For the second consecutive year, Their Excellencies Christine Carla Kangaloo, O.R.T.T., President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, and Kerwyn Garcia, SC, First Gentleman, hosted the annual Armistice Dinner at The President’s House on Friday November 6, 2026.
Organised by the Combined Services Officers’ Mess and held ahead of Remembrance Day, the dinner honoured those who served in the First and Second World Wars and paid tribute to those who lost their lives.
Among the guests were the Honourable the Chief Justice, Mr Justice Ronnie Boodoosingh, and the Chief of Defence Staff, Commodore Don Polo. Formation Commanding Officers, serving officers of the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force and retired Chiefs of Defence Staff also attended, along with members of the Diplomatic Corps representing countries that were signatories to the Armistice and heads of divisions of the Ministry of Homeland Security.
A special tribute was paid to Colonel Stanley Lucien Johnson (Ret’d), M.O.M., a decorated officer who is 107 years old. Colonel Johnson began his military career in the Trinidad Cadet Corps in 1932, joined the Trinidad Volunteers in 1937 and was mobilised in 1939 at the outbreak of the Second World War. He rose to the rank of Warrant Officer before being commissioned, and went on to serve in the Caribbean and the United Kingdom, with an attachment to the Canadian Army.
After joining the Trinidad and Tobago Regiment in 1963, he held several command and staff appointments and went on to serve as Commander of the Defence Force and Commanding Officer of the Regiment from 1968 to 1970. He subsequently represented Trinidad and Tobago as Military Attaché in Washington, D.C.
As we honour Colonel Johnson’s distinguished service to Trinidad and Tobago, we remember with gratitude all who served and all who gave their lives.
Lest we forget.
