REMEMBRANCE

[Les1949]

This was in today's programme........


REMEMBRANCE
Remembrance can be, amongst other things, “the remembering of the dead”.
Today is Remembrance Day, the 11th of November. Initially known as ‘Armistice Day’ in November 1919, it was first recorded one year after the end of the ‘Great War’. Cessation of hostilities was agreed between the Allies and the German representatives at around 5am on the morning of 11th November 1918. Due to the problems of communicating the decision to all parties it was further agreed that all guns should fall silent at 11am, on the 11th day of the 11th month. The unfortunate result was that fighting would continue unabated up to that time. Combatants continued to be killed and maimed right up to the last moment, and in a few cases, due to the message not getting through, after 11am. The first observation of a silence was held in 1919, which was a Tuesday, a normal working day. Everything stopped, even the Trams.

"This morning at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, the men and women of the motherland throughout the empire stayed their hands at their millions of separate tasks to perform a service of silent homage and remembrance. A year ago the fate of hundreds of thousands of men, and all that they represented to wives, mothers, children, hung in the balance."– Liverpool Echo November 11th 1919”
Following World War 2 (the Great War having been re-named WW1) the Archbishop of Canterbury proposed that the term ‘Armistice Day’ should be changed and that the second Sunday in November be called Remembrance Sunday. The change was made in 1946. Over the years it became the norm to remember casualties from all conflicts, not just the two world wars. Also, as the pace of modern life increased it became less and less usual to have any form of remembrance on the 11th itself. Oddly enough when the centenary of the end of WW1 approached a groundswell of public opinion caused many organisations to, once again, stop for two minutes on the day itself.
Unless you have had personal experience of having had contact with someone who was a casualty of war it may feel as if it really doesn’t have any connection with yourself.
I tend to look upon the period of remembrance relating to those I have known, family, friends and acquaintances. So, in terms of our football club, when it comes to the two-minute silence this weekend, why not think on those we have lost over the past few years. The list is in no way comprehensive, apologies for any missing names.
Peter ARMITAGE (Supporter); Steve BARRY (Supporter)
Geoffrey BRITTAIN (Supporter); Dennis COOPER (Player)
Laurie DEFREIS (Committee); Denis DICKENSON (Groundsman)
Malcolm DICKENSON (Player); Alan DUDDY (Player/Vice-President)
Elwyn EDMUNDS (Supporters Trust); Joe FASCIONE (Player/Coach)
Ken GAZZARD (Vice-Chairman); Syd HARRISON (Player)
Bob HAYES (Chairman/Patron); Keith HUSSEY (Football Secretary)
Ron KING (Player/Manager); Ken MACE (Steward);
Brenda MANN (Supporter/Club Shop); Colin MANN (Supporter)
Doug MARKHAM (Vice-Chairman); Bob MORFORD (Groundsman);
Steve PENNY (Club Steward); Alan PENSON (Supporter)
Alan SIMPSON OBE (Club President); Mark SMITH (Bar Manager)
Syd SMITH (Supporter); Peter TAGG (Player/Manager)
Bob TOMLIN (Player/Club Secretary); Paul WILLIAMS (Reserve Secretary)
Keith WRIGHT (Supporter)
The Old Historian