Borough Raises Commonwealth Flag And Marks Centenary Of First World War

Published on: 9 Mar, 2015
Updated on: 9 Mar, 2015

A ceremony at the Guildhall in the High Street on Monday (March 9) marked Commonwealth Day and also the centenary of the First World War.

The Commonwealth Flag flies from the Guildhall, Monday, March 9, 2015.

Guildford Borough Council hosted the event that was attended by more than 50 people including the Mayor, David Elms; the leader of the council, Stephen Mansbridge; managing director Sue Sturgeon, councillors, aldermen and council officers and staff; plus invited guests including servicemen, young people and higher education students; Guildford remembrance Matthew Alexander; Ian Chatfiueld, curator of the Queen’s Regiment Museum; and former Gurkhas from the Guildford Nepalese Community.

The ceremony began with a message from the Queen read by Dani Pick, a member of both Guildford and Surrey Youth Councils. A message from the secretary-general of the Commonwealth was read by an international student based in Guildford.

The Commonwealth affirmation was read by the leader of the council, Stephen Mansbridge.

Those gathered responded with the pledge: ‘Our pledge is to support the Commonwealth, working together for a future in which there is freedom and justice and prosperity for all, with peace and understanding between peoples and nations.’

Some of those who took part in the ceremony and special guests on the balcony of the Guildhall for the flag raising.

They then left the Guildhall and crossed the High Street to watch the raising of the Commonwealth Flag from the bell tower of the Guildhall.

Assembling in Guildhall again, the second part of the ceremony took place to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the First World War.

The Mayor with members of Guildford Youth Council with the candles in remembrance of the four years of the First World War.

The Mayor led this part of the ceremony that included members of the Guildford Youth Council holding candles.

The candles, along with all the lights in the Guildhall, were then extinguished and a two-minute silence was observed. All that could be heard was the ticking of a clock inside the main hall.

One candle will be relighted and will remain lit at the Guildhall for the remainder of the year.

University of Surrey student Laura Palmer, here on an exchange visit from Australia, then read John McCrae’s First World War poem In Flanders Fields.

The Mayor concluded the ceremony by saying that the event will be repeated each Commonwealth Day in the years to come in marking the war’s centenary.

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