The veterans of WWI were too traumatised to speak about that wretched war. Those of us with parents who fought in WWII often only got rare reflections. German Jews wanted to put the Holocaust behind them until the Eichman trials shone a spotlight on the atrocities. Our commemorations of past wars shamefully glorify that which we are told should not be forgotten yet that is the very thing they do.

Our resistance should be to refuse to tell the story of the 21st century as anything other than an abomination. Let’s be done with remembrance days and stories of valour when it comes to defending empire as we watch men and march past in uniforms that should invoke revulsion, not pride, as if we would ever wish to watch slaves file past rattling their chains and shackles.