We Will Remember Them

You will all know that it is100 years ago today at 11am that the guns ceased at the end of World War 1. There are many different ceremonies and events happening which mark this event. Many churches have some kind of remembrance for their own parishioners lost and a common way of depicting this is through perspex outlines placed in the pews to represent each soldier that never returned.This is one photo that I took in Alfriston church.

Many church communities have also made hundreds of poppies creating amazing installations inside and outside of their churches. This week I went to see a local one at St Andrew's Church, Blagdon.

Made mainly from knitted poppies.

A lot of work has been spent on these displays.

Alongside these there are the silhouettes to represent each of the lost soldiers of Blagdon. Each with information of their short lives. Sadly some such as the family described below had more than one loss.

One of the soldiers had been a member of the choir. His memorial is paced in the choir stalls.

One young soldier died only days before the ceasefire. Imagine how that must have been for his family. Some of these young men are buried back in their own churchyards although obviously thousands remained on the battlefields.

Both of my grandfathers were on active service in World War 1 something they were unable to speak of afterwards. My paternal grandfather is in the front row far right. He was injured but the only survivor when the pill box he was in was hit. 

They were both also active as home guards and air raid wardens during World War 2. This is my maternal grandfather in his home guard uniform. He had been a wireless operator in WW1 in France.

We all have a lot to be grateful to all these young men who either gave up their lives for us or lived with the memories of their experiences for the rest of their lives. It is so important that we never forget them.