Patriotism, pride – and hope for the future of Bedworth's proud parade

[dutchman]

Fears that Bedworth's proud Armistice Day Parade was on the wane were swept away by another great outpouring of gratitude, patriotism and pride.



Thousands of people again descended on the town to take part in and preserve its proudest and most treasured tradition – and were given hope for the future.

Hundreds of schoolchildren were among the thousands of people who lined the streets. Some laid wreaths from their schools at the foot of the war memorial and cadets from all three services marched with the veterans.

Mike O' Brien, president of the Armistice Day Parade Group, said: "This parade is part of the identity of Bedworth and it was wonderful to see so many schoolchildren taking part. It is part of their school year and they will remember it and want to keep it going."

The Mayor of Nuneaton and Bedworth, Cllr Jill Sheppard, echoed his optimism: "It was nice to see so many schools involved," she said. " It is safe in their hands – they are the future."

Gil Leach, vice chairman of the organising committee," was just as pleased: "It was one of the biggest parade we have had," he said. "We must have had around 800 children here. We catered for 780."

In his address, the Rev Matthew Hammond, team vicar at St Andrew;s Church in Smorrall lane, Bedworth, referred to the controversy over the England and Scotland soccer teams wearing the poppy for their World Cup qualifying match.

He told the assembled throng: "The poppy is not a political emblem, it is a symbol of the those servicemen and women, who have died to preserve our freedom. We are not here to glorify war, but to remember their sacrifice. We should wear our poppy with pride."

The parade was the 98th and nowhere in Britain has two minutes silence to mark the moment on November, 11, 1918, when the guns fell silent to end the First World War, been observed for so long

Glorious sunshine shone down out of a Royal Air Force blue sky as the veterans and townsfolk observed the two minutes' silence; alone with their own special memories.

More that 30 Royal British Legion and Ex-Service Association standards dipped in homage as the Last Post, the sound which ends the military day. split the autumn air to be followed by Reveille to signal the start of a new dawn which so many soldiers, sailors and airmen did not live to see.

Veterans of D-Day and the Normandy Landings, the Arctic Convoys, the steaming jungles of Burma, Korea, Cyprus, the Falklands, Afghanistan and many other conflicts took part in the parade.

Among them, in a wheelchair, was 97-year-old Reg Brown, the last survivor of the Lancastria, the troopship that was sunk by enemy aircraft in 1940 with the loss of more than 8,000 men, women and children, the worst maritime disaster in history

The civilians who died were also remembered in the service which takes place just five miles from the communal grave where so many people who perished in the Coventry blitz are buried.

After the wreath-laying the parade re-assembled in Coventry Road Cemetery, a few yards from the grave of Frank Parsons, the ex-Royal Marine, who made the parade what it is today.

Thanks to him, Bedworth was the town that never forget Armistice Day – and the young people will make sure his legacy will live on.

[Melisandre]

Bedworth will do it again on Sunday also Friday so I am informed .
The grave yard is beautifully kept my mother in law is buried there.

[Melisandre]

[dutchman]

War medal found after Nuneaton Remembrance parade



Police are trying to find the owner of a military medal found in Nuneaton over the Remembrance weekend.

It is believed the medal fell off a uniform or clothing during the town’s Remembrance Parade and is currently being kept at Nuneaton police station.

The medal is believed to be an Operational Service Medal (Afghanistan) which was awarded to members of the armed forces for service after May 5, 2000.

A spokesman for Warwickshire Police said: “We are keen to return the medal to its rightful owner and would ask that they come to Nuneaton Police station with relevant identification to collect.”