November is a seemingly
endless month..... is it Autumn or is it Winter? Invariably,
it can represent both. The common perception of November
is one of murky, colourless days that are often shrouded
in mist and dampness. The countryside itself sometimes appears
to retreat into hibernation along with all it's law abiding
inhabitants. November is also inextricably linked to our
remembrance of the fallen in both World Wars. The eleventh
hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month marks the
point at which the guns of the Western Front fell silent
after more than four years of entrenched warfare.
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The Royal
British Legion has always supported the traditional
Remembrance Sunday services along with the customary
Two Minute Silence on that day. The Legion is quite
rightly of the opinion that when the 11th of November,
(Armistice Day), falls on days other than Sundays...(
i.e.on working days) - The act of Remembrance should
be brought into the everyday life of the nation on those
days as as a matter of course....
East Garston's remembrance service has in the past been
restricted to inclusion within normal Sunday Worship,
any parishioner wishing to attend a dedicated War Memorial
service has found it neccessary to travel to Lambourn,
Hungerford or Newbury to do so.
However, that is thankfully no longer the case. All
Saints' Church is now under the guidence of an ex army
Chaplain, The Revd. Tony Cumberlidge. Tony told me that
he didn't feel he could pass the War Memorial without
knowing the wreath placed there-on had been done so
with proper reverance and dedication. With the help
of Church Warden, Bob Briant, a service was arranged
at short notice. The resulting attendance figures for
that beautiful, sunny, Thursday morning, was proof of
the overdue need for a village based, dedicated Remembrance
Service. On behalf of all who attended I wish to thank
Tony for making this very important ceremony available
to us here in our village |
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The Revd. Tony
Cumberlidge |
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Missing
by
S.L |
Never
again the tears will flow from eyes that cannot see,
Only dead men here so who will know
their world that used to be. |
Never
again birds in their sky, no song of life to sing,
No dead men's lips will make reply
Their pain, no scream will bring. |
Never
again will memories call upon their unnamed graves,
For mercy will no dead men call
Of silence they are slaves. |
Never
again that infernal hell, the peace will now deceive;
Only dead men here so who can tell,
And anyway who would believe. |
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