
Remembrance is an important time of year at the Royal Hospital. For those who have served in the Armed Forces it has a special significance, as they remember fallen comrades and the legions of those who lost their lives in previous conflicts.
Chelsea Pensioner Roy Palmer has become the Royal Hospital’s first Herald. Roy, who was town crier for Mablethorpe in Lincolnshire before he became a Chelsea Pensioner, says he was keen to fulfil a similar role for his new home.
Recent research backs up the anecdote that Chelsea Pensioners not only live considerably longer than their peers outside (by over five years, on average), but that their lifetimes once they come to the Royal Hospital are extending, year on year. This strongly suggests that the care and community here contribute to greater longevity – as well as improving quality of life.
19 Chelsea Pensioners who served during WWII were awarded the Légion d'honneur by HE Slyvie Bermann, the Ambassador of France to the United Kingdom, in a special presentation before the parade