While we remember our fallen heroes from the past, we must also take time to reflect on current wars around the world, says Mayor

THE Mayor of Henley spoke about the effects of current wars as hundreds of people gathered for the town’s annual Remembrance Sunday service.

Councillor Kellie Hinton addressed the crowd from a podium on the town hall steps.

She said: “We say over and over how we remember them, we say the words, ‘Lest we forget’ and while we do this and remember our fallen heroes from the past, we must also take time to reflect on current wars around the world.

“A day does not go by when we do not hear about conflict and tragedy and even when these seem so far away from Henley, it is always close to home through the people we know and love.

“Our thriving community welcomes people here from all over the world, people who have been hurt and affected by the tragedy of war, people who may have never actually experienced war themselves but who have seen their loved ones back home hurt and in pain because of ongoing conflict.”

The Mayor addressed the crowd who had gathered in Market Place, some of whom had arrived 90 minutes before the ceremony began.

People wore red poppies and held umbrellas to protect them from the light rain.

The rumble of conversations was silenced as pupils from Gillotts School recited the names and ages of men who died in the First World War over a loudspeaker.

“Edward Horton, aged 19, Walter Miller, aged 27, John Thomas Jeffrey, aged 29.” Each name was recited by a different pupil.

This recording has been used for the service since 2014 following the Lest We Forget project led by Mike Willoughby, who identified more than 100 servicemen who died in the First World War but whose names were not listed on the memorial outside the town hall.

At about 10.30am the market place was full of people, including some elderly veterans and others who sat in camping chairs at the front for a better view.

A few dog owners had attached poppies to their pets’ leads.

The air was filled with the sound of a Chinook helicopter performing a flyover and the crowds waved.

People parted as the traditional parade emerged from Greys Road car park led by the Henley Army Cadets followed by sea and Royal Marine cadets, beavers, cubs, scouts, brownies, guides, rangers and members of the Henley and Peppard branch of the Royal British Legion. Each group was led by their standard bearer.

There were also representatives of Thames Valley Police and the Henley fire service.

Each group took their place in a horseshoe shape around Falaise Square while two sea cadets and two marine cadets stood an arm’s length apart in front of the town hall steps.

Captain Tom Fearn, of the army cadets, stood in the centre to command all the forces.

Members of the St Mary’s Church choir positioned themselves to the left of the town hall all dressed in a white surplice with a red poppy.

Woodley Concert Band were behind the crowd in a marquee and accompanied all the hymns and
processions.

As the time approached 11 o’clock, the rain stopped and people closed their umbrellas.

The Mayor’s party emerged from the town hall led by town sergeant James Churchill-Coleman carrying the ceremonial mace.

He was followed by Lady Hall, deputy lieutenant of Oxfordshire, and Cllr Hinton in the Mayor’s ceremonial robes.

The party joined the other town councillors, who were dressed in formal gowns and hats, and William Hall, who was representing Henley MP John Howell.

Rev Jeremy Tayler, the rector of Henley with Remenham and the Mayor’s chaplain, began the service by reading while standing at the top of the town hall steps.

He said: “My brothers and sisters, today we gather as we do each year to pray for peace in the world that God made and peace for which already so many have laid down their lives and which so many continue to die, day by day.

“And we remember them before God, with grief and pride and thanks. We pray for all who suffer still because of war and terrorism and we ask for God’s help and blessing for ourselves that we may do his will and that the whole world may acknowledge him as Lord and King.

“So now let us remember before God our father and commend to his love and sure keeping, the souls of those who have died for their country in war, those who we knew and those whose memory we treasure and all who have lived and died through the ages in the service of their fellow men and women.”

Anne Evans, who chairs the Henley and Peppard branch of the Royal British Legion, then read from the poem For the Fallen by Laurence Binyon.

The crowd said in unison: “We will remember them.”

The Last Post was sounded by Gregor Spowart, of the Woodley Concert Band, on the cornet to mark the start of the two-minute silence.

The bearers lowered the standards as the crowd fell silent. Mr Spowart signalled the end of the silence by playing Reveille.

Mrs Evans then recited the Kohima Epitaph: “When you go home, tell them of us and say for your tomorrow we gave our today.”

Rev Tayler led the crowd in a prayer and then introduced the singing of Jerusalem.

Deputy town clerk Cath Adams read Matthew 5:1-12.

Rev Tayler then led a prayer for the “peace of the world”. The crowd replied in unison: “Lord, graciously hear us.”

The Mayor then addressed the crowd.

She said: “We gather here today in remembrance, under the shadow of history and the weight of gratitude. We are connected by shared stories of sacrifice and resilience that echo through generations.

“We come together to honour and remember those who gave their all for the cause of peace.

“We remember those who so bravely gave their lives. We think about their families and we keep in our mind those whose lives are so greatly impacted by their time at war.”

She emphasised the importance of mental health and the psychological effects of war.

Cllr Hinton said: “We stand here today in solidarity with those people affected both physically and mentally by war — and their loved ones.

“To those people I say, ‘We are here, we support you and we are grateful for you’.

“Every year we stand here together. Every year we remember and we pay tribute. We raise awareness and we raise money to help support veterans and their families.

“Today we also remember these people near and far. Standing here united in reflection, let us jointly carry on with the torch of remembrance.

“Together as a community, let us strive for a world of peace, where peace reigns and the memory of our fallen heroes lives on in spirit of our great town. We will remember them.”

After the address, the crowd sang the hymn I Vow to Thee My Country.

The Mayor’s three cadets then spoke. Sea cadet Sergeant Angus Timblicka-Statham read My Motto by Stephen Grellet, air cadet Aleks Kluch read Ye Wearie Wayfarer by Adam Lindsay Gordon and army cadet Cadet Corporal Angelika Gwiazda read Freedom, a poem from the regimental archive of the Sherwood Foresters.

Rev Tayler led the crowd in the Act of Commitment and the Lord’s Prayer before everyone sang the National Anthem.

Lady Hall was the first person to lay a wreath, followed by the Mayor and then Mr Hall.

Others then followed suit, all lingering in a moment of reflection after doing so.

Councillor Stefan Gawrysiak bowed his head in respect after laying a wreath on behalf of Oxfordshire County Council.

Councillor Ken Arlett, who placed a wreath on behalf of South Oxfordshire District Council, caressed the names engraved on the hall wall to commemorate the fallen.

He was followed by John Green, president of the Henley and Peppard branch of the Royal British Legion.

Wreaths were then laid in pairs by representatives of 30 groups and organisations, including the cadet groups, the 4th Battalion Oxon and Bucks Infantry, Henley fire service, Thames Valley Police, St John Ambulance, guides, brownies, scouts, cubs, beavers, Henley Lions Club, Henley Rotary Club, Henley Bowls Club, the RNLI, the River & Rowing Museum, The Henley College and Henley Women’s Institute.

The service ended with the resumption of the procession and the groups marching around the market place to applause from the crowd.

After the service, the Mayor welcomed the public into the town hall for refreshments.