Sutton War Memorial 90th anniversary

[Andy Wade]

Very soon it is the 90th anniversary of the Sutton in Craven War Memorial being installed.
An event will be held to commemorate this on Saturday 19th March where our very own Malcolm Reeves will read out the names of the fallen. The event details are as follows:

Agenda

Gather in Sutton Park at the War Memorial 13:45
Home Guard parade to War Memorial commences at 14:00
as church clock strikes
Welcome – Dr John Laycock
Poem – Peter Whitaker
Role of Honour – Malcolm Reeves on behalf of Andrew Monkhouse
Laying of wreath – WW1 ‘soldier’
Blessing – Revd Canon Michael Cowgill
Closing Home Guard parade

Please come along if you can. It looks like the weather might actually be kind on the day too... Well I hope so anyway!

[malcolm]

Your hopes/prayers were answered.

The sun shone and the wind was a gentle breeze.

THe Home Guard platoon Officer placed a young soldier in front of the Cenotaph to remain still, rifle reversed with the 'business end' resting on his right boot and both hands on the butt, his head bowed, from before the start of the march from the Sutton Park gates until after the platoon marched away after the ceremony.
It was made even more poignant by this young man being about the same age as those soldiers whose names I was reading out
after making the ultimate sacrifice.
I salute that young soldier and he was probably the most photographed person throughout the entire proceedings, and the one with the most difficult part to play.
He deserved the spontaneous applause when he finally moved away from his post.
At least I could look round, and recognised quite a few from my 'past' who afterwards came forward to re-ignite long forgotten memories.
Congratulations to Andrew for the research he has undertaken and recommend you look at the rest of his research which now appears on the Sutton-in-Craven Village Website for all to see.
It was a very moving experience for me and I was honoured to have played my small part.
I have been fortunate that very few of my ancestors were Killed in Action during WW1 and only one in during WW2, but they were in my thoughts during the proceedings.
My paternal grandfather lost a brother in WW1 and my maternal grandmother lost an step-brother in WW2.
One of my own uncles was badly injured in (of all places) Libya after Tobruk but survived.
My grandfather survived an explosion in a munitions factory in Croydon bombed by the Germans which he was leading the first team of Firefighters on arrive on scene.
This is why it is so important to have this type of event because without their sacrifice, I would not be able to participate in the freedoms I am able to enjoy.

Malcolm Reeves