Wingham Remembrance Parade

Sunday 13 November 2022

15 November 2022

There was the usual fantastic turn out for the Wingham Remembrance Parade on Sunday 13 November which started at the Wingham Remembrance Garden in the High Street and ended at St Mary's Church in Canterbury Road where the Remembrance service was held, led by Canon Norman.

It was lovely to see veterans joining the parade along with all sections of the 8th Deal (Wingham) Scout Group, Wingham KFRS crew, the Parish Council Chairman, Parish Council members and residents.

The volunteer marshals did an excellent job of ensuring the safe procession of the parade by closing the roads and reopening after safely entering the church. The Parish Council would like to thank all volunteers, including First Aiders, who helped make the parade both safe and enjoyable.

During the service wreaths were laid beneath the memorial plaque, hymns were sung and we heard information from members of the Scout Group about one of the Wingham servicemen named on the War Memorial, Company Sergeant Major Charles Frier, and his time in the Gallipoli campaign. More information on Charles Frier and other men named on the Wingham War Memorial can be found on our website here: https://wingham-pc.gov.uk/wingham-war-memorial/.

Canon Norman told the congregation about his connection with Rev Philip (Tubby) Clayton who was in charge of Talbot House in Poperinge, Flanders, known by First World War soldiers on their way to Ypres as 'Toc-H'. Poperinge was one of only two towns in Belgium not under German occupation and was used to billet British troops and provide a safe area for field hospitals, known familiarly as "Pop". For Tubby, and the many men (25,000 recorded as having visited) who passed through, the most important area of 'Toc-H' was the Upper Room where the chapel resided.

The retiring collection will be added to the Wingham Parish contributions to the Royal British Legion.

More photos from the parade, courtesy of Gareth Winters:-