REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY 2022

We had a great service in Church this morning and I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I was due to lead the service, but after speaking to David, the person preaching, we came to the conclusion that as the timing was so crucial today, it would be better if he actually led the service too, and it was right that he did.  David did it all impeccably - the timing was spot on and he preached a wonderful sermon - so all was well.  I’m so glad we agreed that he should both lead and preach and it definitely took the pressure off me as I prepare for my Presentation on Tuesday, which is now well on the way!

When we left our Church after having coffee, Mr. HCB said that he knew just where we were going - but wouldn’t tell me - so I just let him drive - I did have one or two ideas, but I was way out!  We ended up at Lyneham, which used to be known as  R.A.F. Lyneham, a large village in Wiltshire.  Lyneham became the RAF's largest operational airfield and took on the role as a centre for repatriation, honouring those killed in conflict. In 2002 a strategic review of military bases resulted in a decision to close the station.  The site is now known as Ministry of Defence Lyneham (or MoD Lyneham) and is home to the Defence School of Electro-Mechanical Engineering.  

When we arrived in the village, Mr. HCB took a left turn but wasn’t quite sure where he was heading, so had to tell me our destination.  He said that he had seen in our local newspaper that there as a beautiful display of poppies on the outside of the local Parish Church, so decided that he would take me there today and we eventually found it, not that far from where we were. 

Sadly that side of the Church was in shadow, so it was difficult to get a good shot of it, and the photograph in my collage is rather light, but if I hadn’t lightened it, the poppies wouldn’t be seen.  We then went round to the front of the Church and went inside;  what a beautiful sight awaited us.  All the displays were amazing and people must have worked so hard to make them look so beautiful - I took lots of photographs, so my main collage features some of the displays and I have put another collage in as an extra.  Val, a friend of ours in Yorkshire, who makes poppies like these, and in fact, sent two for us, also “dressed” the Church in her village, so as she reads my Blips, I’m sure she will enjoy seeing these photographs today.

The Church of St. Michael’s and All Angels is a beautiful rural Church and the churchyard was beautifully kept.  Both the Church and the churchyard contain historical items highlighting the connections with the former R.A.F. Station and at the bottom right in my extra collage you can see the Lyneham stained glass window unveiled by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1990.

Just above the Military Wives Choir stone in the extra collage you can see a model Hercules aircraft, covered with poppies, and there are various names near the model stating who had been killed in various missions.

It was all so thoughtfully done and it was a privilege not only to see it, but also to light a candle in memory of Mr. HCB’s Uncle Ernest who was killed in action on 10th July 1944.  Ernest got married in 1942, but almost immediately was sent to fight in France and his wife sadly never saw him again.  He is buried in a cemetery at Banneville-la-Campagne in Normandy and we would very much like to go and visit his grave - so perhaps we will one day.

A moving and poignant day and I am so glad that Mr. HCB took me to see these beautiful displays that honour the men and women in both World Wars and in other conflicts including wars still being waged in this present day.  He definitely deserves a Gold Star today!

“Wars are poor chisels 
     for carving out 
          peaceful tomorrows.”
Martin Luther King Jr.