As Remembrance Sunday services were held around the UK today, this morning, people of Chandler’s Ford gathered to honour the fallen in the two World Wars and other conflicts.
People of Chandler’s Ford gathered at the Chandler’s Ford War Memorial outside the parish church – St. Boniface Church, where a poignant service was held.
Wreaths from various organisations were laid at the foot of the Chandler’s Ford War Memorial.
The wreaths laid at the Chandler’s Ford War Memorial include those from:
- The Royal British Legion (officers and members, Eastleigh & Chandler’s Ford and District Branch)
- Borough of Eastleigh
- Chandler’s Ford Parish Council
- Chandler’s Ford Scout District
- Girlguiding Chandler’s Ford
- The Rotary Club of Chandler’s Ford and Itchen Valley
- Southampton RAFA (Royal Air Forces Association)
- Chandler’s Ford Labour Party
- Eastleigh Police
- Itchen Valley Probus Club
- The 43rd Wessex Heritage Trust
Here is a series of posts about Chandler’s Ford War Memorial published on Chandler’s Ford Today:
Post Series: Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research, by Margaret Doores:
- Chandler’s Ford War Memorial. Can You Help?
- Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research: Part 2
- Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research: Part 3
- Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research: Part 4
- Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research: Part 5
Chandler’s Ford War Memorial by Janet:
- Re-dedication Of Chandler’s Ford War Memorial
- Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Re-dedication
- Story Of Chandler’s Ford War Memorial
- Renovating Chandler’s Ford War Memorial
- Remembrance Sunday Chandler’s Ford 8th November 2015
- Remembrance Sunday in Chandler’s Ford 2016
And, a beautiful post about the poppy by Vic Gold: Beyond The Sunset
The Queen leads Remembrance Day tributes at the Cenotaph: 9 November 2014
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I attended the service at the Eastleigh War Memorial for the first time this year and was pleased to see that the two twin towns were represented, especially Kornwestheim, I feel that in our annual remembrance it’s too easy to forget the German casualties, people who had just as little to do with starting the conflict as our boys did. It is in the nature of war that those who suffer most are generally those who had least to do with starting it. But the highlight for me was the excellent speech given by the representative from Villeneuve St Georges, I wish a transcript of it could be published somewhere.
I broadly agree with Steve’s comment.
At the Remembrance Sunday service at St. Martin in the Wood Church (Hiltingbury) yesterday, this was covered in the intercessions.
Thank you Steve for sharing your thought with us. Remembrance services around the country have a cleansing effect on many. To attend one and experience the solemnity must be humbling.
If you have any luck obtaining the transcript, please share it with us. Thank you.
I am the enemy you killed, my friend.
I knew you in this dark; for so you frowned
Yesterday through me as you jabbed and killed.
I parried; but my hands were loath and cold.
Let us sleep now …
From Wilfred Owen – ‘Strange Meeting’.
This poem is sung by a choir as part of Britten’s War Requiem.
The service at St Martin’s was very moving, particularly the part where the elderly war veterans, some wearing their medals, walked forward to lay crosses and poppies at the front of the church. One veteran was wearing his father’s medals as well as his own. His father served in WW1 until mid-way through 1917, when he was injured. After the war, he went to Oxfod to study and became a priest, eventually a Canon in the church. Rev Christine Whitehead preached on the poppies around the tower of London, the children’s group made a tower and made poppies to go round it, and we were encouraged to accept responsibility for peace-making in our lives and relationships as a way of expressing gratitude for our freedom.
Eastleigh News has just published an article, Eastleigh Remembers the Fallen, with a short clip on the remembrance service in Eastleigh last weekend.
Well, Eastleigh News couldn’t provide a full transcript, but they did have an MP3 sound recording made at the ceremony, and after a struggle I have managed to get it down. I’m afraid I had to paraphrase a few sections where I couldn’t quite make out the words used, so I apologise for any inaccuracies, but I’m sure I’ve captured the sentiments he expressed. So here goes.
Steve,
Many thanks for this wonderful piece of information. Creating this website involves great effort from many people – all of us who have never met do our part and contribute to resources, to inspire and to inform. By doing so we have formed a connected community. This post has now been more enriched because of your effort and your research. Thank you so much. Credit also goes to Eastleigh News for its report.
Based on Eastleigh News’ report, the speech above is by Marc Thibberville, who represented Eastleigh’s French twin town of Villeneuve St Georges. If you think my reference is incorrect, please let me know. Thank you.