Once again I return to the Foreign Office for the annual ceremony of remembrance for FCO colleagues who have fallen in the line of duty. See this earlier account that tells of some of the names on the list. The name of a locally engaged Afghan employee who worked with our Embassy in Kabul alas is now there too, following a terrorist attack last November: Abdul Tawab Sidiqi.

The ceremony was as usual dignified and touching. I had my eagle eye out for protocol mis-steps but did not spot anything untoward this time round. Someone mentioned that the Foreign Secretary’s short speech had not lasted quite as long as they had expected, so the timings were a tad off. Odd: the speechwriter and protocol folk should know exactly how long a speech will take to deliver (115 words a minute or so. Buy my book).

All that said, even if it is well meant “Thank you for coming” is maybe an odd thing to say to relatives of the fallen colleagues. It somehow conveys the impression that the ceremony is all about the FCO and less about them?

The ceremony takes place round the FCO Grand Staircase leading up to the Foreign Secretary’s office and the famous murals outside it. The names of fallen colleagues are on plaques on the walls at the foot of the stairs, where the relatives sit for the ceremony. A wreath and flowers are laid. The FCO Choir stands on the stairs and sings beautifully. FCO colleagues line the balcony above them. I fed in the quiet thought that some music from Turkey or the Middle East might be considered, given how many names of fallen FCO colleagues from Turkey/Iraq/Afghanistan are now on the list.

Last week in Warsaw I was doing some senior mock interview work. I threw in a deceptively tricky question: “What was the most difficult moment of your career, and what did you learn from it?“

People faced with this interview question from a clear blue sky of course wonder quite what is expected. Should they be frank? How frank? What sort of ‘worst moment’? What do the people on the panel want to hear?

The point of course is simply to get the candidate talking about themselves in a revealing way, for better or worse, and so explore their innermost priorities and motivations a little.

I know exactly when my own worst moment came. It was in a packed Sarajevo Cathedral in front of Charles Morpeth’s family at the memorial service for the victims of the OHR helicopter crash in Bosnia in 1997, when I rose to speak on behalf of HMG and the British people.

The German Foreign Minister had spoken on behalf of the German victims. This is what I said:

A TRIBUTE TO CHARLES MORPETH AND THE OTHER VICTIMS OF THE HELICOPTER CRASH IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Sarajevo Cathedral, Wednesday 17 September 1997

The British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook has asked me to read the following message.

Bosnia and Herzegovina has seen too many deaths in recent years. Wednesday’s helicopter crash, in which Charles Morpeth and many of his colleagues were killed, was a tragic reminder that the international community has a human face. That real dangers face those engaged in the day-to-day task of achieving the lasting peace we all desire.

Those who died had given much of their working efforts to seeking peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Now they have given their lives. They died together – as they worked together – for peace.

We are proud of them. Their sacrifice was in the highest cause. They all will be greatly missed. Our thoughts are with their families, as they grieve their great personal loss.

My country too mourns their loss. We honour their memory. With their example in mind, we dedicate ourselves afresh to the task to which they gave all.

My country and many others are committed to working with the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina to bring about a lasting peace.

We are proud of that effort. We are determined to help them finish the job.

May I add a personal word?

I knew only two of the victims.

At a meeting last week I heard yet another ingenious idea for solving this country’s problems.

Gerd Wagner insisted that this idea was not consistent with the Bosnian constitution. Gerd wanted this to be a normal law-abiding country. He accepted no short-cuts for the sake of a quick fix. Gerd set us the highest standards. We dare not let him down.

Charles Morpeth was a British Foreign Office colleague with OHR. He had all the best qualities: he was loyal, perceptive, hard-working, generous, with a wily British sense of humour. Charles and I had discussed how he could bring his wife Helene and daughter Anna to be with him in Sarajevo.

Charles, like Gerd and all the others, wanted to give this job 100 per cent.

Sometimes our Bosnian friends feel disappointed with international efforts. We too sometimes feel disappointed.

But nothing like this has been tried before.

We are doing our best. Now, once again, we have given our best.

Charles Morpeth’s daughter Anna was just a few weeks old when this disaster happened. Now she is getting ready to go to university next year.

This morning in front of close family members, Charles’ daughter laid a flower under the FCO plaque that carries his name.