Battle marches to remember

Early morning rain cleared away in time for a procession down the High Street which saw old soldiers marching alongside members of youth organisations.

The procession, which set off from Market Square, was bolstered by two bands, a pip band and Battle Town Band.

The service, at St Mary’s Church, was conducted by the Dean of Battle, the Very Reverend Canon John Edmondson.

It was followed the reading of names of fallen comrades for the past 100 years at the same time as wreaths by the cadets of the Air Training Corps.

The Royal British Legion organised an Armistice Day ceremony on the Abbey Green on Tuesday when a maroon by Battel Bonfire Boyes signalled the two minute’s silence. There was a sounding of the Last Post and Reville and the Legion were joined by pupils and musicians from Battle Abbey School.

The early morning rain stopped just in time for the Remembrance Day Service at the War Memorial at Etchingham on Sunday and afterwards in the Church. There was a large gathering for the service conducted by Reverend Iain Morrison.

Ashburnham and Penhurst WI decided to ask their members to make poppies for a unique and permanent wreath for the war memorial. In May members stitched, knitted and quilted poppies during their regular meeting. Following this, a small group of members got together on several occasions to finish the sewing and fix the poppies to the wreath.

One member embroidered onto black ribbon all the names of those from the villages who were killed in the First and Second World War and these were attached to the wreath. After the ceremony, the wreath was placed in Ashburnham Church where it will be on display for a short time before being carefully stored so that it can be used in future years. The wreath was praised by many who attended the Remembrance Day service at the War Memorial on Sunday.