County prepares to commemorate Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday
A series of events have been planned to mark Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday across Staffordshire.
Numerous ceremonies and parades will take place on Sunday 9 November and Tuesday 11 November – the date that the First World War came to an end.
At the National Memorial Arboretum, in Alrewas, events and special services will run throughout November. Paul Williams, Chairman of Staffordshire County Council, will be attending a Remembrance Service at the arboretum for Chase Arts for Public Spaces on Sunday 9 November. He will also be attending a Royal British Legion event at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday 8 November. Vice Chairman Gordon Munro will be attending the Remembrance Sunday Open Air Service, Wreath Laying and Parade on Sunday 9 November and the Armistice Ceremony at County Buildings on Tuesday 11 November.
As part of this year’s commemorations, the county council’s Archives Service will be sharing documents and photos from when Staffordshire’s local memorials were first set up in the 1920s. The display, a mixture of items from the council’s own collections and those generously lent by the Royal British Legion, will shed light on how the borough set up the War Memorial.
One of the photos, taken in October 1922, shows the unveiling of the Stafford Borough War Memorial in Victoria Square attended by soldiers, civic leaders and members of the public. This and other documents relating to the great unveiling ceremony show just how important the War Memorial was to those who had served or lost loved ones in the Great War.
Gordon Munro, Vice-Chairman of Staffordshire County Council, is a former soldier himself who served in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Corps for nine years. He will be joining Chairman Paul Williams at the Remembrance Sunday weekend events.
Gordon said:
“For those of us who served, especially those who came through close calls, remembrance is not just a date on the calendar. It’s the memories of friends who never made it home, but who are always with us every minute of every day.
“We should honour all our service personnel not just with words, but by how we live, how we care, how we educate our youth and how we never forget. We also think of those still serving as soldiers, sailors, and airmen and women who carry our torch with pride going forward. To them, we say: you are never forgotten. Your duty, hardship and quiet strength continue the legacy of all those who came before.”
Hayley Coles, Cabinet Member for Communities and Culture at Staffordshire County Council, said:
“Remembrance Sunday is a deeply important time for communities across Staffordshire and the country. It’s when we come together to pay tribute and honour those brave men and women who fought and gave up their lives for our freedom.
“I’m proud that Staffordshire continues to mark this occasion with such dignity and respect and I do hope people can find some time to attend a service over the weekend.”
The Lord Lieutenant for Staffordshire, Professor Liz Barnes CBE, will attend the Remembrance Sunday Open Air Service, Wreath Laying and Parade at Civic Centre Stafford on Sunday 9 November and a special Armistice Day Service on Tuesday 11 November at the National Memorial Arboretum. She will also attend the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday 8 November.
The Vice Lord-Lieutenant Graham Morley will be attending the Stoke City Remembrance Sunday Service and Parade on Sunday 9 November and the two minutes silence in Market Square Stafford on Tuesday 11 November.
Other events taking place on Sunday 9 November in Staffordshire include:
- Remembrance Sunday Commemoration Service and Parade – Frank Jordan Centre, Lichfield Street, Stone
- East Staffs Borough Council Remembrance
- Cheadle Town Remembrance Sunday
- Tri-Services & Veterans Support Centre Remembrance Day Parade and Service
- Newcastle-under-Lyme Remembrance Day Parade and Church Service
- Hednesford Remembrance Event – Castle House
- The Worshipful The Mayor of East Staffs Remembrance Day Parade and Service
- Remembrance Service at St Editha’s, Tamworth
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