Newham Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday 2016 :Remembering West Ham Pals

Picture collage incorporating last Friday's moving 11/11 Armistice Day service at the Central Park Cenotaph and the following Sunday Remembrance Day service at the historic West Ham All Saints Church.  West Ham MP Lyn Brown laid a wreath on behalf of Newham (top right).

Top left of collage is a picture of Cllr Winston Vaughan, who I think is now the only elected Newham Councillor to have been on active service in the UK Armed Forces. He is seen wearing his campaign medal resulting from the Aden Emergency in 1967.  Cllr Ann Easter is pictured with her husband Christopher Owens who is a Chaplain to the Newham Sea Cadets.

The Remembrance Service at All Saints on Sunday 13 November was also particularly moving since I was aware that it was the 100th anniversary to the day of a very bloody "Battle of the Somme" First World War attack at Quadrilateral, France by the locally recruited "West Ham Pals" Battalion.

During the service a young,  newly commissioned Lieutenant from the local Army Reserve Battalion "7 Rifles" gave a reading and also then talked about his experiences of comradeship and team building as a soldier. Like me he had first joined the (then) Territorial Army at University.  

Former soldier warns against supporting Far Right Fascist "Britain First"

Labour Ipswich Councillor, Alasdair Ross, who spent over 24 years in the Royal Green Jackets, serving his country in Northern Ireland, Bosnia,  Kosovo and finally in with The Rifles in Sangin, Afghanistan warns us here about the nasty fascist so called "Britain First" front. Who are tricking the public to support them and using photographs of dead British servicemen funerals to raise funds.

I agree with Alasdair that these people are just fascists who shame our country and our war dead. Both my grandfathers fought in the Second World War. We lost hundreds of thousands of British military and civilians in combat and in the Blitz while fighting against the Nazi and their ilk.

"Britain First" is one of the many splits that have resulted from the welcome demise of the racist BNP. They are an extremist "hate group"- nothing more and nothing less.

(picture of German Bomber flying over the Isle of Dogs)

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 in West Ham

In a contrast to yesterday’s events this morning I attended the Remembrance Sunday service at the historic 12th century West Ham Parish Church of All Saints.

I think, like most people, it is important that we remember today the sacrifices past and present that British servicemen and women have made on our behalf.

Even if you don’t agree with today’s war in Afghanistan and Iraq, there are still ordinary British servicemen and women (and many UNISON members who are military reservists) risking their lives and this is a time to think of them and their families.

There were 4 remembrance services in Newham today. West Ham is a place shaped and still scarred by war. It was of course heavily bombed during the Second World War, killing thousands of civilians. On the church walls there was a standard of a local First World War “Old Contemptibles” association who were decimated in trench warfare. There was also a simple plaque to the Royal Marine bandsmen murdered by the IRA in Deal 1989 with the words “Thank you for the Music”. I assume a local connection? The British Nuclear Test Veterans Association had a newer looking plaque. With the words “All we seek is Justice”.

The West Ham service had local dignities such as Newham Civic Ambassador Councillor Omana Gangadharan present with the Council Mace (and bearer), the Deputy Lord Lieutenant, local Labour MP Lyn Brown, local Labour Councillors (including Councillor Winston Vaughan who I think saw active service in Aden? and Councillors who are Muslims) as well as the council's interim director of “children and young people services” Liz Graham.

There were serving soldiers (in combat uniforms – odd in a church but it’s an honest statement on such a day I suppose) from the local TA unit The Rifles (based just around the corner in West Ham Park). Their web site reports that 140 of their TA comrades based at Reading were flown out to the Helmand region of Afghanistan last month.

The Royal Legion were there, as were the local Sea cadets (some looking incredibly young), and scouts.

The congregation (as well as the TA soldiers and cadets) also reflected the community with many West Indian and African parishioners. The vicar himself, the Revd Stennett Kirby MA was black and he reminded the service of the (often forgotten) valuable contribution made by Black and Asian, Christan, Muslim and Hindu, commonwealth servicemen in British Wars. He pointed out that his own relatives had “proudly” served.

I felt that everyone present identified themselves as British regardless of race or colour. Perhaps we are getting like the Americans where it is argued that “the military” nowadays helps to “unify” that racially divided and complex nation? Not that this is any argument for “war”, of course.

His sermon was a careful balancing act between praising the obvious bravery and suffering of the troops currently at war with his equally obvious Christian abhorrence of war for practically any reason. He encouraged people that as well as praying for peace they should get involved and join political parties since this is where the power lies in this country to change things.

Ironically despite being a convinced atheist I enjoy such occasional religious services especially in historic churches. Maybe its just nostalgia? Being brought up nominally as an Anglican must have had some sort of impact I suppose?

The organ player and the choir were very good. The “Last Post” was played by the organ. I sang (very badly) the hymn “Jerusalem” in very different surroundings from the last time. Its lyrics “nor should my sword sleep in my hand” seemed to be at odds with the previous biblical reading ISAIAH 2 verses 1-5 which famously calls for swords to be beaten into ploughshares and spears into pruning hooks.

The service ended with the singing the first two verses of the national anthem. The first verse went OK but hardly anyone knew the 2nd verse, so there was a pause and shuffle while we all had to look at the words in order of the service booklet.

All in all, a typically British finish to a very British ceremony.