We would love to hear about your visit to the memorial and how it made you feel
Information and images supplied via this form will be sent to Fighting With Pride (FWP). By submitting your text and image you consent to FWP adding your testimonial to this public page to record your visit and feelings about the memorial. FWP reserve the right not to use any data supplied and any data not used will be deleted.
"*" indicates required fields
Name:
Gordon Marshall
Service Connection:
Royal Navy Veteran
Date of visit:
20 June 2026
“A wonderful day, very moving. It has taken a long time to leave the haunted shadows I had been living under for so long … today had been a healing and reflective day. We ALL need to look after no matter always. Thank you. Gordon and Michael”
Name:
Rowena Purdy
Service Connection:
RAF aircrew – Air Electronics Officer on Shackletons and Vulcans; Linguist/Intelligence duties, Hong Kong. RAuxAF – Maritime Operations Officer; SO3 Reserves.
Date of visit:
27 October 2025
“I was fortunate to be selected as one of the seven veterans who were to be presented to HM King Charles III – a day I shall remember as being far more emotional that I was ready for. But I felt honoured to have been selected to stand amongst those who were dismissed their service for being themselves and for no other reason. I stood amongst giants; I decided to transition after I retired so was not officially affected by the ban, I just kept my head below the radar, sometimes with difficulty.”
Name:
Janice Maciver
Service Connection:
Army Veteran (Intelligence Corps) – directly discharged because of the ban in 1994
Date of visit:
27 October 2025
“The LGBT+ Armed Forces Memorial unveiling by HM The King has to be a real highlight in my life. A day I never thought I would live to see. I feel that was the day I finally managed to put what happened to me behind me and move into a new reality of being “just a veteran” and I can’t tell you how ‘normal’ that feels. At last I feel at peace.”
Name:
Catriona Wallace
Service Connection:
Former Royal Navy, discharged during the ban
Date of visit:
27 October 2025
“Whilst the Prime Minister had publicly apologised in Parliament for the ban, it meant nothing to me and the reparations were just that, hollow reparations, but when the Senior Royal himself took the time to speak to me, I felt he was genuine and maybe the state apologies did mean something after all. His parting words to me, said with a smile- ‘Submariners ….. special people’ – finally validated that part of my life because I was special, in ways they never could neither understand nor accept.”
