File:Foreign Secretary James Cleverly meets Chelsea Pensioners selling poppies in Paris ahead of Armisitice Day (52492450664).jpg

The Foreign Secretary James Cleverly will spend Armistice Day in France where he will meet Chelsea Pensioners and attend a remembrance service at the Arc de Triomphe, hosted by President Macron. Chelsea Pensioners Fred Aldridge and Peter Henry are supporting the Paris branch of the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal at Gare du Nord station, alongside representatives of the French veterans’ charity. Proud supporters of the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal, the Chelsea Pensioners sell poppies every year across the UK and overseas during Remembrance in support of serving men and women and veterans such as themselves. The Foreign Secretary, who is an Army Reservist and former Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army, is expected to thank the veterans for their dedication and service before buying both a poppy and a French ‘bleuet’. Fred Aldridge joined the Royal Hospital Chelsea on 7 March 2022 aged 84. He served with the Royal Army Service Corps between 1955 and 1964 and then with the Royal Corps of Transport until 1977 when he was discharged from the Army having served for twenty two years and promoted to the rank of Warrant Officer Class 2. Peter Henry joined the Royal Hospital Chelsea on 5 December 2016 aged 69. He served with the Royal Artillery between 1964 and 1966 and then with the Royal Military Police until 1987 when he was discharged from the Regular Army having served for twenty three years and promoted to the rank of Warrant Officer Class 2. He then served for a further nine years with the Royal Military Police (Territorial Army) until 1996 and promoted to the rank of Warrant Officer Class 1.