At 11am on Wednesday 11 November 2026, we pause for the Two Minute Silence to remember those who lost their lives in war and reflect on the service and sacrifice of the Armed Forces community.
For Universal Defence and Security Solutions (UDSS), Armistice Day carries a deeply personal significance. Many of our colleagues have served on operations, experienced the loss of comrades and seen the lasting effects of conflict on families and communities.
We remember those who did not return, those who returned with injuries both visible and unseen, and the families whose lives were changed. That remembrance brings an enduring responsibility: to care for those who have served and to help protect the peace for future generations.
The Royal British Legion’s 2026 Poppy Appeal carries a message that deserves attention: “When someone serves, their family serves too.”
This year’s campaign recognises the demands military life places on families, including separation, missed milestones and the practical and emotional pressures of service. The Legion provides support through deployment, financial hardship, bereavement and later life.
Behind every uniform are people who share the uncertainty, sustain life at home and support loved ones through change. Their contribution deserves recognition throughout the year.
UDSS encourages colleagues, clients and partners to support the Poppy Appeal by donating, wearing a poppy, volunteering or fundraising. Each is a way to help sustain support for serving personnel, veterans and their families.
UDSS’s close support for The Not Forgotten is reflected in the involvement of our Co-Chair, Peter Hewitt, who became an Ambassador for the charity in 2026. His appointment was marked at its Buckingham Palace Garden Party on 19 May.
The Not Forgotten supports serving personnel and veterans living with injury, illness and isolation. Through respite, entertainment, challenge activities and opportunities to meet others, it helps people rebuild connections and feel valued.
Peter’s ambassadorship gives that commitment a practical purpose: helping raise awareness, strengthen relationships and extend the charity’s network of support.
Its work speaks directly to the meaning of remembrance. Those who have served should continue to have opportunities for friendship, enjoyment and belonging, whatever challenges they face after service.
Across the UDSS leadership, involvement in military charities and heritage organisations reflects a commitment that continues beyond uniform.
Air Marshal Phil Osborn CBE is Chairman of the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust. The Trust promotes the RAF and inspires young people to fulfil their potential in air, space and technology, helping connect the next generation with opportunity.
Vice Admiral Duncan Potts CB is National President of the Royal Naval Association, whose community brings together people with a naval connection. He also chairs the Conference of Naval Associations, encouraging cooperation across organisations supporting the naval family.
Major General David Shouesmith is Chairman of the Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum and was the founding Chairman of the Royal Logistic Corps Foundation. His involvement helps preserve military experience and history, connecting accounts of service with the communities and generations that follow.
These organisations fulfil different purposes, from welfare and companionship to education and the preservation of memory. Together, they demonstrate the many ways in which service can continue.
Remembering the human cost of war gives urgency to the work of preventing future conflict.
The 2025 Strategic Defence Review, co-led by General Sir Richard Barrons alongside Lord Robertson and Dr Fiona Hill, set out a renewed approach to UK defence. Its emphasis on NATO, readiness, innovation and national resilience reflects the need for credible capabilities that strengthen deterrence and collective security.
The relationship between remembrance and defence is rooted in responsibility. Understanding what conflict costs should sharpen our determination to maintain the capabilities, partnerships and preparedness that help deter aggression.
For companies, that means understanding how their technology, expertise and industrial capacity can meet real military needs. For governments and armed forces, it means turning strategy into trained people, effective capabilities, resilient support and forces able to operate together.
UDSS continues to bring military and commercial experience to this work, supporting companies, governments and armed forces with strategy, capability development, acquisition, training, logistics and resilience. Through that work, we contribute to the wider effort to strengthen defence and deterrence for NATO and its Allies.
The purpose is clear: to help ensure that those responsible for our security have the understanding, preparation and support they need.
On Armistice Day 2026, UDSS joins the nation in remembering the fallen, recognising the contribution of serving personnel and veterans, and thanking the families who stand alongside them.
We encourage our community to observe the Two Minute Silence at 11am, support the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal and learn more about the charities sustaining the Armed Forces community throughout the year.
Our responsibility continues after the silence: in the care we show to those who have served, the history we preserve and the work we undertake to protect peace.
We will remember them.