Remembrance Sunday at All Saints West Ham (and visit to the bells)

 

This morning I attended the historic All Saints Church in West Ham for the Remembrance Sunday service. Our MP, Lyn Brown was there, as was soldiers from our local Territorial Army unit, 7 Rifles, Police, Veterans, church members, other Councillors and a senior Council manager.  

It was as always a moving service. We were reminded of the plaques on the walls of the church that remember the 700 named dead from West Ham parish who died in World War One. An incredibly high number. 

Also, the banner of the West Ham "Old Contemptibles", who were survivors of the First British Expeditionary Force, formed from the regular army, which served in France and Flanders between August and November 1914. 

"Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany, who was famously dismissive of the BEF, allegedly issued an order on 19 August 1914 to "exterminate ... the treacherous English and walk over General French's contemptible little army". Hence, in later years, the survivors of the regular army dubbed themselves "The Old Contemptibles". No evidence of any such order being issued by the Kaiser has ever been found".

During the service prayers were said for peace in Gaza and thoughts for the innocent victims of the violence, Israeli and Palestinians. 

Afterwards my Councillor colleague John Whitworth and myself were able to climb the narrow church tower stairs to see the bell ringing room and then the bells. An amazing site. The "ringers" will welcome anyone interested in finding out more about being a West Hammer bell "ringer". 

West Ham Remembrance Sunday & When the Guns Fell Silent

This morning I attended the Remembrance Day service at All Saints Church in West Ham, the ward I have represented as a Councillor since 2010. It was a marvellous and moving service, attended by our local MP, Lyn Brown, our local British Army TA unit, G Company 7 Rifles, Metropolitan Police, Parishioners, Royal British Legion and my Newham Council Councillor colleagues. 

Many thanks to Revd. Simon Nicholls (and his "West Ham team") for the service. I was particularly struck by the playing during the service of the above audio soundtrack of an authentic recreation of the actual end of the First World War at 11am on 11th November 1918. The artillery shells stop - and the birds start singing. 

West Ham Parish Church (All Saints) Remembrance Sunday 10th November 2019

This morning I attended yet another beautiful Remembrance Sunday service at the historic 12th Century West Ham Parish Church. I am a local West Ham Ward Councillor but I was there today to represent Newham Council as Deputy Mayor together with Deputy Cabinet lead for Children Service's, Cllr Carleene Lee-Phakoe (who had brought her delightful 11 year old daughter) and our Council's Chief Legal Officer, Daniel Fenwick.

There was soldiers from our local regiment 7 Rifles present and other voluntary groups with a number of former military veterans proudly wearing their medals including Cllr Winston Vaughan,  who served in the British Army during the Aden Emergency.

The Rev’d Canon Alex Summers conducted the service and gave a moving sermon during which he mentioned how he and his young family had visited the graves of his relatives who died in battle during the first world war. He made an important point that will future generations with the passage of time forget what has happened in these Wars?

We all hope not. If we forget how horrible and wasteful war is then it is more likely to occur again (and again).

West Ham All Saints Remembrance Service Sunday 11 November 2018

On Sunday I represented the Mayor and Newham Council at the 1918-2018 Remembrance Ceremony at West Ham Parish Church All Saints with Chair of Council Cllr Joy Laguda and our Director of Finance, Michael O'Donnell. With our local MP Lyn Brown, we each laid a wreath of poppies together with G Company 7 Rifles (our local British Army Reservist unit based nearby in West Ham), Police, British Legion and local residents.

It was good to see a large contingent of soldiers in uniform from our local regiment 7 Rifles present. In past Remembrance ceremonies at this Church, members of G Company had been on active service in Iraq and Afghanistan.  I am now of an age, that they all look too young to put their lives at risk and wish that fighting for all countries and all beliefs was only restricted to older folk such as myself over the age 50.  I doubt that many wars would still happen if this was so.

Chair of Newham Councillor Scrutiny Committees, Cllr John Whitworth and Councillor Winston Vaughan also attended (Cllr Vaughan is a British Army Veteran) While local Cllr, Jane Lofthouse actually had a lovely singing voice (and saved the reputation of the Council since none of us could hold a note).

Newham Council had supported 8 separate Remembrance events across the borough this historic weekend with the Mayor, Cabinet, Senior officers and Councillors attending.

The new Parish Priest, Revd Cannon Alex Summers, led an excellent and moving service (despite a heavy cold) and spoke about two of his great uncles, who were killed in the first world war. He and his young family had visited the war cemetery of one of his uncles in France and noted that the graves of British and German dead were buried alongside each other. It seemed fitting that former enemies were laid in peace together. I completely agree.

The Church is a beautiful Grade 1 listed building and was founded in the 12th Century.  I recommend a visit. There is a Beethoven Concert there on 24 November 2018 which I sadly cannot attend due to pre booked clash.

After the ceremony my wife Gill and I went over to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to view the "Shrouds from the Somme". Visit, look and listen to the endless names of the unidentified dead. It is heartbreaking.

Councillor Report to West Ham Ward: March 2015

Councillor Report to West Ham Ward

WEST HAM WARD LABOUR PARTY

Ward meeting 5 March 2015

Thursday 5 February I attended Rebecca Cheetham Nursery School Governors meeting, then part of the West Ham ward meeting and finally my ward AGM at Forest Gate North.

Saturday 7 February I went away with our local Army Reservists, 7 Rifles, for a familiarisation day on Salisbury plains. Accompanied by Cllr Whitworth and other Cllrs. We watched local troops on ranges, cooked an outdoor meal and observed the Rifles practicing fire and manoeuvre infantry tactics.  It was very cold but very interesting day.

Tuesday 10 February I attended an evening executive meeting of the London Labour Housing Group at the House of Commons. We discussed a possible housing manifesto for future Labour candidate for Mayor of London.  

Wednesday 11 February I attended Newham Council Pension Committee, where I submitted some guidance I had received from the LGA about pensions for Councillors being in their view unlawful and also asked questions about the proposed Newham Pension Board.  I have since submitted a report on the proposed Board.

The Pension committee clashed with the Regeneration and Scrutiny Commission meeting so I was not able to attend both. There has been no meeting of the Housing Residents Scrutiny Commission due to a shortage of Scrutiny officers.

Thursday 12 February was a meeting of West Ham CLP Campaign meeting to plan for the General election 

Friday 13 February I went on site visit to Ladywell Street, E15 and met local residents and West Ham Police sector team regarding ASB, dumped rubbish and  environment. I have requested a site visit with representatives from landlord Family Mosaic.

Saturday 14 February I held my surgery at Vicarage Lane Community Centre then in the afternoon went canvassing for Labour in our target seat Ilford North with other West Ham CLP activists.

I was away on annual leave from 19 February to 22 February.

Monday 16 February was Newham Council Labour Group meeting at East Ham Town Hall.

Monday 23 February was Full Council meeting during which I asked the Executive advisor for Finance questions on our borrowing strategy and the legality of the consultation process of the Newham Pension Board.

I was away at my UNISON Community Conference in Bradford 26 February to 1 March 2015 as one of its two National Executive Committee members.

A day with G Company 7 Rifles on Salisbury Plain

On Saturday I spent the day with 7 other Newham Councillors as the guests of G Company 7th Rifles Regiment, while they were training on Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire.

G Company is our local British Army reservist unit in Newham, based at Cedar barracks in my ward next to West Ham park. This trip had been organised by the one and only, Terry Paul, Cllr for Stratford ward.

The idea was to give local Councillors some understanding of what our reservist soldiers in the modern army have to go through. Terry and I had both been members of the "Territorial Army" (TA) when we were younger, so we had some idea of what to expect. But in our day the TA role was to support NATO against a Soviet Union invasion of Germany. Not to serve on hostile active service operations such as in Iraq or Afghanistan, which modern day reservists are normally expected to carry out.

We arrived at the Drill Hall at 7.45 and we were somewhat to our surprise were issued with combat overalls, waterproofs, Bergen's (rucksacks), 24 hour pack of rations, mess tin, cooker and steel helmets. Everyone was very welcoming and pleased to see us. We then drove by a minibus to Salisbury Plain which is a massive military training area and got off at at some disused farm buildings.

During the trip down the soldiers accompanying us were very honest and frank about their experiences while on active service. By coincidence one was born in Canning Town, a street away from where Terry was brought up while the other was his possible distant cousin. At the farm buildings we had a series of briefings about our day and were advised to put on all our warmest and windproof clothing.

G Company had arrived on the previous Friday evening and had spent the night sleeping out in the open and were carrying out reconnaissance training exercises all Saturday until about 2am the following day.  They were then planning a dawn attack on an "enemy" position on the Sunday morning.

We discovered why we had metal helmets as we climbed into our army cross country heavy goods vehicle to be transported to our first site. I used to be a military HGV driver and in my day (an expression which makes me feel pretty old) there was only a bench either side of the rear of the HGV that we were expected to sit on as passengers. Nowadays you have to wear a metal helmet and sit in racks with an airplane style safety harness. Going across rough country you appreciate wearing a helmet and harness.

After about 15 minutes we stopped at a wood near a training ground, got out and walked to the company machine gun platoon exercise. The platoon were practising coordinating and firing 7.62mm General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG)

We then spoke to the machine gun teams about what they do and examined the GPMG and their SA 80 rifles. The machine guns, the tripods and belts of ammunition were so heavy you could not imagine carrying them as well as your other military kit.

Afterwards we went into a nearby wood which had been the sleeping area for the company the previous night and had a fantastic presentation by a rifleman on how to cook lunch from our "24 hour ration packs".  It was very cold in the wood and we all enjoyed the hot food even if it took us a little while and a bit of trial and error. Hot food is a brilliant pick-you-up that you only really appreciate if you are very cold.

We then went off to observe a section of the Rifle platoon carry out different patrolling exercises and formations. If a patrol was attacked they practiced firing back and maneuvering either to attack or move away. This is what infantry soldiering is all about. If you come under fire on a patrol you know what to do instinctively since you have practiced this time after time after time.

It was sobering to think that some of the more experienced soldiers present had actually done this in real life and had carried out these exercises while under fire from live bullets.

Finally, we drove back to the base in the HGV and then had a debrief with a cup of hot coffee then left to drive home to East London. All of us fell asleep on the way back. At Cedar barracks we dropped off our kit and changed back into our normal clothes.

I think that every single one of us Councillors really enjoyed the day and found it fascinating and different but also the friendliness and hospitality shown by everyone towards all of us was simply stunning. Thank you very much G Company 7 Rifles. You did us proud.

Afterwards some of us went to the Black Lion in Plaistow to give a toast to 7 Rifles and wish them well with the rest of the exercise.

I must admit that I was also thinking that day of my Grandfather, Frederick Matthews, who in 1915 did his basic military training in the Salisbury Plain and then went on to command a machine gun platoon in Gallipoli and later in the trenches in France. Did he practice such military skills in these very same fields and valleys 100 years ago?

Newham Councillors on route to 7 Rifles

This picture is from this morning, just before the 8 of us went off to join our local British Army Reservists - G Company, 7 Rifles in Salisbury Plain.

We got back this evening after a great day with G Company. I will write up a full post tomorrow but in the meanwhile, can we all think of G Company, who are now spending their 2nd night sleeping out on Salisbury Plain in the freezing cold while preparing for a practice assault at first light tomorrow.

As well as all the other British Forces personal, who are still putting themselves in harms way across the world.

Remembrance Sunday & Armistice Day

Yesterday morning I went to the Remembrance Sunday Service at West Ham Parish Church of All Saints. This is in my Council ward  and at 1,000 years is one of the oldest buildings in Newham.

The Church is currently undergoing a major programme of restoration with scaffolding everywhere but it still retained its solemnity and dignity.

The Revd Stennett Kirby led the service and our local MP Lyn Brown gave a Bible reading. Following Reveille, the Kohima Epitaph was given by an elderly veteran whose slow, deliberate rasping voice made all of us think of those who gave their today for our tomorrow.

Wreaths were laid with respect by the dignitaries, British Legionaries, serving soldiers and cadets. The most touching was the last which was laid by a little girl of 3 or 4 who had to "persuaded" by her Mum and encouraged by others, to go up and lay her little wooden cross with a red poppy on it.  But what was lovely is once she had finally done this, she turned round and skipped her way back to her Mum across the Church.

The address was made by Rifleman Franklin Anolue, 7 Rifles, G Company, West Ham who was in his Army Battle dress.  Franklin had recently served in Helmond Province in Afghanistan with his regiment. He told us he had always wanted to be a soldier ever since he saw the film "Saving Private Ryan". He was a student studying engineering and a part time soldier with the Territorial Army. He hadn't told his Mum he was going to Afghanistan until he was there, since he knew she would try and stop him! He had gone to Remembrance services before he went on his tour of duty but it is only now that he can really understand why it is so important to remember all those who put themselves in harms way for their country.

Remembrance Sunday takes place on the 2nd Sunday of November every year. This morning I went to the out door Armistice Day Service at the Central Park Cenotaph in East Ham which takes place at the anniversary of the end of World War One, at 11am on the 11th day of the 11th Month.  This was another very moving service. What was particularly important to me was the number of children from local primary and secondary schools who attended and participated in the service.

Also the emphasis on the "forgotten" Commonwealth and the absolutely vital role played in the First and Second World War by Africans, Asians and Caribbeans who defended our country and our freedoms.

The picture above is of my Taid (Welsh for Grandfather) in the trenches during the 1st World War.  He is sitting on the left and I think the picture was taken in Gallipoli where he served in Hawk Battalion, Royal Naval Division. This is a smashing photograph of my Taid. Dan Filson on FaceBook thought he looked like a 1950's teddy boy! Which I am not that sure about but having "attitude" may explain why he survived being on the front line in Gallipoli, Flanders and the Somme for 3 long years. He won the Military Cross in 1917.

Newham Freedom of the Borough to G Company, 7th Battalion The Rifles

On Saturday morning I went to the London Borough of Newham presentation of the Honorary Freedom of the Borough to G Company, 7th Battalion The Rifles. G Company is our local Territorial Army Unit based in West Ham Park (in my ward).

The event started with the Regimental band "The Waterloo Band and Bugles" playing music in West Ham Recreational Park. Who went on to led the Company to the Old Town Hall in Stratford. The Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Chair of Council and Major General Greg Smith then inspected the Company. This was followed by a march past outside the Town Hall along Stratford High Street. Finishing with a reception inside the Town Hall.

It was a very moving occasion. Soldiers from G Company have put themselves in harm's way in all the major conflicts of recent years. A number have recently served in Afghanistan and more are due to be sent out soon. Whatever you think about our involvement in these conflicts I would hope you would recognise the bravery and self sacrifice of the troops who are carrying out the wishes of our  elected government.

The local link with the Regiment can be traced back to the formation of The Rifle Rangers in 1859. 61 members of The Rifles have been killed in action in the last 5 years and many more wounded.

The Mayor, Sir Robin Wales, made it clear that the Borough was also honouring the families whose loved ones had been away on active duty or had suffered loss.

A special day. It was particularly satisfying to see all sections of Newham's diverse community coming together to respect and cheer their local regiment.

Update: Click on this Youtube video of the event here. You may even recognise someone tapping his fingers to the music (probably out of time)

Remembrance Sunday: West Ham All Saints 2011

This morning I went to the Remembrance Sunday Service at the West Ham Parish Church of All Saints.  This is one of four "official" Remembrance events taking place today in Newham.  The Revd Stennett Kirby took the service. It was as usual a touching and moving occasion.

This year Captain Ben Firth from our local West Ham Territorial Army Unit, 7th Rifles, spoke in full dress uniform from the pulpit.

Ben talked eloquently about his experiences in combat in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.  In 2006 he went out aged 25 as an infantry platoon commander responsible for 30 men on a 6 month tour.  Ben also spoke about the hardship and intensity of combat, of 9 hour long gun battles with the enemy, of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and the inevitable resulting casualties.

But he also talked about holding regular tribal meetings with local leaders, establishing trust, providing them with a generator to bring electricity and giving toys to local children. He said it is the winning of these battles of hearts and minds that actually makes serving our country so worth while.

Newham salutes its 7 Rifles local heros

Picture of Newham Council Mayor Sir Robin Wales and West Ham MP Lyn Brown at this Civic reception for our local TA Company last month.  From Mayors View - Page 7 of this months thenewhammag

Newham Council Civic Reception to Honour 7 Rifles

On Thursday evening there was a Newham Council Civic reception in the historic Old Town Hall in Stratford to honour the soldiers who serve in our local Territorial Army infantry Battalion, The 7 Rifles. 

A number of whom over the years have volunteered to support their Regular Army Rifle Regiment counterparts on tours of duty. 

The Company headquarters are in actually my ward at the TA Centre, Portway, E15.  Not only that but my fellow ward Councillor, Freda Bourne,  has a son currently serving in Afghanistan and our third ward Councillor, Ron Manley (a former regular soldier) has a grandson who is due to go out in December.

Next year they are looking for 15 soldiers from West Ham to go to Afghanistan and join the Regular Army Battalion for a winter tour.

It was a privilege and a pleasure to talk to our soldiers about their experiences.  Some of them had brought their wives and partners to the reception. 

I spoke to a newly qualified London bus driver based in Newham who had been on 7 different military tours including Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Kenya and Cyprus. 

During the formal speeches Newham Mayor, Sir Robin Wales, thanked all of our service men and women who put themselves at risk on behalf of our country.  He pointed out that Newham Councillors represents all sections of the community and we are all very proud and supportive of 7 Rifles. 

Our local MP Lyn Brown was also there chatting to the soldiers and their partners.  I was particular impressed with the honesty and openness shown by some of these soldiers who had fought in recent conflicts and who had lost friends and comrades.  The Rifles Regiment as a whole I believe has had 52 men killed in action in Afghanistan. With Remembrance Day coming soon our thoughts are with their friends and families.

I was pleased to find out while in conversation with the Deputy Lieutenant of Newham, Colonel Mike Dudding, that in a former life he had been a trade union rep as well!

(pictured with Cllr Sharaf Mahmood and Cllr Firoza Nekiwala with members of 7 Rifles)