‘Steady and Undismayed’ - A sermon for Remembrance Sunday 9 November 2025

This year we have particularly had in mind the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. We saw those gallant veterans, now so few in number, attendingthe VE Day commemorations. And then the final end of the war, after continuing struggles and considerable loss of life in the far east, commemorated by VJ Day.

When the Second World War was declared in 1939, the Bishop of Portsmouth at the time was Frank Partridge. The Portsmouth News on 4th September carried a stirring message from him, with the title ‘Steady and Undismayed’:

‘The strain of waiting is over, and again the test of our mettle and our fortitude has begun. It is our duty and my privilege as Bishop of the See of Portsmouth to call upon all who acknowledge my authority and upon all other English people therein to stand steady and undismayed.

We are, I am persuaded, fully prepared to suffer hardship in the cause of national righteousness. On the one hand are set freedom, fair play, brotherly kindness, and national justice. On the other we face slavery in thought and action, aggression worthy of the dark ages, and the faithlessness to the pledged word, unbefitting to a Christian and a gentleman.

To that issue one answer is alone possible. Our fathers gave it, time and again. Only 25 years ago they renewed it when they stood by Belgium. It has been repeated today. We stand by it now… So, without rancour and without bitterness, let each one take up his task to the common good. Let courage and good humour prevail. Offer Christian prayer and make Christian sacrifices for the good of mankind. Pray without ceasing for our sons and our daughters in their hour of danger. Ask constantly of God that he will give us in His own good time the happiness of peace.’

The Second World War would go on for nearly 6 long years, longer than the Great War which had seen such a toll of life. Bishop Frank Patridge witnessed the terrible bombing of the Portsmouth blitz around the Cathedral in January 1941 and spend much of his time to dealing with the effects of evacuation, and the bomb damage to communities and churches in this strategic naval city. Nervousness was such among the Cathedral congregation that a plea was submitted to the then Provost that one of the two lessons at Sunday matins should be omitted, so that everyone could be home that much earlier. This the Provost resisted – but the Cathedral was used as a place of wartime recreation – for musical evening, concerts by the Marine Band and occasional plays.

Bishop Frank himself was to die suddenly in office during the war on 1st October 1941. His successor, Bishop William Anderson, was particularly well qualified as he was the only bishop to have served in all three armed forces.

Anderson had joined the Army in 1914, straight out of university, fought in France as a sergeant major in a cavalry regiment. He then transferred to the Royal Navy, to the air arm - the Royal Naval Air Service - and won the Distinguished Service Crossflying over the channel. Then in 1918, the Royal Air Force was formed, and so Anderson ended the war in the RAF with the rank of captain.

As Bishop of Portsmouth, Anderson gave a historic address the day after D-Day to aDiocesan conference here in the Cathedral on 7th June:

‘The greatest amphibious operation of all time has succeeded in landing the armies of liberation on the Continent – and early reports should give cause for profound thankfulness. So as the troops advance in battle, let us wait on God in prayer…’

He went on to encourage the whole diocese to look forward to the future: to care for the bereaved, to welcome home the men and women returning from service, and to offer a church welcome to those who had had their first contact with the Church during their time away on military service.

But Bishop Anderson also foresaw dangers ahead after the war, if the lessons learned and the values of service, loyalty, and integrity did not prevail into peacetime. He said: ‘War does not in the main make for spiritual growth, and when the strain is relaxed, selfishness, greed and the desire for gain might well arise again to the surface with increased power.’

I think all of us, gathered here today, will be aware of these issues becoming prevalent again in our world and even in our national life. Bishop Partridge at the start of the war had depicted the battle against ‘aggression worthy of the dark ages and faithlessness to the pledged word’. Bishop Anderson, as the final months of the war took shape, warned against ‘selfishness, greed and the desire for gain.’ It can feel today with every news bulletin that there is increasing hostility, violence, division and conflict in our world.

So, as we honour all those who have served, I want to pay particular tribute to those who are serving today in our armed forces for the example they give of duty and discipline, integrity and faithfulness. These are qualities and attributes particularly under threat in a society where the pledged word and the value of truth have become arbitrary matters rather than fundamentals.

Those at home and abroad who are ready to serve the needs of others remind us of how much is at stake. With so many war situations in our world at this time, we need to be reminded that some people are still holding out against aggression and faithlessness, and offering us cause to hope that peace can still prevail.

I have had first-hand experience lately of the discipline and dedication of those in the medical and nursing branches of our armed forces, after some time recently in the QA hospital. All three of the forces offer their skills and services there with the medical and nursing personnel deployed here to support the NHS – so we civilians are in their debt right here at home.

Anderson finished his address in 1944 with reference to the hymn Jerusalem. He said it is not enough to sing about bringing a better future to pass in England’s green and pleasant land, but all must gird themselves to the task of building that better future. 

Perhaps the same applies today to us here, in recommitting and rededicating ourselves: it is not enough to sing – as we have just done - about vowing the service of our love to our country, we must do it… We may be called to give of ourselves in ways that we cannot foresee, to offer up all we hold dear and the best of which we are capable. For the sake of our future, our families and our friends, we commit ourselvesstand faithfully for truth and for honour. 

And we commit again to the future inheritance of that other country which calls us also into service and sacrifice; whose King we hope one day we shall see, with all the countless armies those who have gone before. And let us, soul by soul, each one of us, give ourselves into that promise of a future of gentleness and peace for all peoplewhich we work for here on earth until it is accomplished in heaven.