Members of Warrington Masonic Group attended the Remembrance Service at Warrington Cenotaph. Amongst those attending were; John Moore of Warrington Temple Lodge No 6420 who has been appointed Warrington Group Armed Forces Covenant Officer (AFCO) and Mike Hamilton of Travelers Lodge No 4679.
John and Mike arrived early with medals and shoes polished, with other veterans from Warrington at the town hall. The pair formed up as part of the veterans’ parade, before marching from the town hall, through Palmyra Square and the streets of Warrington towards the River Mersey and Bridge Foot Island, home of the town’s War Memorial.
The parade marched smartly through the town under the clear instruction of the RSM 75 Engineer Regiment, and with the pace set by the drums of Warrington Pipe Band. On arrival at the Cenotaph, the parade halted and was ordered to fall out before the commencement of the service. John and Mike met with the Warrington Group executive along with other Freemasons who had already formed at the Cenotaph and were proudly wearing their military insignia as well as their collars of office. Veterans formed to the rear and standard bearers and took their place alongside the Cenotaph as the Service of Remembrance gathered in silence.
At precisely 10:46, the pipes played ‘Flowers of the Forest’ before Lt Col (Retd.) Les Taylor-Duff TD, a member of Newton Lodge No.6288, led the service with the exhortation. The Last Post sounded and the town fell silent to remember those who had given their all in the sacrifice and suffering of war.
Reveille sounded and standards were promptly raised before a famous verse that appears on the memorial to the 2nd British Division in the Kohima War Cemetery in Northeast India, the Kohima Epitaph was read:
When you go home,
Tell them of us and say,
For your tomorrow,
We gave our today.
Hymns and psalms followed as the service was conducted, with poems read by members of the Cadet Forces and scripture readings by multi-faith religious figures to pray for the peace of the world. The town took a moment to remember Private Denis McGrath of The King’s Shropshire Light Infantry and a blessing was made before singing the National Anthem.
The veterans parade then reformed and conducted a march-past before halting in front of the Cenotaph and the remainder of the parade carrying out a march-past and returning to the town hall.
