REMEMBRANCE Day was marked across South Cumbria and North Lancashire with a series of services.
Two special assemblies were put on at Stramongate School in Kendal, where children enacted for proud parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents what wartime would have been like for people their age.
Reactions to speeches from Attlee and Churchill, and how children coped during the air raids, formed the basis of the play.
“It was wonderful to see four generations of people watching the children doing the Remembrance assemblies,” said headteacher Mike Poole.
“I think the nicest bit of it was bringing everybody together. I was talking to some of the grandparents at the end and they were saying how emotional they found it.”
For the first time this year, two assemblies were put on so that more people could view the plays, which are becoming an annual event for the school according to Mr Poole.
Elsewhere, Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron and Mayor John Veevers were among the parade that laid wreaths in Market Place and Romney Gardens before a service in Kendal Parish Church.
Meanwhile in Ulverston, the British Legion Remembrance Parade marched from Brogden Street to Ulverston Parish Church for a service, before wreaths were laid at Market Cross.
Coun Norman Bishop-Rowe said: “The whole of the town centre stopped still at 11am.
“The church was packed and young people as well as old were laying wreaths.”
Ambleside marked Armistice Day with a short service and silence at the Market Cross, followed on the Friday by a special ceremony during which the primary school children paid tribute to Ambleside’s war dead, particularly to former pupils. Pupils laid a wreath by the memorial stone which was placed in the old school wall in Vicarage Road by comrades of the fallen after the First World War.
All 98 Ambleside men who died in the service of their country during the 20th Century were remembered by name at Sunday's Remembrance Service at Ambleside Parish Church, which was led by the vicar, the Rev Robert Coke, with an address by the vicar of Langdale, the Rev George Wrigley. The lesson was read by George Hunt, the intercessions by the Rev Reginald Harper and the names inscribed on the war memorial were called out by Norman Chatterton and Ted Pears.
The Royal British Legion standard bearer was Brian Elleray, who led former servicemen and women, civic and churches’ representatives and the Guides and Brownies. Poppy wreaths were laid at Ambleside War Memorial on behalf of the Legion, Lakes Parish Council, South Lakeland District Council, Ambleside St John Ambulance, St Mary’s Parochial Church Council, St Mary’s Children’s Church, The Rotary Club of Ambleside, Windermere Lake Cruises and Ambleside Guides and Brownies. The words from Ode to the Fallen and Kohima were spoken by Deanna Cousins of the Royal British Legion.
A half-muffled peal of bells rang out over Shap as parishioners gathered for a village Act of Remembrance at St Michael’s church. The service began shortly before 11am when the standard of the Royal British Legion Women’s Section carried by Elaine Harrison led representatives of the village organisations into the church. The procession halted to observe a two minute’s silence, before continuing to the altar where standards and wreaths were received by the Rev Martin Dew. The poem In Flanders Field was read by Jean Jackson, then lessons from the Bible were read by Ron Taylor and the Rev Dew, who also led the prayers, the organist was Janet Wood and the address was given by the Rev Michael Cannon, a retired Methodist minister. During the singing of the final hymn, standards and wreaths were returned and the procession lead worshippers outside to the war memorial in the churchyard where the names of the fallen were read by Edward Hodgson and David Lightburn; the verse from Binyon’s poem To the Fallen was recited by Ron Taylor and the National Anthem was sung. Wreaths were laid by the Royal British Legion Men’s Section: Darren Furness, Royal British Legion Women’s Section: Jean Benson, Royal Air Force Association: William Martindale, National Fire Service: Jonathan Wood, RAOB: Dennis Chambers, Shap Parish Council: Alan Sowerby, Scouts: Rachel Wood and Luke Pattinson, Cubs and Beavers: Joe Woof and Jake Lees. The standard bearer for Scouts was Ben Lees, and for Beaver Scouts James Gee.
Meanwhile, more than 100 people attended a Service of Remembrance at the war memorial at Grasmere.
Over at Sawrey, the Rev J Dixon officiated at the Service of Remembrance at St Peter's Church. Paul Gregson laid the poppy wreath and read out the names of the 13 men from the village who had lost their lives during the 1914-18 and the 1939-45 wars.
A large crowd gathered around the war memorial at Bolton-le-Sands for the Remembrance Day Service. The Rev Gerwyn Capon and the Rev Yolande Burns led the service. Parish council chairman Coun Keith Budden read the Roll of Honour of those who lost their lives in both world wars. He laid a wreath on behalf of the parish, Maurice Hodgson laid a wreath on behalf of the Fire Service and wreaths were also laid by representatives of the uniformed organisations. The service continued in church.
A Service of Remembrance was also held at St Patrick's Church, at Preston Patrick, where a wreath was laid and the names of the fallen in two world wars were read out. This year a new brass plaque had been placed on the memorial cross at the back of church in memory of William Alexander Duff.
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