Henley Falls Silent to Remember
People gathered to remember the fallen on Armstice Day (today) for a short ceremony and a two-minute silence.
On the steps of the Town Hall, John Green, President of the Henley & Peppard Branch of the Royal Legion, said “It is important to be here on the 11th.” When he was younger, he remembers everything stopped at 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month, saying even “buses would pull over and everyone would get out to honour the silence”, however, these days business gets in the way and so there is the Sunday Memorial Service as well.
Councillor Dave Eggleton was also there, proudly wearing the medals of his father, Chris Eggleton. He urged the “youth of today” to do the same. “People who have lost their lives for our today, their medals can be worn on the right-hand side of the body,” he said, adding, “it’s an honour to wear your parents’ medals.”
Sandra Moon, of the Henley Society, will be wearing her Grandfather’s medals, including his George Cross during the service on Sunday. She said, Although she is not part of the military, she will be part of the parade in Henley on Sunday. Her Grandfather fought with the Royal Berkshire Regiment in France during WW1 but at the end of the war was in Africa with the East African Rifles. Sadly, his younger brother, her Great Uncle, fought with the Royal Artillery and was killed in March 1918. During WWII, her Grandfather was called up again as an older soldier to help with recruitment in High Wycombe, and her mother served in the Red Cross. She said she will “wear his medals with pride.”
During a typically busy Friday morning in Henley, Falaise Square fell silent, people stood with their own memories of loved ones, to honour all of those who lost their lives for our future and to remember the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918 when hostilities ended between the Allies and Germany.
We will remember them.
