelchair pushers did not need a ticket. Sagolili found a frail man in his 90s. He was wearing the beret and badge of the Green Howards. He said he was a veteran and wanted to parade but needed someone to push his chair. Our Ranger realized the opportunity – push a Green Howard veteran in his chair and do it with the Green Howard / Ranger contingent. Problem solved! He was quickly granted access to muster with the Green Howard / Ranger cohort in the mix of 10,000 personnel. 

However, on joining the group the Green Howards were most displeased. It turned out that the elderly man was not a Green Howard at all and had never served in the army. He was Dutch. He was also a Stage-4 terminally ill cancer patient. The Green Howards held a discussion and determined that they would permit this act of stolen valour for the simple reason the man was dying, and it was clearly his wish to participate. More importantly, this resolution enabled WO Sagolili to march with the Green Howards and his Ranger colleagues in the parade.  

At 10:59 the King took his place at the Cenotaph and the Service of Remembrance commenced a moment later. At 11:30 sharp it completed and the London Garrison Sergeant-Major from the Household Division ordered the parade to Quick March and Eyes Left to the Cenotaph. The Rangers and their Green Howard and Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment cohorts set off in due course along the 2.5 km route. It takes well over an hour for the entire parade to complete this distance. Soon after passing the Cenotaph the old man’s wheelchair malfunctioned and WO Sagolili had to break off to the sidelines. Bystanders assisted and a repair was made. It was time to rejoin the parade, but the Green Howards and Rangers were now far ahead. Undaunted, Sagolili spotted a break between two cohorts and slipped in. Swift and Bold! 

WO Sagolili and the elderly stolen cancer patient became their own cohort of two in the 10,000-soldier parade. Near the end of the 2.5 km route was a saluting dais. Standing atop the dais was HRH Anne, the Princess Royal in her uniform as an Admiral of the Royal Navy. With her was the Chief of Defence Staff and the Secretary of State for Defence. Each cohort took it in turn to salute as they marched proudly past. 

As WO Sagolili and the frail Dutchman approached she noted this small but clearly determined cohort of two. She brought herself to attention and saluted the Ranger NCO and his disabled charge as they marched by, clearly moved and impressed by the pride and determination she witnessed with this plucky pair.

Soon WO Sagolili reunited with his Ranger colleagues and they joined the Green Howards of the Royal Yorkshire Regiment and the Tigers of the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment for a curry lunch at the Civil Service Club to swap stories and share comradeship. 

Remembering their gallantry in former days. 

WO Jeffrey Sagolili adds:

The gentleman concerned was actually a Brit. The Norwegian Green Howards Association members knew him somehow. This gentleman was well known to the Green Howard Association for his appearances in the past. Due to his Stage-4 cancer, he was frail that morning. We all honestly thought he might pass away while on parade. We called for St John medics to check him before the parade was going to step off. The medics wanted to take him out of the parade, but he refused. In the end he agreed to be checked over after the parade. I had already decided I was going to push him in the wheelchair, alive or not!

One more point to share. For those who have never been to the Horse Guard Palace, the entire parade ground is soft gravel that provides excellent footing for horses, but not so much for wheelchairs. After all the rain in the morning, pushing a wheelchair across the grounds was like pushing a snow shovel through wet cement. Even with all the confusion with tickets and the effort of pushing the wheelchair of a non-veteran, I'd do it all over again for the privilege to march with our British comrades-in-arms on Remembrance Sunday.