i Editor's Letter: Remembering voices of freedom

I spoke at St Bride’s on Tuesday night, the “journalists’ church” on Fleet Street noted for having a steeple 226ft high – the second tallest church Sir Christopher Wren built.

Our profession gathered for the annual memorial service for reporters, photographers and their support staff who are killed in the line of duty. At least 46 have died this year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists – either murdered or killed in crossfire – and 1,150 since 1992. Among them are friends and colleagues of i reporters and editors.

Today presenter Sarah Montague gave the address, with other readings by Penny Marshall of ITV News (an extract from Marie Colvin’s address in the same church five years ago) and David Dinsmore, the former editor of The Sun who’s now boss of News UK (John 8: 25-32). I read “War Zone” by Michael Brett, press officer for Bosnia-Herzegovina from 1994 to ’96, who wanted to use his poetry to portray the horrors he witnessed – and the absurdity of everyday life torn apart by civil war.

All that there ever was: shot books and magazines,

Like dead birds, lie in empty streets urged by signs

To Keep Left and Not Drop Litter.

On Wednesday morning, our staff will stop work and gather at Kensington’s war memorial. Thoughts will turn to strangers, to now-distant family, and we will also remember the people who, in every conflict, suspend their own lives to chronicle the suffering of combatants and civilians. War correspondence is the original act of remembrance.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them, too.

Twitter.com/@pressfreedom

Poetry from Heroes: 100 Poems from the New Generation of War Poets (Ebury)