News Release – New Milton Remembers
Every year on Remembrance Sunday, hundreds of people come together to participate in the New Milton Remembrance Day parade, and this year was no different.
Parade Marshal, Colour Sergeant, Russell Kerslake, supported by Christchurch Scout Band and the New Milton Army Cadets, led the Parade to the War Memorial for 11am, for the 2 minutes silence, followed by the wreath-laying ceremony involving 60 organisations.
Residents and visitors, families, Armed Services veterans, youth and community groups assembled on a grey Sunday morning, to pay their respects, for the many lives sadly lost during the two world wars and subsequent conflicts of the past.
This year, it is 106 years since the end of WWI in 1918, and we remember especially all those who lost their lives in the 1st and 2nd World Wars. In New Milton, we remember all 223 local servicemen who lost their lives in the two world wars – 83 in WWI and 140 in in WW2, and their names appear on the War Memorial.
The Last Post sounded at 11am and Brigadier Paul Jepson, President of the local Royal British Legion recited the Exhortation. After the Reveille, Freeman of the Town, Goff Beck, recited the Kohima, followed by wreath-laying.
Joining us for the wreath-laying was New Forest District Council Chairman, Councillor David Hawkins, who laid a wreath on behalf of New Forest Council.
Our Mayor, Councillor Alvin Reid, laid a wreath on behalf of New Milton Town Council, also laying a wreath as the nominated New Forest Armed Forces Champion.
New Milton Town Clerk, Graham Flexman, gave a warm welcome to local resident, Jim Justice, a 99 year- old D-Day veteran, who had been in combat as a Green Jacket in the Rifle Brigade.
The Reverend Andy Perryman led the Service of Remembrance in the Memorial Hall and the service was supported by local schools Durlston Court School, Arnewood School, and Ballard School, each school delivering equally interesting, but poignant, presentations about the lives of New Milton service personnel active in the D-Day operation.
Cllr David Hawkins, Chairman of New Forest District Council, and Cllr Alvin Reid, New Milton Town Mayor (also New Forest District Council’s Armed Forces Champion) attended the launch of the Poppy Appeal at New Milton Memorial Hall in October.
On display was a wonderful knitted poppy work of art featuring a flowing torrent of poppies – purple, red and white – and a Tommy Soldier and Nurse figure complete with a knitted purple poppy dog. Supporters and members of the New Milton Royal British Legion had created over 4,750 poppies for the display, representing approximately 10,000 hours knitting.
The Royal British Legion host the Poppy Appeal to raise money to support serving and ex-serving personnel and their families. Find out more on the Royal British Legion website https://www.britishlegion.org.uk
Further information available from:
Graham Flexman
Town Clerk, New Milton Town Council
Tel 01425 619120
Email: info@newmiltontowncouncil.gov.uk
Website: www.newmiltontowncouncil.gov.uk
Dated: 12 November 2024