LEATHERHEAD WAR MEMORIALS
Remembrance
Centenary - Sunday 11th November 2018
 |
Remembrance
Sunday
2018
100 Year Anniversary Commemoration
LIVE ON
TO THE MEMORY OF THE FALLEN
AND THE FUTURE OF THE LIVING
Order of Service
For
Leatherhead War Memorial
Assembly at War Memorial |
|
100 years on, Leatherhead pays its respects.
image via Beverley Stonehouse |
Clergy and assembled councillors and veteran organisation
representatives await the 10.30 start, as do youth organisations
including Combined Cadet Force representatives from St John's
School. Leatherhead's Army Cadet Force
was drawn up outside the Memorial in North Street. |
By the end of the service the grey, damp
weather gave way to sunshine and blue skies.
The Standards were marched in, led by Leatherhead RBL.
|
Welcome and Opening Prayer
Rev Graham Osborne, Rector of Leatherhead
Welcome to our
100 Year Anniversary Act of Remembrance. We gather to honour the
memory of the fallen and to pledge ourselves to our future, and
to the pursuit of peace.
A special welcome to Cllr Raj Haque, Chairman of Mole Valley
District Council, and to Cllr Alan Reilly MVDC Armed Forces
Champion.
Likewise welcome to RBL representatives and the many
organisations and institutions who have gathered here today -
and finally welcome to you all - thank you for coming.
You should have sight of an Order of Service - if you don't have
one or can't see one please would you make that known now -
there are people around who can help you.
Millions of men and women did not return from two World Wars,
and so many other theatres of war, in which British service
personnel have served in the years since Armistice Day 100 years
ago. As we gather on this day we especially call to
mind all those who gave their lives in service of Queen and
Country in the Great War of 1914-1918.
Many of those
service men and women came home with life-changing injuries and
today, many still return home with injuries of body and
mind. A vital part of their support network is the Royal
British Legion.
|
The Rector of Leatherhead, with the Methodist & URC Minister
Revd. Jan Hofmeyr on his left |
As our country did in the years following
World War One, today we honour that part played by the Royal British
Legion as it stands along side hundreds, if not thousands, of ex-service
men and women as they endeavour to make the most of their lives following
active service.
The Bible proclaims that there is a time and place for everything, and so
at this time, and in this place, we gather to remember and give grateful
thanks all those who gave their lives for us.
This service will proceed without further
instruction from me, so as we stand please join me in a short prayer and
then we shall sing together
O God our help in ages past.
Let us pray:
God of truth and justice,
we hold before you those men and women
who have died in active service:
and especially this day, we give thanks
and once more commit to your tender care
the many fallen and wounded of the 1914-1918 War.
As we honour their courage and cherish their memory,
may we put our faith in your future;
for you are the source of life and hope,
now and for ever.
Amen.
Hymn
O God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come,
our shelter from the stormy blast,
and our eternal home:
Beneath the shadow of your throne,
your saints have dwelt secure;
sufficient is thine arm alone,
and our defence is sure.
Before the hills in order stood,
or earth received her frame,
from everlasting thou art God,
to endless years the same.
A thousand ages in your sight
are like an evening gone;
short as the watch that ends the night
before the rising sun.
Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
bears all its sons away;
they fly, forgotten, as a dream
dies at the opening day
O God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come,
be thou our guide while troubles last,
and our eternal home.
Isaac Wates (1674-1748)
Act of Contrition and Sorrow
Revd. Graham Osborne
Let us pray
God of peace,
Forgive us when we have participated in that which turns people against
each other;
for fuelling anger and harbouring vengeance, for not heeding your call
to love one another.
Inspire us never to give up on the hope that your life offers us, and
the courage to see past war and desolation.
Lord of all life, help us to work together for that day when your
kingdom comes and justice, mercy and peace will be seen in all the
earth.
Amen.
May the God of all healing and forgiveness
draw us to himself,
and cleanse us from all our sins
that we may behold the glory of his Son,
Jesus Christ our risen Lord.
Amen.
There was a moment of quiet before the Reading.
Reading: John 15: 9-14 Revd. Jan Hofmeyr, Minister for
Leatherhead's Methodist Church and United Reformed Church
As the Father has loved me, so have I
loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will
remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain
in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that
your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have
loved you.
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's
friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.
Homily:
Revd. Graham Osborne
Act Of Remembrance
Rev Graham Osborne
Let us remember before God,
and commend to his sure keeping
those who have died for their country in war;
those whom we knew, and whose memory we treasure;
and all who have lived and died in the service of humankind.
Cllr Raj Haque, Chairman, Mole Valley District Council:
They shall grow not old as we
that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them
All: We will remember them
|
Chairman, Mole Valley District Council with
the Assistant Curate. Those on the right include
senior members of Leatherhead RBL. |
Leatherhead Remembered
Mrs Jane Summerfield - Secretary,
Leatherhead RBL
There are 117 names inscribed on this,
the Leatherhead War Memorial, even I recognised surnames from
yesteryear.
In 1914 Leatherhead was a small village.
Every single household would have lost someone and, in lots of cases,
more than one son.
For example on the memorial are:
the Penfold brothers,
the Skilton brothers,
the Worsfold brothers,
with six Taylors losing their lives, of which, I think three of them
were brothers.
We cannot imagine now devastating this was
for a village that 100 years later has become our small town.
And so following The Last Post, on this anniversary memorial to
honour the sons of Leatherhead who fell in the War to end all wars,
their names shall be read and we shall then observe our customary period
of silence.
Mrs Jane Summerfield RBL with Mrs Sue Roberts read the
names
of the fallen of Leatherhead in World War One.
Then followed:
The LAST POST played by
Clifford Lennon, Remembrance Bugler (Standards dip)
The SILENCE
REVEILLE (Standards rise)
The following from the Kohima Epitaph on the War Memorial in
Burma was said by the RBL Standard Bearer Mrs Sue Hill.
"When you go home, tell them of
us and say:
For your tomorrow we gave our today."
|
The Remembrance Bugler |
Laying Of Wreaths
Wreaths were laid on the day by:
Cllr Raj Haque, Chairman, Mole Valley District Council, followed
by representatives of the Armed Services, Cllr Alan Reilly, Armed
Forced Champion the Royal British Legion and other organisations.
The full list of wreaths laid was (in alphabetical order):
1st
Leatherhead Scout Group
Army Cadet Force Leatherhead
Combat Stress
Conservatives Leatherhead
Constitutional Club Leatherhead
Foresters Friendly Society Leatherhead Branch
Girl Guiding (Leatherhead Brownies, Guides, Young Leaders
& Leaders)
Labour Party
Leatherhead Chamber of Commerce
Liberal Democrats Leatherhead
Lions Leatherhead
|
Mole Valley
District Council
Mothers' Union Leatherhead
MVDC Armed Forces Champion
Royal British Legion Leatherhead Branch
Royal British Legion, Women's Section, Leatherhead Branch
Soroptomist International
Surrey Police
The Swan Centre
UKIP |
Rev Graham Osborne:
O God, the Creator and Father
both of our mortal and immortal life, we give you high praise
and humble thanks for all your sons and daughters who counted
not their lives dear unto themselves,
but laid them down to their friends; asking you to grant unto
them light and peace in your heavenly kingdom;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
|
Wreaths list and photo as at 23 November 2018
|
National Anthem
God save our gracious Queen,
Long live our noble Queen,
God save the Queen.
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us:
God save the Queen.
Rev Graham Osborne
The Blessing, and all respond
Amen.
Also taking part was Rev Ian Stonehouse, Assistant Curate of Leatherhead.
PA system provided by David & Carol Stoves of Leatherhead Methodist
Church.
 |
 |
The Standards march off, passing the
wreaths that have been laid at the Cross.
Leatherhead ACF prepare to march away.
Some of the many who had gathered outside the Memorial in North Street and
Gravel Hill.
The Order of Service stated that everyone was welcome at The Penny
Black following the service.
At Leatherhead Parish
Church between 9.45 and 10.30 am precisely the bells were rung
half-muffled to produce the alternating loud and soft, echoing tones that
reflect the melancholy, serious nature of the occasion.
The Bell Ringers also
took part an active part in two commemorative events that day:
- Ringing for Peace - at 12.30 pm exactly some of you may
have heard the Parish Church bells again, this time with the muffles
removed, as our team of Grandsire Triples ringers joined churches and
cathedrals throughout the land Ringing for Peace: Armistice 100.
- Battle's Over - A campaign called Ringing Remembers
honours the lives of the 1400 bell-ringers who died in the First World
War by aiming - very successfully - to recruit at least that number of
new bell ringers nationally. Our two recruits took part in Ringing
for Peace.
They also took part in the international Battle's Over
celebration. At 6.55 pm exactly, having mounted to the top of the church
tower, our bugler, Cliff Lennon, played the Last Post, followed
by the Rouse, intently listened to by the bell ringers in the
ringing chamber below before ringing again commenced at 7.05 pm
precisely. Leatherhead was the only parish church in Surrey, apart
from Guildford Cathedral, to have a bugler and bell ringers take
part in this.
To see an illustrated account of these two events in Leatherhead click here.
For the WWI Listing of those who died
(not all of whom are on the Town War Memorial), please click on that link
on the left of your screen.
If you are viewing this page outside the Leatherhead War Memorials
website please instead click on WWI.
The figure of 121 names on the War Memorial cited during the
service has been corrected to 117.
Order
of Service p1 & p4
Order of Service p2
& p3
All photos Haslam unless otherwise specified.
Page last updated 23 Nov 2018: 31 Jan 2019
