Remembrance Sunday Observed By Young and Old in Guildford Town

Published on: 13 Nov, 2016
Updated on: 14 Nov, 2016

Hundreds gathered in the Castle Grounds at Guildford to pay their respects to those who have been killed in conflicts since 1914.

Several hundred people, of all age groups, wishing to remember those who have died in all conflicts since the beginning of the First World War, gathered on a cold but bright morning, just before midday, at Guildford’s war memorial in the castle grounds.

Veterans on parade at the War Memorial, most wearing their regimental headdress.

They were joined by those, including veterans, units of: regular soldiers, reservists, cadets as well as the Mayor of Guildford, civic dignitaries and Guildford’s MP, Anne Milton, who had all taken part in the 11am service in Holy Trinity Church.

Flags and standards are dipped in salute as Last Post is sounded by a bugler of the Friary Band.

In a service conducted by Canon Robert Cotton, Rector of Holy Trinity, Last Post was sounded, flags and standards dipped in salute and a two-minute silence observed.

Wreaths being laid by the Rt Hon Anne Milton MP and Sue Sturgeon, managing director of Guildford Borough Council as Canon Robert Cotton looks on. The memorial is flanked by two NCOs from the Royal Logistics Corps based in Aldershot.

Wreaths were laid by the mayor, Gordon Jackson, Anne Milton various councillors and representatives of local organisations including St John Ambulance and the Salvation Army.

Music was provided by the Friary Band who led the parade column from the church to the Castle Grounds and who also provided the bugler for the traditional Last Post and Reveille.

Ann Bailey with the wreath she laid in memory of her brother Maurice Henley, killed whilst training to be a pilot in Canada.

One of the wreath layers was St Catherine’s resident Ann Bailey. She regularly attends the ceremony to remember, in particular her elder brother who died, aged 21, whilst training to be a pilot in Nova Scotia, Canada.

Maurice Albert William Henley of the RAF.

He is one of 25 air-crew trainees buried in a war cemetery by Middleton, near Halifax. Anne visited the cemetery with her husband David some years ago.

Ann said: “I can remember coming home from school, aged just five, with my older sister. Our father was waiting by the garden gate of our family home in William Road. He told my sister and I what had happened. Of course my mother was absolutely distraught.

2 Lt George Nisbet, of the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment, reads the messages on the wreaths laid at Guildford War Memorial.

One of the young officers attending the ceremony was 2 Lt George Nisbet of 3rd Battalion, Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment, the local infantry regiment. He is part of A Company, based at Farnham, where having served in the ranks he was commissioned in August 2015.

George was proudly wearing the medals of his grandfather (over the right breast, as tradition dictates) awarded for service in the Second World War.

Hon Freeman Bill Bellerby, aged 99, still wanted to do his bit by helping to sell poppies outside the Guildhall, in the week leading up to Remembrance Sunday.

At the other end of the age scale Bill Bellerby, now 99 years old, the much revered, former councillor and Guildford Freeman, helped sell poppies in the High Street this week. Poppy selling was also carried by many members of local cadet forces.

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